Prince Abdi
{{short description|British stand-up comedian and actor|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox comedian
| name = Prince Abdi
| image =
| image_size = 220
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| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1989.|7|21}}
| birth_place = Somalia
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| medium = Stand-up, television, Web series
| nationality = British
| genre = Observational comedy, Sketch comedy
| subject = Somali culture, Society
| spouse =
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Prince Abdi (born 21 July 1989) is a British stand-up comedian and actor.
Early life
Abdi was born in Somalia and immigrated to the United Kingdom with his family in the 1980s{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6AuZgXKvIg|title=Lol Comedy Show Watford – Ola, Variety D & Prince Abdi|publisher=Lol Show|date=13 February 2012|accessdate=1 January 2013}}{{cite news |last=Herimbi|first=Helen|url=http://www.hiiraan.com/news4/2013/Jun/29700/man_with_original_pirate_material.aspx|title=Man with original pirate material|location=Somalia|publisher=Hiran Online|date=5 June 2013|accessdate=1 June 2015}} at the age of four.{{cite news |last=Hawkins|first=Si|url=http://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/on-stage/somali-comedian-prince-abdi-set-to-tickle-the-uae|title=Somali comedian Prince Abdi set to tickle the UAE|location=Abu Dhabi|newspaper=The National|date=5 November 2013|accessdate=1 June 2015}} He was thereafter brought up in Brixton, London{{cite news |last=Drewett|first=Melissa|url=http://www.eastlondonlines.co.uk/2011/12/prince-abdi-brings-laughter-to-shoreditch-this-christmas/|title=Prince Abdi brings laughter to Shoreditch this Christmas|location=London|publisher=East London Lines|date=2 December 2011|accessdate=1 January 2013}} where he attended Walworth Secondary School.{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}}
Abdi had football trials with Millwall F.C. and Dulwich Hamlet F.C. However, he abandoned the sport at the age of 15 after incurring a severe{{cite news |last=Nikki|first=Jarvis|url=http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/leisure/latest/9979992.Comedian_Prince_Abdi_kicks_off_hilarious_new_event_in_Erith___WIN_tickets_to_the_show/|title=Comedian Prince Abdi kicks off hilarious new event in Erith – WIN tickets to the show|publisher=News Hopper|date=11 October 2012|accessdate=1 January 2013}} knee injury.
In 2007, Abdi graduated from Thames Valley University, University of West London with a BA (Hons) in Media.{{Citation needed|date=August 2022}}
Stand-up career
Abdi was originally a primary school teacher,{{cite news |url=http://www.taylorherring.com/blog/index.php/2011/07/show-me-the-funny-itv-launch-search-for-a-stand-up-superstar/|title=Show Me The Funny: ITV launch search for a stand-up superstar|publisher=Taylor Herring|date=12 July 2011|accessdate=1 January 2013}} Prince Abdi and taught in Brixton and Kilburn/West Hampstead.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijqpMrhPVv4|title=Prince Abdi: A British-Somali Stand-Up Comic|publisher=Somali Week Festival|date=21 February 2013|accessdate=1 January 2013}} In his spare time, he performed free comedy shows for a lengthy period to establish himself on the stand-up circuit. He eventually gave up his part-time job at B&Q, where he had worked on weekends for ten years, and quit teaching to pursue a comedic career full-time. In 2008, Abdi was reportedly the only Somali comedian working in Britain.{{cite web|url=http://www.islamexpo.com/attractions.php?id=1&art=19&page=attractions.php|title=Attractions – IslamExpo – 11–14 July 2008 – Olympia, London|publisher=IslamExpo|accessdate=3 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305190527/http://islamexpo.com/attractions.php?art=19&id=1&page=attractions.php|archive-date=5 March 2016|url-status=dead}} Prince Abdi
He has since performed at some of the more established comedy clubs on the United Kingdom circuit,{{cite web|url=http://www.weare1.co.uk/page11.html|title=Prince Abdi|publisher=Africa Meets Asia – UK Comedy Tour|accessdate=1 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111114045316/http://www.weare1.co.uk/page11.html|archive-date=14 November 2011|url-status=dead}} including Hackney Empire, Edinburgh Festival (2007), Trafalgar Square (Eid in the Square),{{cite web|url=http://www.africacentre.org.uk/africa-centre-comedy-on-sundays-the-best-in-african-caribbean-comedy-from-the-uk-beyond-11/|title=Africa Centre Comedy on Sundays: The best in African & Caribbean Comedy from the UK & beyond|publisher=The Africa Centre|accessdate=1 January 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130423185226/http://www.africacentre.org.uk/africa-centre-comedy-on-sundays-the-best-in-african-caribbean-comedy-from-the-uk-beyond-11/|archive-date=23 April 2013|url-status=dead}} Prince Abdi Jongleurs (Various), The Comedy Store, Banana Cabaret, Belfast Empire (Northern Ireland), Up-The-Creek, Headliners, The Broadway Theatre, Hounslow Theatre, The Glee Club (Birmingham), Alexander Palace, Rise Festival{{cite web |url=http://www.thetopsecretcomedyclub.co.uk/comedians/|title=Comedians|publisher=The Top Secret Comedy Club|accessdate=1 January 2013}} Prince Abdi and Jive Cape Town Funny Festival.
Besides the UK, Abdi has also done stand-up shows in Canada, the United States, Holland, Northern Ireland, Kenya and Turkey. He has performed alongside other comedians, including Jack Whitehall, Dave Chappelle, Stephen K. Amos and Reginald D. Hunter.{{cite web |url=http://comedycv.co.uk/princeabdi/index.htm|title=Prince Abdi|publisher=comedy cv|accessdate=1 January 2013}}
Additionally, Abdi has done various tours with other Muslim comedians. In July 2008, he performed at the Islam Expo in Olympia, London. In July 2011, he toured four UK cities{{cite news |url=http://www.muslimness.com/2011/07/british-muslim-comedy-tour-in-your-city.html|title=British Muslim Comedy Tour in Your City, "Innit Bruv"|publisher=Muslimness|date=20 July 2011|accessdate=1 March 2013}} in the Peace Youth and Community Trust's (PYCT) first Muslim Comedy Tour, alongside Jeff Mirza, Humza Arshad and Nabil Abdul Rashid.{{cite news |url=http://www.croydonguardian.co.uk/archive/2011/07/14/theatrenews/9141269.Humza_Arshad_and_Jeff_Mirza_head_up_charity_comedy_tour/|title=Humza Arshad and Jeff Mirza head up charity comedy tour|location=London|work=Croydon Guardian|date=26 July 2011|accessdate=1 January 2013}}{{cite news|last=Dakin|first=Melanie|url=http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/leisure/theatre/cfutheatrenews/9141269.Humza_Arshad_and_Jeff_Mirza_head_up_charity_comedy_tour/?ref=twtrec|title=Humza Arshad and Jeff Mirza head up charity comedy tour|location=Watford|newspaper=Watford Observer|date=14 July 2011|accessdate=1 January 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029190822/http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/leisure/theatre/cfutheatrenews/9141269.Humza_Arshad_and_Jeff_Mirza_head_up_charity_comedy_tour/?ref=twtrec|archivedate=29 October 2013}}
In 2013, he performed a whole month at the Cape Town Comedy Festival. He then performed at the monthly Laughter Factory comedy tour, which started at Heroes in Abu Dhabi's Crowne Plaza before heading to Dubai and Doha. In July 2015, he performed at an Eid Special Comedy Night at The Comedy Store in London.{{cite magazine |last=Chakelian|first=Anoosh|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/03/halol-can-uk-have-laugh-about-islam|title=HaLOL: can the UK have a laugh about Islam?|magazine=New Statesman|date=10 March 2015|accessdate=1 October 2015}}{{cite news |last=Rahim|first=Sameer|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/comedy/comedy-reviews/11750616/HaLOL-Comedy-Night-Comedy-Store-review-challenging.html|title=HaLOL Comedy Night, Comedy Store, review: 'challenging'|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=21 July 2015|accessdate=1 October 2015}}{{cite news |url=https://www.asian-voice.com/Culture/Comedy/London-Comedy-Store-to-host-its-first-ever-Muslim-Eid-comedy-show|title=London Comedy Store to host its first ever Muslim Eid comedy show|newspaper=Asian Voice|date=16 July 2015|accessdate=1 October 2015}}
In June 2015, Abdi made a short film My First Fast as part of the British Muslim Comedy series, five short films by Muslim comedians commissioned by the BBC and released on BBC iPlayer. Abdi used flashbacks and period details to recall his childhood trials of his first fast at the age of seven.{{cite news |last=Jones|first=Alice|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/comedy/news/ramadan-films-and-halol-the-rise-of-british-muslim-comedy-10345566.html|title=Ramadan films and HaLOL: the rise of British Muslim Comedy|newspaper=The Independent|date=25 June 2015|accessdate=1 February 2016}}{{cite news |last=Badat|first=Hafeeza|url=http://www.asianimage.co.uk/news/13343398.British_Muslim_Comedy_Takes_Over_BBC_iPlayer/|title=British Muslim Comedy Takes Over BBC iPlayer|publisher=Asian Image|date=19 June 2015|accessdate=1 March 2016}}{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p02tjmjz/british-muslim-comedy-prince-abdi-my-first-fast|title=BBC iPlayer – British Muslim Comedy – Prince Abdi: My First Fast|publisher=BBC iPlayer|date=18 June 2015|accessdate=1 February 2016}}
In January 2016, he performed at the fifth edition of the comedy show Arabs Are Not Funny in London.{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p03gmz6t|title=Arabs Are Not Funny|publisher=BBC iPlayer|date=26 January 2016|accessdate=1 April 2016}}
Abdi has also performed at Somali community events.{{cite news|url=http://www.westlondontoday.co.uk/wlt/content/somali-brits-after-mo|title=Somali-Brits After Mo|location=London|publisher=West London Today|accessdate=3 March 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505112110/http://www.westlondontoday.co.uk/wlt/content/somali-brits-after-mo|archive-date=5 May 2013|url-status=dead}} He continues to perform stand-up comedy throughout Britain and internationally. He is currently on tour around the London area whilst writing new and original comedy pieces on-the-go.
Television career
Abdi has written and starred in his own television sketch for the BBC, Comedy Central and ITV, as well as comedy and drama features. He has performed on Comedy Central's The World Stands Up, BBC Three's Laughter Shock and ITV's FHM Stand Up Hero and ITV's Show Me The Funny.{{cite web|url=http://www.99clubcomedy.com/99-club-south-london_1.html|title=Brixton Comedy Club|publisher=The 99 Club|accessdate=1 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120729184521/http://www.99clubcomedy.com/99-club-south-london_1.html|archive-date=29 July 2012|url-status=dead}} His other credits include BBC's The Wall, Channel 4's Channel 4 Presents, BBC's The Jason Lewis Experience. His acting credits include Part 10 of Diary of a Bad Man and Laughing Stock.
In July 2011, Abdi appeared on the ITV reality programme Show Me The Funny. After he was in the bottom two comedians for the second week running, he became the second contestant to be voted off, as decided by judges Alan Davies, Kate Copstick and guest Bob Mortimer.{{cite web |url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/2011/07/25/13699/prince_abdi-cates|title=Comic booted off Show Me The Funny|publisher=Chortle|date=25 July 2011|accessdate=1 January 2013}}{{cite web |last=Fletcher|first=Ale|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/s175/show-me-the-funny/news/a331672/prince-abdi-voted-off-show-me-the-funny.html|title=Prince Abdi voted off 'Show Me The Funny'|website=Digital Spy|date=26 July 2011|accessdate=1 January 2013}}{{cite news |last=Fletcher|first=Ale|url=http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/tv/Prince+Abdi-61320.html|title=Prince Abdi eliminated from Show Me The Funny|publisher=Female First|date=26 July 2011|accessdate=1 January 2013}}
Comedy style and reception
Abdi's comedy style has been described as original,{{cite web|url=http://www.jongleurs.co.uk/act/prince-abdi/|title=Prince Abdi|publisher=Jongleurs|accessdate=1 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304073856/http://www.jongleurs.co.uk/act/prince-abdi/|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}} confident,{{cite web|url=http://www.thecomedyclub.co.uk/comedians/prince-abdi.html|title=Prince Abdi|publisher=The Comedy Club|accessdate=1 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120615085834/http://www.thecomedyclub.co.uk/comedians/prince-abdi.html|archive-date=15 June 2012|url-status=dead}} refreshing,{{cite web|url=http://camdenworld.co.uk/london/comedy/events/in-shoreditch/hal-cruttenden-prince-abdi-dave-ward.html|title=Hal Cruttenden, Prince Abdi, Dave Ward|publisher=Camden World|date=8 December 2011|accessdate=1 January 2013}}{{Dead link|date=May 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} pacy, upbeat, and infectious. Reviews of his stand-up performances have also emphasised his connection with the audience.{{cite web|url=http://glee.co.uk/performers/prince-abdi.htm|title=Prince Abdi|publisher=The Glee Club|accessdate=1 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140805214033/http://www.glee.co.uk/performers/prince-abdi.htm|archive-date=5 August 2014|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thecomedystore.co.uk/whos_who_profile.php?id=586|title=Prince Abdi|publisher=The Comedy Store|accessdate=1 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130722213812/http://thecomedystore.co.uk/whos_who_profile.php?id=586|archive-date=22 July 2013|url-status=dead}}
His comedy material draws from his roots in Somalia,{{cite web |url=http://www.chortle.co.uk/comics/p/33275/prince_abdi|title=Chortle – Prince Abdi|publisher=Chortle|accessdate=4 March 2013}} growing up in Brixton, observations, and general topics.
Awards, nominations and recognition
In 2009, Abdi won the Your Comedy Star competition at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. He was also nominated "Best Newcomer" in the Black Entertainment Comedy Awards, and came third in the Revels Chortle Student Comedy Awards.
In 2011, Abdi came joint second in The Barbican Hackney Empire New Act of the Year competition.{{cite web|url=http://www.chillistars.com/ArtistDetails.aspx?id=73|title=Prince Abdi|publisher=Chilli Stars|accessdate=1 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130327223310/http://www.chillistars.com/ArtistDetails.aspx?id=73|archive-date=27 March 2013|url-status=dead}}
See also
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.princeabdi.com/}}
- {{IMDb name|id=3887110|name=Prince Abdi}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20140222160309/http://www.londonisfunny.com/acts/Prince_Abdi Prince Abdi] on London Is Funny
- [http://www.chortle.co.uk/comics/p/33275/prince_abdi Prince Abdi] on Chortle
- [http://www.ents24.com/uk/tour-dates/prince-abdi Prince Abdi] on Ents24
- Darvill, Josh. [http://tellymix.co.uk/interviews/39098-interview-prince-abdi-talks-show-me-the-funny.html INTERVIEW: Prince Abdi talks 'Show Me The Funny']. Telly Mix. 26 July 2011
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Category:Somalian emigrants to the United Kingdom
Category:British male comedians
Category:British stand-up comedians
Category:British comedy writers
Category:Muslim male comedians
Category:British male web series actors
Category:Schoolteachers from London
Category:Male actors from London
Category:Writers from the London Borough of Lambeth
Category:Actors from the London Borough of Lambeth