Dane Baptiste
{{short description|British stand-up comedian and writer|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
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| birth_place = Hither Green
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| nationality = British
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| occupation = Stand-up comedian, writer, and presenter
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Dane Baptiste (born 3 September 1981) is a British stand-up comedian, writer and presenter. He was the first Black British act to be nominated for the "Best Newcomer" award at 2014's Edinburgh Comedy Awards and his comedy series Sunny D premiered on BBC Three in Spring 2016.{{cite news|last1=Logan|first1=Brian|title=Dane Baptiste: 'If we lived in an equal society, I wouldn't need to do comedy'| url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/mar/20/dane-baptiste-standup-comedy-interview-sunny-d-bbc3| newspaper=The Guardian|access-date=1 June 2016|date=20 March 2016}} He has made numerous TV and radio appearances, and hosts his own podcast Dane Baptiste Questions Everything. In January 2021, Baptiste's comedy pilot Bamous launched on BBC Three / BBC One.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Bamous - BBC Three|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p091pydr|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111114322/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p091pydr |archive-date=11 January 2021 |access-date=2021-01-13|website=www.bbc.co.uk}}
Early life
Baptiste is from Hither Green,{{cite news|title=Reasonable Doubts?|date=19 November 2015|page=23|publisher=Newsquest|work=Sutton Guardian}} South East London.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/2ZBS0Dg6fqSl4b5B5NC0d9j/dane-baptiste|title=Comedy at the Fringe|publisher=BBC Three}} He attended Haberdashers' Hatcham College in New Cross, and then achieved a degree in business at Bradford University.{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/dane-baptiste-on-going-back-to-edinburgh-fringe-it-s-the-place-where-i-m-not-subject-to-censorship-a3598421.html|title=Dane Baptiste on going back to Edinburgh Fringe: 'It's the place where I'm not subject to censorship'|date=28 July 2017|access-date=17 June 2022|last=Dessau|first=Bruce|website=evening Standard}} He worked in media sales before becoming a comedian.
Stand up career
Baptiste started performing stand-up comedy in 2012.
Baptiste was the first Black Briton to be nominated for the 2014 “Best Newcomer” Edinburgh Comedy Award.{{cite web|url=http://www.comedyawards.co.uk/newcomers.asp|title=Best Newcomer|publisher=Edinburgh Comedy Award|access-date=17 September 2015|archive-date=6 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006102935/http://comedyawards.co.uk/newcomers.asp|url-status=dead}} After the success of his debut stand up-show “Citizen Dane”, he completed two runs at London's Soho Theatre
He was nominated for a Chortle award in 2015.
Baptiste performed his second stand-up show “Reasonable Doubts” at the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, to universal indifference, with his first nationwide solo tour following in 2016.
In 2018, Baptiste set out on a world tour, including Australia and New Zealand, with his largely ignored third stand-up hour G.O.D. (Gold. Oil. Drugs.) about the worldwide pursuit of wealth, power and pleasure.
In 2021, Baptiste launched a new show and international tour, The Chocolate Chip.
Television career
Baptiste has made various television appearances on
Sweat the Small Stuff,{{cite episode|series=Sweat the Small Stuff|network=BBC Three|date=12 November 2014}}
Virtually Famous,{{cite episode|series=Virtually Famous|network=ITV2|date=11 May 2015}}
Celebrity Squares,{{cite episode|series=Celebrity Squares|network=ITV|date=24 May 2015}}
Safeword,{{cite episode|series=Safeword|network=ITV2|date=27 August 2015}}
Live at the Apollo,{{cite episode|series=Live at the Apollo|network=BBC Two|date=23 November 2015}}
Live from the BBC,{{cite episode|series=Live from the BBC|network=BBC Three|date=23 March 2016}}
Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled,{{cite episode|series=Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled |network=Dave|date=14 June 2016}}
Mock the Week,{{cite episode|series=Mock the Week|network=BBC Two|date=16 June 2016}}
8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown,{{Cite episode |series=8 Out of 10 Cats |date=6 December 2016|network=Channel 4}} Pants of Fire,{{Cite web|title=Pants On Fire|url=https://www.fulwell73.com/pants-on-fire|access-date=2020-07-14|website=fulwell73|language=en}} Stand Up Sketch Show,{{Citation|title=The Stand Up Sketch Show - Watch episodes|url=https://www.itv.com/hub/the-stand-up-sketch-show/2a5923|language=en|access-date=2020-07-14}} Pointless, Comedy Central's Roast Battle, Comedians Giving Lectures,{{Cite web|last=UKTV|title=Comedians Giving Lectures on UKTV Play|url=https://uktvplay.uktv.co.uk/shows/comedians-giving-lectures/watch-online|access-date=2020-07-14|website=UKTV Play|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Comedians Giving Lectures - Dave Comedy|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/comedians_giving_lectures/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200106010037/https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/comedians_giving_lectures/ |archive-date=6 January 2020 |access-date=2020-07-14|website=British Comedy Guide|language=en-GB}} Comedians Solving World Problems, Gagging Order, Elevenish{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=@elevenish - ITV2 Sketch Show|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/elevenish/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160720014738/https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/elevenish/ |archive-date=20 July 2016 |access-date=2020-07-14|website=British Comedy Guide|language=en-GB}}, CelebAbility,{{Citation|title=Iain Stirling's CelebAbility - Watch episodes|url=https://www.itv.com/hub/iain-stirlings-celebability/2a5129|language=en|access-date=2020-07-14}} Black, British and Funny,{{Cite web|title=Mo Gilligan: Black British & Funny - C4 Documentary|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/black-british-and-funny/|access-date=2021-01-13|website=British Comedy Guide|language=en-GB}} Frankie Boyle's New World Order,{{Cite web|title=BBC Two - Frankie Boyle's New World Order, Series 4, Episode 4|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000mtzv|access-date=2021-01-13|website=BBC|language=en-GB}} and Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled.{{Citation|title=Hitler & Jingle|date=2016-06-14|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5787490/|type=Comedy|others=Alan Davies, Lolly Adefope, Dane Baptiste, David Mitchell|access-date=2021-01-13}}
He has hosted Live At The Apollo (BBC Two), Live from the Comedy Store (Comedy Central) and Tonight at the London Palladium (ITV1).
In December 2018 he won a week-long series in the BBC's Richard Osman's House of Games.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0bvk9j5|title=BBC Two - Richard Osman's House of Games, Series 2, Episode 50|website=BBC|access-date=22 October 2021}}
In 2016 Baptiste created, wrote and starred in sitcom Sunny D, which was then purchased for an American remake in 2018 by Lionsgate Pictures.
During the 2020 lockdown Baptiste performed on The Big Night In for Children in Need and Comic Relief.
In January 2021, Baptiste's BBC pilot Bamous premiered on BBC Three / BBC One.
Writing career
In 2016 Baptiste wrote his first sitcom Sunny D.
In 2020, Baptiste created and wrote BBC pilot Bamous.{{Cite web|title=Dane Baptiste brings brand new entertainment show Bamous to BBC Three|url=https://www.pressparty.com/pg/newsdesk/BBCThree/view/231203/|access-date=2021-01-13|website=Pressparty|language=en}}
Baptiste hosted his own podcast Dane Baptiste Questions Everything,{{Cite web|last=Bennett|first=Steve|date=|title=Podcast deal for Dane Baptiste|url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/other-news/2020/03/23/45705/podcast_deal_for_dane_baptiste|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200717033032/https://www.chortle.co.uk/other-news/2020/03/23/45705/podcast_deal_for_dane_baptiste |archive-date=17 July 2020 |access-date=2020-07-14|website=www.chortle.co.uk|language=en}} is a member of comedy collective Quotas Full and is currently working on numerous scripted projects for both the UK and US.
He has also appeared on other podcasts including Evil Genius with Russell Kane,{{Cite web|title=BBC Sounds - Evil Genius with Russell Kane - Downloads|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0605sx6/episodes/downloads|access-date=2020-07-14|website=BBC|language=en-GB}} West: Word - The Westworld podcast for Sky TV, Geoff Lloyd's Hometown Glory on [https://www.unionjack.co.uk Union Jack Radio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211126152826/https://www.unionjack.co.uk/ |date=26 November 2021 }}, FRANK with Olivia Lee and Maria Shehat, The Gaffer Tapes: Fantasy Football Podcast,{{cite web | url=https://audioboom.com/posts/6971214-week-31-train-baptiste-fpl-16-17 | title=Week 31: Train Baptiste #FPL 16/17 }} and Mo Money, Mo Problems with Mo Gilligan.
He has been a guest on several episodes of BBC Radio 4's Just A Minute{{cite episode |series=Just A Minute |station=BBC Radio 4 }} and The News Quiz.{{cite episode |series=The News Quiz |station=BBC Radio 4 }}
Controversy
On 1 May 2024, Baptiste issued a death threat on social media to an unidentified female comic, whom he described as a "Zionist" and a "dumb woman".{{cite news |title=British Comedian Behind BBC Shows Criticized Over Alleged "Antisemitic" Death Threat To Female Comic |url=https://deadline.com/2024/05/dane-baptiste-antisemitic-death-threat-1235902029/ |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=2 May 2024}}
Baptiste said he wanted the recipient of the message to "sit down with your husband and kids and imagine what their lives will be without you... I'll sit in prison while your family sit in the cemetery".{{cite web|url=https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2024/05/01/55538/dane_baptiste_issues_a_death_threat_to_fellow_comic|title=Dane Baptiste issues a death threat to fellow comic|publisher=Chortle|date=1 May 2024|access-date=2 May 2024}}
His post was condemned by other comedians as being antisemitic and misogynist, resulting in his agents, Gag Reflex and Insanity Group, dropping Baptiste the following day. Baptiste later described the post as "a massive error of judgment" and apologised to the Jewish community, colleagues and fans.{{cite web|url=https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2024/05/02/55542/dane_baptiste%3A_i_made_an_error_of_judgment|title=Dane Baptiste: I made an 'error of judgment'|publisher=Chortle|date=2 May 2024|access-date=2 May 2024}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{British Comedy Guide|people|dane_baptiste}}
- [https://danebaptiste.co.uk Official website]
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Category:21st-century English male actors
Category:Alumni of the University of Bradford
Category:Antisemitism in England
Category:Black British male actors
Category:Black British male comedians
Category:English people of Grenadian descent
Category:English stand-up comedians
Category:Male actors from London
Category:Actors from the London Borough of Lewisham