Aaron Barschak
Encyclopedia
Aaron Alexander Barschak (born 1966) styles himself as a "comedy terrorist" and fringe UK politician. In 2003, he attracted media attention by surreptitiously joining Prince William's 21st birthday party.
in 1938, the rest of his father's family died during the Nazi
Holocaust. Aaron grew up in Hampstead in North London and attended City of London School.
whilst wearing a pink dress, a false beard and a turban
in a fashion similar to Osama bin Laden
. After flashing his merkin
at the crowds outside, he scaled the walls of the castle and entered William's party. He was arrested after storming the stage where William was giving a speech. He was not prosecuted.
The intrusion triggered a police investigation into the security breach.
with a show, Osama Likes It Hot, co-written with Brendhan Lovegrove
, to a generally poor critical reception. In the early days of the run, it was apparent that Aaron was woefully unprepared for the show and the critics were unsurprisingly harsh. The show received stronger reviews later in the run. The poor critical reception did not prevent early high sales due to his fame from the Windsor Castle incident.
, by-election
s gain major national media coverage. They fall in between elections and can be seen as a straw poll
of public opinion. Barschak stood in the Brent East by-election
of 2003 coming 14th of the 16 candidates and gaining 37 votes. He stood again in Witney
in the 2010 General Election, against the leader
of the Conservative Party
, coming last out of 10 candidates with 53 votes, appearing at the count dressed in a long white robe with a crown of thorns and carrying a sign saying "Close Campsfield House
".
, apparently in protest (albeit in a suitably parodic form) over the latter's vandalism (along with his brother, Dinos Chapman) of a series of original prints of Goya's The Disasters of War
. Barschak was jailed for a month.
In 2005, he was arrested and bailed following an incident in Wapping.
Show on TalkSport
radio, although he has recently performed at the launch party for The Event - a high profile series of artist run activities in permanent and temporary spaces throughout central Birmingham.
Background
Aaron Barschak was born in 1966 and comes from a Jewish family. His father, Fred Barschak, fled ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
in 1938, the rest of his father's family died during the Nazi
Nazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
Holocaust. Aaron grew up in Hampstead in North London and attended City of London School.
The Windsor Castle gatecrash
He came to public attention on June 21, 2003, when he gate-crashed Prince William's 21st birthday party at Windsor CastleWindsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
whilst wearing a pink dress, a false beard and a turban
Turban
In English, Turban refers to several types of headwear popularly worn in the Middle East, North Africa, Punjab, Jamaica and Southwest Asia. A commonly used synonym is Pagri, the Indian word for turban.-Styles:...
in a fashion similar to Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
. After flashing his merkin
Merkin
A merkin is a pubic wig. Merkins were originally worn by prostitutes after shaving their genitalia, and are now used as decorative items, erotic devices, or in films, by both men and women.-Origin of term:...
at the crowds outside, he scaled the walls of the castle and entered William's party. He was arrested after storming the stage where William was giving a speech. He was not prosecuted.
The intrusion triggered a police investigation into the security breach.
Edinburgh Festival appearances
Barschak has also appeared for a three-week run at the Underbelly venue at the 2003 Edinburgh FringeEdinburgh Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world’s largest arts festival. Established in 1947 as an alternative to the Edinburgh International Festival, it takes place annually in Scotland's capital, in the month of August...
with a show, Osama Likes It Hot, co-written with Brendhan Lovegrove
Brendhan Lovegrove
Brendhan Lovegrove is a New Zealand-based comedian and public speaker. He performs regularly at the Classic comedy bar on the New Zealand comedy circuit, performed in all eight series of TV2's Pulp Comedy and has performed at seven galas at the New Zealand International Comedy...
, to a generally poor critical reception. In the early days of the run, it was apparent that Aaron was woefully unprepared for the show and the critics were unsurprisingly harsh. The show received stronger reviews later in the run. The poor critical reception did not prevent early high sales due to his fame from the Windsor Castle incident.
Election campaigns
In the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
s gain major national media coverage. They fall in between elections and can be seen as a straw poll
Straw poll
A straw poll or straw vote is a vote with nonbinding results. Straw polls provide dialogue among movements within large groups, reflecting trends like organization and motivation...
of public opinion. Barschak stood in the Brent East by-election
Brent East by-election, 2003
The Brent East by-election, 2003 was caused by the death on 18 June 2003 of the Member of Parliament for the constituency of Brent East, Paul Daisley, of the Labour Party....
of 2003 coming 14th of the 16 candidates and gaining 37 votes. He stood again in Witney
Witney (UK Parliament constituency)
Witney is a county constituency in Oxfordshire represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election, and was created for the 1983 general election....
in the 2010 General Election, against the leader
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, coming last out of 10 candidates with 53 votes, appearing at the count dressed in a long white robe with a crown of thorns and carrying a sign saying "Close Campsfield House
Campsfield House
Campsfield House is a privately run Immigration detention Centre near Oxford, England. It has been the site of a number of protests from human rights campaigners and has seen a number of hunger strikes and one suicide. The former Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons condemned conditions at...
".
Television documentary
A 2004 documentary film, Rebel Without Applause, made by his sister Tamara, charts his life during the previous three years.Other notable stunts
Barschak is also famous for throwing a bucket of red paint over Young British Artist Jake ChapmanJake and Dinos Chapman
Iakovos "Jake" Chapman and Konstantinos "Dinos" Chapman are English visual artists, often known as the Chapman Brothers, who work together as a collaborative sibling duo...
, apparently in protest (albeit in a suitably parodic form) over the latter's vandalism (along with his brother, Dinos Chapman) of a series of original prints of Goya's The Disasters of War
The Disasters of War
The Disasters of War are a series of 8280 prints in the first published edition , for which the last two plates were not available. See "Execution". prints created between 1810 and 1820 by the Spanish painter and printmaker Francisco Goya...
. Barschak was jailed for a month.
In 2005, he was arrested and bailed following an incident in Wapping.
Current career
His brief comedy career has not been a success and he appears to have returned to obscurity, reflected by his occasional appearances on the James WhaleJames Whale (radio)
Michael "James" Whale is a British radio and television host. He is known for his plain-speaking, often ascerbic and confrontational, broadcasting style; during phone-ins he frequently hangs up on callers he disagrees with or who do not make their point quickly enough.-Early life:Whale was born...
Show on TalkSport
TalkSPORT
Talksport , owned by UTV radio, is one of the United Kingdom's three terrestrial analogue Independent National Radio broadcasters, offering a sports and talk radio service broadcast from London to the United Kingdom....
radio, although he has recently performed at the launch party for The Event - a high profile series of artist run activities in permanent and temporary spaces throughout central Birmingham.
External links
- Aaron Barschak (official site)
- Comedy Terrorist (tribute site)
- Home Secretary expresses regret at Barshak stunt BBC News, Tuesday, 24 June 2003. Contains a pop-up map of Barschak's security breach.
- Barschak's Windsor Castle stunt minute by minute BBC News, Thursday, 14 August 2003
- Aaron Barschak - 'comedy terrorist' (page 1 of 3 pages of links to Aaron Barschak articles in The Scotsman)
- Who dares wins
- Radio interview
- Aaron Barschak on Show Us Your Titters