Mark Thomas

Mark Thomas
Born Mark Clifford Thomas
11 April 1963 (1963-04-11) (age 46)
London, England, UK
Residence London, England, UK
Occupation Comedian
Presenter
Reporter
Columnist
Employer New Statesman
Known for Political activism
Spouse(s) Married
Children 2
Website
MarkThomasInfo.com

Mark Clifford Thomas (born 11 April 1963) is an English comedian, presenter, political activist and reporter from south London. He first came to light as a guest comic on the BBC Radio 1 comedy show The Mary Whitehouse Experience in the late 1980s. He is best known for political stunts on his show, The Mark Thomas Comedy Product on Channel 4.

Contents

Biography

Mark Thomas was born in South London. His mother was a midwife and his father a self employed builder (and ex lay preacher).[1] Thomas was educated at Macaulay Church of England Primary School,Victoria Rise, Clapham until 1974, where his party trick was to recite off heart the first verses of the four gospels, and then won a scholarship to the independent Christ's Hospital School, where he attained O-levels and A-levels. He went on to be awarded a degree in Theatre Arts at Bretton Hall College, just south of Wakefield.

Prior to his most renowned vehicle, The Mark Thomas Comedy Product, Thomas was the resident stand-up comic on Saturday Zoo, a Channel 4 comedy series first screened in 1993. He also presented the highly successful BBC Radio 1 talk show Loose Talk and is also a founder member of the London Comedy Store's hard hitting Cutting Edge show.

His political comedy show, The Mark Thomas Comedy Product (later re-named as simply The Mark Thomas Product, to reflect its increasing political agenda) on Channel 4 earned him criticism from politicians but was seen by critics as a crucial investigative tool. In one edition, Thomas investigated the practice of avoiding inheritance tax by declaring art, furniture, homes and land available for public viewing. Thomas showed how Nicholas Soames hid this fact from the public and at the same time avoided paying tax. After being pursued relentlessly by Thomas legitimately asking for permission to see his furniture, Soames eventually paid the tax, and Gordon Brown, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, changed the law.

Leaving Channel 4 was a mutual decision, following a series of disputes over how far the channel would go in its broadcasting, one of which concerned the channel's reluctance to support actions concerning corporate accountability and corporate manslaughter laws — a cause he had campaigned for — which coincided with the Queen Mother's funeral. He declined to take part in a proposed Celebrity Guantanamo Bay 'reality TV' show.

Receiving a certificate for the world record number of demonstrations in 24 hours from Guinness

Thomas has appeared at numerous comedy benefit nights, and is a well established stand-up comedian in the UK. He is the Chairman of the Ilısu Dam Campaign, a campaign which was successful in temporarily blocking the development of a large-scale hydroelectric dam in southeast Turkey that campaigners claim will lead to the displacement of up to 78,000 people, mostly Kurds, without adequate compensation or consultation, as well as to environmental and cultural destruction.

Recently Thomas has been working with War on Want in India and investigating and filming human rights violations in Colombia (by, amongst others, Coca-Cola)[2] where trade unions are targeted by militia allegedly controlled by the government.[3] He wrote a regular column for the New Statesman between 2001 and 2007.

The Parliamentary committee which oversees weapons exports, the House of Commons Quadripartite Select Committee, commended him for his undercover work, which led to official warning letters being issued to a number of companies.[4] His work in this area is covered in As Used on the Famous Nelson Mandela: Underground Adventures in the Arms and Torture Trade, a book chronicling his experiences undercover, his political activism and his projects designed to find and report loopholes in arms trading laws, which culminated in a controversial unbroadcast Newsnight article about the Hinduja brothers.[5][6][7]

Whilst promoting this book on his latest tour, Thomas is also organising Mass Lone Demonstrations, in protest at the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005, which prevents any demonstrations around London's Parliament Square without prior police approval. The last event attracted over 100 'lone protesters' at the same time.[8] In 2006 he was added to the Guinness Book of Records for most demonstrations held on one day: 20 individual protests in 20 different locations. He actually performed 21 protests. For the purposes of the record it was agreed, as the first and last took place at the same location, only 20 would count.[9][10]

In 2008 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Bradford, for services to peace and for his work as a comedian, political activist, presenter and investigative journalist, especially for his effective campaigning on the ethics of the arms trade. The University has a long-standing Department of Peace Studies.[11]

In 2009 Mark launched the Huddersfield Policy postcard campaign, petitioning the Queen with protests against the prospect of a state funeral for Margaret Thatcher.[12]

For his 'It's The Stupid Economy' UK tour in 2009, Mark plays 55 shows over 14 weeks (between March and end July) and encourages each audience to come up with their own policies (be it silly or serious) that will somehow make their lives better, forming a "People's Manifesto". Each audience then gets to vote on their favourite policy of that evening and the winning suggestion will then form part of his manifesto which he will then campaign for and attempt to actually make at least some of the suggestions become reality.

Television programmes

  • Friday Night Live, Channel 4 (1988)
  • Saturday Zoo, Channel 4 (1993)
  • Viva Cabaret, Channel 4 (1993)
  • Denton, Channel 7 Australia (1994)
  • Mark Thomas Comedy Product (later renamed The Mark Thomas Product), Channel 4 which ran for six series totalling 45 episodes (1996 – 2002)
  • Dispatches: The Lie Of The Land, Channel 4 (1998)
  • Thomas Country, Channel 4 (1999)
  • The Immigration and Asylum Bill, Channel 4 (2000)
  • Secret Map of Britain, Channel 4 (2002)
  • Dispatches: Mark Thomas — Weapons Inspector, Channel 4 (2003)
  • Dispatches: Mark Thomas — Debt Collector, Channel 4 (2003)
  • Dispatches: After School Arms Club, Channel 4 (2006)
  • Dispatches: Mark Thomas on Coca-Cola, Channel 4 (2007)

Radio programmes

  • The Mary Whitehouse Experience, Radio 1 (1989)
  • The Mix, Radio 5 (1990)
  • Sleeping with the NME, Radio 5 (1991)
  • Loose Talk, Radio 1 (1991–1992)
  • Booked!, Radio 4 (1995–1998)
  • Celluloid Psychiatrists, Radio 4 (2000)
  • Left Bank of the Mind, Radio 4 (2001)
  • Mark Thomas Presents…, Radio 4 (2005) (shows on Stan Freberg, the Firesign Theatre, Shelley Berman and Mort Sahl)
  • Chain Reaction, Radio 4 (2006)
  • My Life in Serious Organised Crime, Radio 4 (2007)
  • Ramblings, Radio 4 (2008) (walking The Ridgeway track in Wiltshire and Oxfordshire)
  • Mark Thomas: The Manifesto Radio 4 (2009-2010)

Books

Discography

  • Sex, Filth and Religion (video) (1995)
  • Live (1998)
  • Dambusters (2001)
  • The Night War Broke Out (2004)
  • Mark Thomas Comedy Show ([DVD)] (2005)
  • Mark Thomas:Serious Organised Criminal (DVD) (2007)

Live Tours

Mark Thomas: As Used on the Famous Nelson Mandela... (2006)
Mark Thomas Live: Serious Organised Criminal (2007)
Mark Thomas: Belching Out The Devil (2008)
Mark Thomas: Metrix Consortium at The Open University 9 September 2008
Mark Thomas: It's the Stupid Economy (2009)

Awards

In addition to being recognised for his comedy career, Mark Thomas has been awarded various citations for his political campaigning, including:

  • Kurdish National Congress Medal of Honour (2002)[14]
  • International Service Award for the Global Defence of Human Rights (2004)
  • MediActivist Awards [1]) (2005)[15]
  • Guinness World Record Holder for Most Number of Political Demonstrations in 24 Hours

He was also made an honorary Doctor of Letters by the University of Bradford on the 3 December 2008, in recognition of his peace campaigning and services to comedy.[16]

Additional Information

  • He gave out the mobile phone number of former MI5 agent David Shayler at a demonstration at the US spybase Menwith Hill in February 2001.
  • On one stand-up show, Thomas gave out Michael Heseltine's home address and encouraged the audience to enter his details into all their junkmail, so that he would receive free book club memberships, collectible plates and subscription magazines.
  • In an interview for The Guardian in 1999, Thomas described himself as a "libertarian anarchist." [17]
  • In his 4 March 2002 New Statesman column,[18] Mark placed a bounty on the head of US President George Bush to the value of £4,320[13] (his total earnings writing for the magazine to that point).
  • Despite pranking him on the first episode of The Mark Thomas Comedy Product he appeared on a platform with controversial left-wing MP George Galloway in the "Troops out, no Trident" demonstration on the 24 February 2007.[19]
  • Mark is an atheist. Interviewed for the Daily Telegraph, Mark said "I've been an atheist since the age of eight. A visiting pastor at church performed a magic trick that ended with him tapping a chalice and it filling with coins. I asked him how he did it and he said, 'All you need is faith,' When I got home I rushed down to the cellar and found an old Half Corona tin and a stick from my dad's wood box (he was a self-employed builder). I sat there for an hour and left an atheist."[20]
  • Thomas believes that everybody's wages should be made public. As of 2010 he earns about £100k a year.[21]

In February 2009 British entertainers David Baddiel, Bill Bailey, Morwenna Banks, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Jo Brand, Russell Brand, Rob Brydon, Jimmy Carr, Jack Dee, Omid Djalili, Sean Lock, Lee Mack, Alexei Sayle, Meera Syal, Mark Thomas said in an open letter printed in the The Times of London of the Bahá'í leaders to be on trial in Iran: "In reality, their only “crime”, which the current regime finds intolerable, is that they hold a religious belief that is different from the majority…. we register our solidarity with all those in Iran who are being persecuted for promoting the best development of society …(and) with the governments, human rights organisations and people of goodwill throughout the world who have so far raised their voices calling for a fair trial, if not the complete release of the Baha’i leaders in Iran."[22] Echoing the comments earlier in the month made by two hundred and sixty seven non-Bahá'í Iranian academics, writers, artists, journalists and activists from some 21 countries including Iran who signed an open letter of apology posted to Iranian.com and stating they were "ashamed" and pledging their support in Bahá'ís achieving the rights detailed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for the Bahá'ís in Iran.[23] See Persecution of Bahá'ís.

On 14 April 2009, a video was released on YouTube in which Mark officially endorsed the Green Party.[24]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "Biography". markthomasinfo.com. http://www.markthomasinfo.com/info/biog.asp. Retrieved 2007-01-17. 
  2. ^ James Clasper (The London Line) (2005-05-19). "Taking the fizz out of Cokes image". Spinwatch. http://www.spinwatch.org/content/view/1227/9/. Retrieved 2007-01-17. 
  3. ^ "Boycott Killer Coke!". Colombia Action Network. 2003-09-04. http://www.colombiasolidarity.org/node/10. Retrieved 2007-01-17. 
  4. ^ "Comedian praised over weapons trade". Yahoo! News. 2006-08-03. http://uk.news.yahoo.com/03082006/344/comedian-praised-weapons-trade.html. Retrieved 2007-01-17. 
  5. ^ The Independent (2005-11-16). "BBC pulls plug on Hinduja brothers investigation". Spinwatch. http://www.spinwatch.org/content/view/2088/9/. Retrieved 2007-01-17. 
  6. ^ The Independent (2005-11-23). "The Statesman boldly goes where the BBC fears to tread". Spinwatch. http://www.spinwatch.org/content/view/2129/9/. Retrieved 2007-01-17. 
  7. ^ "The Hindujas – Brothers in Arms?". Spinwatch. http://www.spinwatch.org/content/view/3211/29/. Retrieved 2007-01-17. 
  8. ^ "Parliament protesters fight ban". BBC News. 2006-08-31. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/5303558.stm. Retrieved 2007-01-17. 
  9. ^ Naomi Gallichan (2006-11-22). "Review: Mark Thomas, The Royal Court, Liverpool". liverpool.com. http://www.liverpool.com/editor-s-pick/mark-thomas-the-royal-court-liverpool.html. Retrieved 2007-04-18. 
  10. ^ Mark Thomas (2006-10-12). "Mark Thomas on demonstrating near the Houses of Parliament". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,,1920095,00.html. Retrieved 2007-03-30. 
  11. ^ "Mark Thomas is awarded honorary doctorate by Bradford University". Mark Thomas info. http://www.markthomasinfo.com/section_info/. Retrieved 2009-06-05. 
  12. ^ "Update on Thatcher funeral policy". Mark Thomas Info. http://www.markthomasinfo.com/section_policy_updates/thatcher.asp. Retrieved 2009-05-19. 
  13. ^ a b Malcolm Hay (2006-08-25). "Mark Thomas: Interview". Time Out. http://www.timeout.com/london/comedy/features/1891.html. Retrieved 2007-01-17. 
  14. ^ "Scotland: Mark Thomas gives Amnesty International's Annual Lecture". Amnesty International. 2006-08-18. http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=17067. Retrieved 2007-01-17. 
  15. ^ "MISTY awards 2005". Undercurrents. 2005-11-25. http://www.undercurrents.org/beyondtv/misty.htm. Retrieved 2007-06-16. 
  16. ^ Honorary Graduates December 2008
  17. ^ Phil Daoust (1999-01-20). "Stand up and be taunted". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,323027,00.html. Retrieved 2007-01-17. 
  18. ^ Mark Thomas (2002-03-04). "My own contribution to the war on terrorism is to promise my New Statesman earnings to anyone who'll kill Bush". New Statesman. http://www.newstatesman.com/200203040011. Retrieved 2007-04-05. 
  19. ^ Davide Simonetti (2007-02-25). "The February Stop The War Protest In London". The Nether World. http://nether-world.blogspot.com/2007/02/february-stop-war-protest-in-london_25.html. Retrieved 2007-09-03. 
  20. ^ Isabel Albiston (2007-12-01). "The world of Mark Thomas, comedian". Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2007/12/01/sm_markthomas.xml. Retrieved 2007-12-08. 
  21. ^ Mark Thomas: The Manifesto, TX 2010-02-18, BBC Radio 4.
  22. ^ "Stand up for Iran’s Baha’is - Voices from the arts call for the imprisoned Baha'i leaders in Iran to receive a fair trial", The Times, 2009-02-26, http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article5804284.ece 
  23. ^ "We are ashamed!", Iranian.com (Iranian.com), 2009-02-04, http://www.iranian.com/main/2009/feb/we-are-ashamed 
  24. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhIR8MIxzh8

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