Jay Shareef
{{Short description|British comedian and broadcaster}}
{{EngvarB|date=November 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}
{{Infobox comedian
| name = Jay Shareef
| image =
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| pseudonym = Jay Islaam, Bambam Shaikh, Rabbi Hyman Patel
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1982}}
| birth_place =
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| medium = Stand-up
| nationality = British
| active = 2013–present
| genre = Observational humour, Character comedy, Satire
| subject = Autism, Political Correctness, Racism, Islam
| spouse =
| domesticpartner =
| notable_work =
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| website = {{URL|jayshareef.com/}}
| footnotes =
}}
Jay Shareef (born 1982) is a British stand-up comedian, broadcaster, podcaster and social commentator,{{cite web | last=Lamy | first=Joel | url=http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/what-s-on/latest-leisure-lifestyle/dream-comes-true-for-peterborough-comedy-award-winner-1-6227478 | title=Dream comes true for Peterborough comedy award-winner | work=Peterborough Evening Telegraph | date=9 August 2014 | accessdate=25 January 2016 | archive-date=31 January 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160131201235/http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/what-s-on/latest-leisure-lifestyle/dream-comes-true-for-peterborough-comedy-award-winner-1-6227478 | url-status=dead }}{{cite web | url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-comedy-cannon/id1088150620 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307184009/https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-comedy-cannon/id1088150620 | url-status=dead | archive-date=7 March 2016 | title=The Comedy Cannon | publisher=iTunes Store | date=20 February 2016 | accessdate=29 February 2016}} also known by the stage name Jay Islaam.{{cite web | url=https://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2019/12/30/45086/midland_bankers... | title=Midlands Bankers | publisher=Chortle | date=30 December 2019 | accessdate=April 5, 2020}}{{cite web | url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/live/news/5589/midlands_comedy_awards_2019/ | title=Midlands Comedy Awards 2019 results | publisher=British Comedy Guide | date=30 December 2019 | accessdate=April 5, 2020}}
Shareef has written for The Guardian,{{cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/profile/jay-islaam | title=Jay Islaam Guardian Articles | work=The Guardian | date=10 October 2016 | accessdate=21 October 2016}} Huffington Post,{{cite web | url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/author/jay-islaam | title=Jay Islaam Profile | work=HuffPost | date=31 July 2014 | accessdate=21 October 2016}} Birmingham Mail,{{cite web | last=Islaam | first=Jay | url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/8-comedians-you-should-go-12452995 | title=8 comedians you should go see in Birmingham during 2017 | location=Birmingham | work=Birmingham Mail | date=22 January 2017 | accessdate=26 January 2017}} Chortle, Beyond The Joke and Gigglebeats. He presents weekly arts and culture shows on Radio Peterborough{{cite web|url=http://www.radiopb.uk/Schedule.html |title=Radio Peterborough schedule |location=Peterborough |publisher=Radio Peterborough |access-date=29 February 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306153852/http://www.radiopb.uk/Schedule.html |archive-date= 6 March 2016 }}{{cite web | last=Habib | first=Adam | url=http://www.edgemagazine.org/britains-muslim-comedy-revolution.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160225134143/http://www.edgemagazine.org/britains-muslim-comedy-revolution.html | url-status=usurped | archive-date=25 February 2016 | title=Britain's Muslim Comedy Revolution | work=Edge Magazine | date=15 February 2016 | accessdate=17 February 2016}} and Switch Radio,{{cite web | url=http://www.switchradio.co.uk/viewshow.asp?id=129 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312123811/http://www.switchradio.co.uk/viewshow.asp?id=129 | url-status=dead | archive-date=12 March 2016 | title=The Comedy Cannon | publisher=Switch Radio | accessdate=12 March 2016 }}{{cite web | url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/adam-ali-habib/britains-muslim-comedy-re_b_9332476.html | title=Britain's Muslim Comedy Revolution | work=HuffPost | date=1 March 2016 | accessdate=3 March 2016}} and has also appeared on BBC Radio London,{{cite web | last=Lederman | first=Simon | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02302t1 | title=Overweight doctors, cyclists with headphones and sibling rivalry | publisher=BBC Radio London | date=30 July 2014 | accessdate=25 January 2016}} BBC Radio Nottingham, BBC Radio WM{{cite web | last=Islaam | first=Jay | url=http://jayislaam.com/inthemedia/ | title=In The Media | publisher=Jay Islaam | date=7 January 2014 | accessdate=25 January 2016}} and BBC Asian Network.{{cite web | last=Khan | first=Noreen | url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0725pbs | title=Comedian Jay Islaam | publisher=BBC | date=9 March 2016 | accessdate=12 March 2016}}
Personal life
Shareef is from Birmingham, England, and lives in the Cambridgeshire city of Peterborough. He is of Pakistani descent.{{cite web | url=http://www.stamfordmercury.co.uk/what-s-on/arts-entertainment/stamford-comedy-club-is-no-joke-as-it-wins-top-prize-1-7177329 | title=Stamford comedy club is no joke as it wins top prize | publisher=Rutland & Stamford Mercury | date=23 January 2016 | accessdate=24 January 2016}} He previously worked as a marketing consultant, and started performing stand-up comedy when he visited the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2013. He is teetotal and vegan.{{cite web | url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/fringe/2016/features/q_and_a/jay_islaam_10_questions/ | title=Jay Islaam: 10 Edinburgh Fringe questions | publisher=British Comedy Guide | date=8 August 2016 | accessdate=1 September 2016}}
Career
Shareef is a Muslim{{cite web | url=http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=67350 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160131195103/http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=67350 | url-status=dead | archive-date=31 January 2016 | title=Muslim Comedian Wins National Comedy Award | publisher=Middle East Online | date=28 July 2014 | accessdate=25 January 2016 }} of Punjabi heritage.{{cite web | url=http://eastlondonnews.co.uk/muslim-funnyman-up-for-three-comedy-awards/ | title=Muslim funnyman up for three comedy awards | location=East London | publisher=East London News | date=1 February 2016 | accessdate=2 February 2016}} He refuses to label himself as an "ethnic comedian", and has written about his objection to positive discrimination.{{cite web |url=http://www.gigglebeats.co.uk/2014/07/i-refuse-to-be-an-ethnic-comedian/ | title=I refuse to be an ethnic comedian | publisher=Gigglebeats | date=29 July 2014 | accessdate=25 January 2016}}{{cite web | url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/jay-islaam/positive-discrimination_b_5634742.html | title=I refuse to be an ethnic comedian | work=HuffPost | date=31 July 2014 | accessdate=25 January 2016}} He has described his comedy as "neither left-wing nor right-wing" and cites George Carlin, Omid Djalili and Bill Hicks as influences.{{cite web | last=Walker | first=Martin | url=http://www.broadwaybaby.com/news/jay-islaam/363 | title=The Jay Islaam Three Minute Interview | publisher=Broadway Baby | date=16 July 2014 | accessdate=25 January 2016}}
Shareef has been called "one of the bad boys of British comedy". He performs "political satire" that has been described as "cleverly controversial",{{cite web | url=http://mumblecomedy.net/2015/06/09/fringe-festival-comedy-prelude/ | title=Fringe Festival Comedy Prelude | publisher=Mumble Comedy | date=9 June 2015 | accessdate=25 January 2016}} "risqué" and "comedy genius".{{cite web|last=Musa |first=Junaid |url=http://worldofcomedy.blog.com/2014/03/24/world-of-comedy-2014-show-3-review-%E2%80%93-hoddlesden-club-22032014/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160605192848/http://worldofcomedy.blog.com/2014/03/24/world-of-comedy-2014-show-3-review-%E2%80%93-hoddlesden-club-22032014/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 June 2016 |title=World of Comedy 2014 Show 3 Review |publisher=World of Comedy |date=24 March 2014 |access-date=25 January 2016 }} He has performed at The Glee Club{{cite web | last=Bourke | first=Fionnuala | url=http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/eating-out-glee-club-arcadian-7779684 | title=The Glee Club at The Arcadian in Birmingham's Southside | work=Birmingham Mail | date=16 September 2014 | accessdate=25 January 2016}} and The Comedy Store.
In 2014, Shareef created the Midlands Comedy Awards "to recognise the huge number of hard working and talented people in [the] regional comedy community".{{cite web | url=http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/what-s-on/latest-leisure-lifestyle/stamford-comedy-club-is-no-joke-as-it-wins-top-prize-1-7177329 | title=Stamford comedy club is no joke as it wins top prize | work=Peterborough Evening Telegraph | date=23 January 2016 | accessdate=25 January 2016 | archive-date=25 January 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160125001409/http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/what-s-on/latest-leisure-lifestyle/stamford-comedy-club-is-no-joke-as-it-wins-top-prize-1-7177329 | url-status=dead }}{{cite web | url=http://www.nottinghampost.com/Nottingham-acts-events-recognised-Midlands-Comedy/story-28584840-detail/story.html | title=Nottingham acts and events recognised in Midlands Comedy Awards | work=Nottingham Post | date=22 January 2016 | accessdate=25 January 2016 }}{{Dead link|date=October 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite web | url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/live/news/2000/midlands_comedy_awards_2016_results/ | title=Midlands Comedy Awards 2016 results | publisher=British Comedy Guide | date=21 January 2016 | accessdate=25 January 2016}}
In August 2014, he was due to premiere his debut solo show, titled Racist Joke Show, about the evolution of political correctness and the rise of the far right. The show's publicity featured a golliwog on the poster. Due to the controversy the show generated, it was banned from being performed by its host venue at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. He described the cancellation of his show as "a difficult and unhappy outcome" that was outside of his control and stated he was "very disappointed about the situation".{{cite web |url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2014/08/04/20687/racist_joke_show_axed_from_the_fringe | title=Racist Joke Show Axed From The Fringe | publisher=Chortle | date=4 August 2014 | accessdate=25 January 2016}}{{cite web | last=Fleming | first=John | url=https://thejohnfleming.wordpress.com/2014/08/20/edinburgh-fringe-how-the-banned-racist-joke-show-was-a-cunning-stunt/ | title=Edinburgh Fringe: How the banned "Racist Joke Show" was a cunning stunt | publisher=So It Goes | date=20 August 2014 | accessdate=25 January 2016}}
In February 2016, he performed a show at the Leicester Comedy Festival exploring the subject of Autism, titled Travels with Autism. This was his first full-length solo show,{{cite web | url=http://www.comedy-festival.co.uk/events/show.php?event_id=5052&showdate=2016-02-18&venue=404 | title=Autistic Fantastic | publisher=Leicester Comedy Festival | date=25 January 2016 | accessdate=25 January 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130165323/http://www.comedy-festival.co.uk/events/show.php?event_id=5052&showdate=2016-02-18&venue=404 | archive-date=30 January 2016 | url-status=dead }} which was then performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2016 for a short run.{{cite web | url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/fringe/2016/jay_islaam/ | title=Travels With Autism | publisher=British Comedy Guide | date=16 August 2016 | accessdate=1 September 2016}}{{cite web | url=https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/travels-with-autism | title=Travels With Autism | publisher=The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society | date=1 August 2016 | accessdate=1 September 2016 | archive-date=21 September 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160921012811/https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/travels-with-autism | url-status=dead }} The show, about his life and his struggle with Asperger syndrome, was described by one reviewer as a "raw and personal show" with "dry wit and intelligence".{{cite web | last=Farnham | first=Matt | url=http://www.thereviewshub.com/travels-with-autism-just-the-tonic-at-the-caves-edinburgh/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819051454/http://www.thereviewshub.com/travels-with-autism-just-the-tonic-at-the-caves-edinburgh/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=19 August 2016 | title=Review: Travels with Autism | work=The Reviews Hub | date=17 August 2016 | accessdate=1 September 2016 }}
In October 2016, Shareef was part of the Super Muslim Comedy Tour of standup comedy, along with Azhar Usman and Omar Regan, that visited twelve cities in England.{{cite web | url=http://pennyappeal.org/appeal/the-super-muslim-comedy-tour | title=The Super Muslim Comedy Tour 2016 | publisher=Penny Appeal | date=18 October 2016 | accessdate=26 October 2016 | archive-date=27 October 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161027055942/http://pennyappeal.org/appeal/the-super-muslim-comedy-tour | url-status=dead }}{{citation needed|date=October 2017}}
Awards
As a new act Shareef won 20 comedy competitions. In July 2014, he won his first national award, within a year of starting his comedy career, when he beat more than 100 new comedians to be recognised as Breakthrough Act 2014.{{cite web | url=http://eastlondonnews.co.uk/muslim-comedian-wins-national-comedy-award/ | title=Muslim comedian wins national comedy award | publisher=East London News | date=3 August 2014 | accessdate=25 January 2016}} In 2015 he was a semi-finalist in the English Comedian of the Year competition,{{cite web | url=http://www.sleafordstandard.co.uk/what-s-on/arts-leisure/stage-set-for-comedy-night-1-7229753 | title=Stage set for comedy night | location=Sleaford | publisher=Sleaford Standard | date=25 February 2016 | accessdate=29 February 2016}} and runner-up for the Joker of the Year award.
In February 2016. it was reported that he had become a finalist in three different British comedy awards, and later that month he was given the New Act of the Year Award 2016 at Moseley Comedy Festival.{{cite web | url=http://www.cheekycomedy.co.uk/2016-february5th.html | title=Moseley Comedy Festival New Act competition | publisher=Cheeky Monkey Comedy | date=5 February 2016 | accessdate=13 February 2016}} In August 2016 he was one of three finalists for the Asian Arts Award for Comedy at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for his show Travels with Autism.{{cite web | url=http://thebirminghampress.com/2016/09/brummie-dj-nominated-for-edinburgh-festival-award/ | title=Brummie DJ nominated for Edinburgh festival award | location=Birmingham | publisher=The Birmingham Press | date=7 September 2016 | accessdate=12 September 2016}} In October 2016, he was runner-up for the New Comedian of the Year Award at Colchester Comedy Festival.{{cite web | url=http://colchestercomedyfestival.co.uk/whats-on/event/colchester-new-comedian-of-the-year-the-final/ | title=Colchester Comedy Festival | location=Colchester | publisher=Colchester Comedy Festival | date=16 October 2016 | accessdate=20 November 2016}}{{citation needed|date=October 2017}}
In January 2017, he was chosen as one of five finalists for the "Best Midlands Comedian Award 2017" by What's on magazine, and was also a finalist for the Arts and Culture Award for the British Muslim Awards 2017.{{cite web | url=http://www.whatsonlive.co.uk/birmingham/news/whats-on-readers-awards-finalists-announced/37033 | title=What's on Readers' Awards Finalists announced | publisher=What's on magazine | date=26 January 2017 | accessdate=29 January 2017}}{{cite web | last=Kavanagh | first=Dean | url=http://www.switchradio.co.uk/switch-radio-presenter-nominated-for-comedy-award | title=Switch Radio presenter nominated for local comedy award | location=Birmingham | publisher=Switch Radio | date=28 January 2017 | accessdate=29 January 2017 | archive-date=2 February 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202055718/http://www.switchradio.co.uk/switch-radio-presenter-nominated-for-comedy-award | url-status=dead }}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.jayshareef.com/}}
- [https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/author/jay-islaam/ Jay Islaam] on The Huffington Post
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shareef, Jay}}
Category:English people of Pakistani descent
Category:English stand-up comedians
Category:English male comedians
Category:English comedy writers
Category:Muslim male comedians
Category:British Asian writers