Sources
Help build the largest human-edited directory on the web.
Submit a site - Become an editor
Wikipedia. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Are you an expert in this subject? Join the discussion and share your knowledge at Wikipedia.org.
Des Bishop
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Des Bishop | |
|---|---|
| Born | New York City, United States |
| Residence | County Wexford, Ireland |
| Nationality | American  |
| Occupation | Stand-Up Comedian |
Des Bishop is a New York City born comedian based in Ireland. He moved to County Wexford in 1990. His comedy is heavily based on his observation of Irish society, and is supported by his talent for impersonating the regional dialects of the Irish accent. He became very popular after his TV show The Des Bishop Work Experience screened on RTÉ Two in 2004. The show featured him attempting to survive a month working a minimum wage job in various parts of Ireland. During the series, he worked at Abrakebabra, Waterford; The Aqua-dome, Tralee; Superquinn, Dundalk; and a hotel in Dublin City centre.
His latest TV show, Joy in the Hood, features him travelling to impoverished areas of Ireland's major cities, where he attempts to make stand-up comedians of local people.
Des has been working as a comic in Ireland since the late 90's. He began hosting shows at the International Comedy Cellar, a venue set up by Irish comics such as Ardal O'Hanlon, Kevin Gildea and Barry Murphy. It was here that Bishop honed his act for many years.
Bishop reached the public's attention early in the year 2000, appearing on Don't Feed the Gondolas, a news based topical TV show. He later had to pull out of this show due to personal reasons. Around this time, Bishop was diagnosed with testicular cancer - rather than shy away from this subject, Des went on to turn his experiences into comedy material. He created performances about these experiences that raised awareness of testicular cancer and amused audiences all over Ireland.
Bishop created a hip-hopera called RAP EIRE along with Arthur Riordan who wrote the very successful Improbable Frequency. Rap Éire was an historical and political satire following the story of a young ambitious American who finds himself mixed up with a cunning group of political types in a fictional Irish town in the throes of early Celtic Tiger fervour. The show had two runs. The first was in the Project Arts centre in February 2001 and the second was in the Andrews Lane Theatre the following summer. Bishop performed every night of the first run while receiving radiotherapy for Testicular Cancer. In fact the original premier date for the play at the Dublin Fringe Festival 2000 was cancelled as a result of the original diagnosis.
Bishop and Riordan Co-Wrote Shooting Gallery, their second collaboration which had a short run in Dublin in 2005.
Bishop also appeared in the 2002 film, In America. In which he played a high stockbroker rapping in the back of a NYC taxi cab.
Des' brother Aidan is now a working comedian in Ireland[1]. Both are involved in running the International Comedy Club.
Des's new TV show, In The Name of the Fada will premiere in 2008. It deals with Des trying to learn Irish.