Yohay Sponder
Yohay Sponder | |
|---|---|
יוחאי ספונדר | |
 Sponder in 2022 | |
| Born | Yohay Sponder 1982 (age 42–43) Givat Yoav, Israel |
| Occupations | |
Yohay Sponder (Hebrew: יוחאי ספונדר, born 1982) is an Israeli comedian and actor.
Biography
[edit]Sponder's father was the son of Polish Holocaust survivors. His mother's family is Moroccan.[1] Sponder grew up in the Golan Heights and served in the Israel Defense Forces in the Armored Corps. A cousin of Sponder's was killed in combat in the October 7 attacks, leading him to regard comedy as his reserve duty service.[2]
In 2021, he married a woman who attended one of his stand-up performances [3] and now serves as his booking manager.[4] They and their child live in Ramat Gan.[1]
Career
[edit]After his discharge, he began performing stand-up comedy shows throughout Israel, beginning at the Camel Comedy Club and Comedy Bar in Tel Aviv. [1]
In 2009, he appeared on TV for the first time on the show, "Beep Comedy House," which was broadcast on Beep Channel and Channel 2.[6] Sponder hosted a stand-up segment on the radio program "Night Birds of Prophecy" with David Lifshitz and Avi Nussbaum on Army Radio (Galei Tzahal).[7]
Additional TV appearances include the American television program "West Coast Comedy" on HULU cable[8] in 2013; hit Israeli sitcom “Kupa Rashit" (Checkout) in 2018; Kan 11's "Viral Relationships" with popular comedian Shahar Hason[9] in 2020.
In 2012, Sponder began performing in English in collaboration with Hason, eventually launching their weekly "Funny Monday" show in Tel Aviv, one of the earliest and biggest contributions to English-language comedy in Israel. "It’s partly from Americans making aliyah and partly from tourists, but Israel now has a bigger English comedy scene than Amsterdam, Madrid and other European cities," he told The Jerusalem Post in 2022.[3]
In 2024, Sponder launched his international “Self-Loving Jew” tour with performances in North America and Europe and performed with Jay Leno in a fundraiser in Los Angeles.[10] His performances have been the target of anti-Israel and antisemitic harassment. Two weeks before a show scheduled for January 25, 2025 at the Boom Chicago comedy club in Amsterdam, a protester entered the venue shouting "Free Palestine" and "How dare you let this Jew perform here." Boom Chicago canceled Sponder's appearances, citing advice from a consultation with police that Amsterdam police claimed did not take place. After thirty rejections from other venues to reschedule the performance, it took place on February 23, 2025, at a location disclosed to ticketholders on the same day.[11][12]
Sponder is noted for wearing a prominent Star of David necklace onstage.[13]
Sponder is represented by the United Talent Agency.[14]
See also
[edit]
Media related to Yohay Sponder at Wikimedia Commons
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Lampert, Nicole (2025-01-09). "The Israeli comedian reminding the world that Jews are great". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 2025-07-04.
- ^ "What Matters Now to comedian Yochay Sponder: Post-Oct. 7 truth — with laughs". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2025-07-04.
- ^ a b "This Israeli comedian is a stand-up comedy hit in English | The Jerusalem Post". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 2022-09-03. Retrieved 2025-07-04.
- ^ Algemeiner, The (2025-01-21). "Amsterdam Club Slammed for 'Gaslighting,' 'Lying,' Succumbing to Pressure to Cancel Israeli Comedian's Shows - Algemeiner.com Amsterdam Comedy Club Slammed for 'Gas Lighting,' 'Lying' and Succumbing to Pressure to Cancel Israeli Comedy Show". www.algemeiner.com. Retrieved 2025-07-04.
- ^ "This Israeli comedian is a stand-up comedy hit in English | The Jerusalem Post". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 2022-09-03. Retrieved 2025-07-17.
- ^ "ביפ קומדי האוס". www.ishim.co.il. Retrieved 2025-07-17.
- ^ "יוחאי ספונדר - מאגר המידע של הסטנדאפ והמערכונים הישראלי". onestandup.com (in Hebrew). 2021-07-31. Retrieved 2025-07-17.
- ^ "Yohay Sponder - Standup Comedy at Heichal HaTarbut Modiin". ModiinApp. Retrieved 2025-07-17.
- ^ 400K views · 4.9K reactions | הסטנדאפיסטים שחר חסון ויוחאי ספונדר לא יכולים לשבת בחיבוק ידיים נוכח וירוס הקורונה, ויוצאים לשטח כדי לפזר את ענני הפייק ניוז ואי הוודאות ולמצוא פתרונות מיוחדים למצב המטורף שבו אנחנו נתונים. #יחסים_ויראליים, א' עד ד' בכאן 11 ובשידורי בכורה בכאן דיגיטל שחר חסון - Shahar hason יוחאי ספונדר Yohay Sponder | כאן. Retrieved 2025-07-17 – via www.facebook.com.
- ^ Zeitlin, Alan (2024-09-20). "Israeli comedian Yohay Sponder on finding humor in what makes him furious". Unpacked. Retrieved 2025-07-17.
- ^ "Israeli comedian Yohay Sponder finds Amsterdam venue after threats, bans | The Jerusalem Post". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 2025-02-06. Retrieved 2025-07-04.
- ^ "Amsterdam club cancels Israeli show, suggests finding 'Jewish venue'". 2025-01-26. Retrieved 2025-07-04.
- ^ Zeitlin, Alan (2024-09-20). "Israeli comedian Yohay Sponder on finding humor in what makes him furious". Unpacked. Retrieved 2025-07-04.
- ^ "United Talent Agency: Yohay Sponder". United Talent Agency. Retrieved 2025-07-04.