Des Bishop | |
|---|---|
.png) Bishop in 2018 | |
| Born | Desmond Ryan Bishop (1975-11-12)12 November 1975 (age 49) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | University College Cork (B.A.) |
| Occupation | Stand-up comedian |
| Spouse | Hannah Berner |
| Website | www |
Desmond Bishop (born 12 November 1975) is an American - Irish comedian.[2] He was brought up in New York and moved to Ireland at the age of 14. He primarily resides there.
Bishop attendedSt. Francis Preparatory School in theFresh Meadows neighbourhood of theNew York City borough ofQueens.[3] At the age of 16, he began school atSt Peter's College, Wexford in Ireland. He later re-sat his Leaving Certificate atBlackrock College, Dublin.[4] He has a degree in English and history fromUniversity College Cork.
Bishop has worked as a comic in Ireland since the late 1990s. He began hosting shows and honing his act at theInternational Comedy Cellar, a venue set up by Irish comics such asArdal O'Hanlon,Kevin Gildea, andBarry Murphy.[4]
Bishop appeared in the 2002 filmIn America, in which he played a high stockbroker rapping in the back of a New York taxi cab.[5]
He reached a broader audience after his TV showThe Des Bishop Work Experience screened onRTÉ Two in 2004. The show featured him attempting to survive for one month working aminimum wage job in various parts of Ireland. During the series, he worked atAbrakebabra,Waterford; The Aqua-dome,Tralee;Superquinn,Dundalk; and the Central Hotel,Dublin.[4]
A 2006 TV show namedJoy in the Hood featured him travelling to deprived areas of Ireland's major cities and mentoring local people in stand-up comedy.[4]
Bishop received significant criticism during a show in 2006 for ableist comments he aimed at an audience member who was in a wheelchair and had an intellectual disability.[6] Bishop later apologised for his actions.[7]
Bishop speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese and has also worked in China[8] where he has adopted the Chinese stage name Bi Hansheng (毕瀚生)[9] and has appeared in a few Chinese dating shows.[10][11]
In 2017, Bishop took part in thefirst series of the Irish version ofDancing with the Stars. He was partnered with Italian dancerGiulia Dotta. They were eliminated in the sixth week of the competition, finishing in eighth place.[12]
Bishop's brother Aidan works as a comedian in Ireland.[13] Both are involved in running the International Comedy Club.
His father died from lung cancer in February 2011, and on 19 March 2019, his mother Eileen died at the age of 77, after a long illness.[14]
In February 2021, Bishop became engaged toHannah Berner, a former main cast member on theBravo reality television seriesSummer House.[15] They married at Bishop's home inThe Hamptons inNew York State on 13 May 2022.[16]
Bishop's comedy has covered social issues, such as poverty.[4] After being diagnosed withtesticular cancer in 2000, Bishop turned his experiences into comedy material.[17]
Bishop's TV showIn the Name of the Fada premiered in 2008.[4] It chronicles Bishop's undertaking to learn Irish to a level sufficient to perform a stand-up act in the language.[4] During this period he achieved fluency in the language.[4] He later used his Irish-language skills to sing the Gaeilge version of the song "Jump Around" calledLéim Thart.[18]
The DVDs of his live showTongues and of the seriesIn the Name of the Fada were released on 14 November 2008.[citation needed]
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