"something mad happened involving hummus and sausages"
Comedian Eshaan Akbar has been accused of mocking the October 7, 2023, massacre as he drew attention to the civilian victims of Israel’s military response.
The Hamas attack saw 1,139 people killed and approximately 250 taken hostage.
Eshaan, who was also a contestant on Celebrity MasterChef 2024, referred to the attack as “something mad involving hummus and sausages”.
He followed it with a plug for his show at London’s Top Secret Comedy Club.
Eshaan’s Instagram Story read: “A year ago today, something mad happened involving hummus and sausages at a music festival that resulted in the self-defence against children and their families resulting in over 45,000 deaths that we in the UK massively helped with!
“Aren’t we good guys? Big up US!”
Jewish campaigners accused him of belittling the Hamas attack.
A spokesperson for Campaign Against Antisemitism said:
“On the first anniversary of 7th October 2023 – the worst antisemitic massacre since the Holocaust – Eshaan Akbar chose to mock the victims.
“To Mr Akbar, October 7 might be a laughing matter but to Jews and their allies, it is an ongoing trauma that will take a generation to recover from.
“He joins a growing list of comedians who prefer to use their platform to malign the world’s only Jewish state than actually do their job and tell jokes.
“There’s only one joke here, and it’s Mr Akbar. We will be writing to his representation.”
Others hit out at the comedian’s post, with Gimme Gimme Gimme star James Dreyfus calling him a “disgusting individual”.
Another said: “Where is your sense of dignity? Who started this war with murder, rape, slaughter…?”
Eshaan Akbar’s agents Blue Book Artist Management said they “have been made aware of the social media post and we’re looking into it”, adding:
“Blue Book is committed to the values of respect and tolerance for all.”
Alongside stand-up, Eshaan Akbar co-hosted a weekend show on BBC Asian Network, has appeared in the BBC factual series Pilgrimage, and has also appeared in the Netflix hit Sex Education.
Since Hamas attacked Israel in 2023, British comedy has been riddled with controversy.
In February 2024, the Soho Theatre banned comedian Paul Currie after he “subjected Jewish audience members to verbal abuse”.
Reginald D Hunter was also accused of doing little to discourage antisemitic barracking of audience members at his show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
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