Simon Brodkin

Simon Benjamin Brodkin
Born 29 September 1977
Camden, London, England
Notable works and roles Al Murray's Multiple Personality Disorder
Lee Nelson's Well Good Show
Lee Nelson's Well Funny People
Website http://www.leenelson.com

Simon Benjamin Brodkin[1] is an English comedian, performing both on the stand-up circuit and in comedy television series. He is best known for playing a cheerful chav character called Lee Nelson, but also performs as other comedy characters. Performing solo stand-up since 2004, he has also written for and appeared on the television shows Al Murray's Multiple Personality Disorder in 2009, Lee Nelson's Well Good Show in 2010 and Lee Nelson's Well Funny People in 2013.

Brodkin is known for taking part in pranks as his characters at public events, some of which have resulted in prosecution.

Early life

Brodkin attended the independent University College School, Hampstead, in the London Borough of Camden.[2] He studied medicine at Manchester University, qualifying as a doctor in 2001.[3]

Career

Stand-up

Brodkin performed his first solo comedy show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2006, titled Simon Brodkin: Everyone But Himself.[4]

In his Lee Nelson stand-up routine, Brodkin's character typically interacts with his audience, telling them about his life, asking them questions, then replying with responses that reflect his world view, his own ignorance or his own stereotypically antisocial attitudes. His act is peppered with slang words. In character as Lee Nelson, he briefly stood as a candidate in the South Shields by-election, 2013.[5]

Brodkin also performs a selection of other characters,[6] including Jason Bent, an unintelligent Premiership footballer with a Merseyside accent. Other characters have included the sleazy and incompetent Dr. Bob.

Brodkin is Jewish. When an audience in 2007 gasped at a joke which they perceived to be anti-Semitic, he said "It’s OK, I’m Jewish. My relatives died for that joke."[7]

Television

Brodkin began appearing on television in 2003, in a series of shorts entitled From Baghdad To Balham (Channel 4), playing a recently arrived Iraqi asylum seeker, and twice on Absolutely Fabulous on BBC One.[4][8]

In 2005, Brodkin appeared as Nelson in three episodes of Channel 4's The Morning After Show, alongside fellow guests Roland Rat, Big Daddy and Bob Mugabe.

In 2007, Brodkin wrote for and appeared on Al Murray's ITV1 prime time sketch show Al Murray's Multiple Personality Disorder, where he appeared playing his characters of Jason Bent and Lee Nelson, as well as alongside Murray in sketches about mobile phone shop assistants.

In 2008, Brodkin appeared as Dr. Omprakash and Nelson in the BBC Three comedy show The Wall.

In 2011, Brodkin appeared as Lee Nelson in the 28 January episode of ITV's Comedy Rocks with Jason Manford and in Heat 3 of Let's Dance for Comic Relief on BBC One.

In 2011, Brodkin starred as Clinton Faberge in Channel 4's shortlived comedy strand Another One Bites the Crust.

Also in 2011, on 11 November, he appeared as Lee Nelson in BBC One's Live at the Apollo Series seven, episode two, alongside Sean Lock and Ed Byrne.

In 2012, Brodkin returned as Nelson on the judging panel in Heat 4 of Let's Dance for Sport Relief on BBC One, along with Russell Kane and Jo Brand.

In 2013, Brodkin again returned as Nelson in Heat 3 of Let's Dance for Comic Relief on BBC One, dancing with street dance duo Twist and Pulse. He won the "judges' vote", thus performing again in the final. However, he did not win. His actual final position is unknown as the unsuccessful finalists were called in "no specific order".

In December 2013 Brodkin performed stand-up on John Bishop's Christmas Show on BBC One.

Lee Nelson's Well Good Show

In 2009, Brodkin was commissioned by the BBC to write his own show for BBC Three.[9][10][11] Titled Lee Nelson's Well Good Show, it was broadcast from 10 June 2010 on BBC Three in the 22.30 slot. It features Brodkin in character in a studio setting, but also features television sketches of his other characters.[12] The show was commissioned for a second series, which aired on 25 August 2011.

Reception

Brodkin has won several competitions and awards for his work, including Brighton’s Komedia comedy competition and The Writers' Guild Award for Best Newcomer in Edinburgh for his show Everyone But Himself.[4]

In reviewing his Nelson stand-up character in 2009, James Kettle of The Guardian stated that, in comparison to Matt Lucas's aggressive Vicky Pollard, and Catherine Tate's Lauren Cooper, Brodkin's portrayal has "a three-dimensional personality" and is a "gentler, more likeable soul, with a dopily comprehensive lack of self-awareness", and that in playing the 'chav', "no one's done it quite like Simon Brodkin".[13]

Pranks

On 16 March 2013, Brodkin, in character as Jason Bent, ran onto the pitch at Goodison Park and attempted to warm up with the Manchester City team ahead of their Premier League match with Everton. He was arrested and charged with pitch encroachment contrary to the Football (Offences) Act 1991. When the case came to court, the judge agreed to the charge being withdrawn and Brodkin was given a six-month conditional caution for the incident.[14]

In 2014, dressed as Bent in a smart suit, he briefly mixed in with the England World Cup squad at Luton Airport before being removed by police.[15]

On 8 November 2014, during Stereo Kicks' performance on The X Factor, Brodkin as Nelson invaded the stage pretending to perform alongside them. He was escorted away by the show's floor manager.[16]

At Glastonbury Festival 2015, Brodkin as Nelson interrupted a performance by Kanye West by running onto the stage and proceeding to join in with the performance. He was removed promptly by security.[17]

On 20 July 2015, Brodkin as Jason Bent gatecrashed a press conference at the headquarters of the football governing body FIFA in Zürich, Switzerland amidst the organisation's corruption scandal. He walked onto the stage and threw a wad of United States dollar bills worth $600 over the FIFA president Sepp Blatter, claiming that it was part of a bid to bring the 2026 FIFA World Cup to North Korea.[18] Brodkin was promptly led out of the conference by security personnel, and Blatter temporarily postponed the news conference.[19] He was charged with trespassing.[20]

In March 2016 Brodkin invaded a speech by Volkswagen at the Geneva Motor Show. He was seen dressed as a VW engineer attempting to add a "cheat box" to the car (a reference to the Volkswagen emissions scandal) whilst VW board member Jürgen Stackmann was making a speech. "No-one is going to find out about this one," Brodkin told the audience. [21] He was subsequently removed by security before the speech continued. [22]

Stand-up DVDs

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑ Independent
  3. ↑ Duncan, Amy (9 November 2014). "The X Factor 2014: Who is Stereo Kicks stage invader Lee Nelson". Metro. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 Comedy CV of Simon Brodkin
  5. ↑ Dipper, Andrew (April 19, 2013). "Comedian Lee Nelson announces plans to stand in South Shields by-election". Giggle Beats.
  6. ↑ Chortle page for Simon Brodkin
  7. ↑ Niemtus, Zofia (20 August 2007). "Simon Brodkin: One Man Comedy Club". Metro. Retrieved 9 November 2014.
  8. ↑ Simon Brodkin at IMDB
  9. ↑ BBC Press Release about Lee Nelson's new BBC show
  10. ↑ Lee Nelson's Well Good Show at BBC 3
  11. ↑ BBC3 eyes character-based sketch show, article at Broadcast Now 7 July, 2009
  12. ↑ Lee Nelson's Well Good Show British Comedy Guide
  13. ↑ "Comedy preview: Simon Brodkin, on tour". The Guardian. 25 April 2009.
  14. ↑ Hornby, Mike (3 April 2013). "TV comic Simon Brodkin (aka Lee Nelson aka Jason Bent) cautioned over stunt limbering up on pitch with Manchester City players". The Independent. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
  15. ↑ "World Cup 2014: comedian tries to join England team plane". The Guardian. Press Association. 1 June 2014. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
  16. ↑ Ojomu, Nola; Glennie, Alasdair (8 November 2014). "'There are so many of them I thought anyone could have a go': Prankster Lee Nelson gatecrashes Stereo Kicks' live performance on The X Factor". Daily Mail. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  17. ↑ Halliday, Josh (28 June 2015). "Kanye West's Glastonbury show disrupted by Lee Nelson". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 June 2015.
  18. ↑ Wilson, Benji (24 July 2015). "Simon Brodkin: meet the comedian who showered Sepp Blatter with banknotes". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  19. ↑ UK prankster Simon Brodkin throws money at Fifa's Blatter. bbc.com, retrieved 20 July 2015
  20. ↑ Smith, Daniel (22 July 2015). "Comedian Simon Brodkin charged by police over Sepp Blatter cash stunt". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  21. ↑ "Comedian Simon Brodkin disrupts VW speech at Geneva Motor Show". BBC News. Retrieved 2016-03-02.
  22. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35705628

External links

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