Robert Newman is a British stand-up comedian, author and political activist born in 1964. He is half Greek-Cypriot and begins his comedy career as an impressionist in the late 1980s.

Comedy career

Newman gains wider attention in the early 1990s through The Mary Whitehouse Experience on BBC radio and television, alongside David Baddiel, Hugh Dennis and Steve Punt. The title refers to Mary Whitehouse, and the core line-up of the programme consists of those four performers. He and Baddiel then make Newman and Baddiel in Pieces. In 1993, with Baddiel, he becomes the first comedian to sell out Wembley Arena in London, playing to 12,000 people.

His later solo work has a strong political and social focus. He also tours with Mark Thomas in 2005.

Political activity

Newman gives his first speaking appearance with Third World First, the student political organisation now known as People and Planet. He later becomes involved with Reclaim the Streets, the Liverpool Dockers, Indymedia and Peoples' Global Action. In 1999, he covers the Seattle protests against globalisation for BBC television's Newsnight.

Writing

Newman co-authors The Mary Whitehouse Experience Encyclopedia in 1992. He also writes three novels: Dependence Day in 1994, Manners in 1998 and The Fountain At The Center Of The World in 2003. The Fountain at the Centre of the World is a satire on globalisation set in Mexico, and the writing process is the subject of a BBC Two documentary, Scribbling.

Public profile

In the early 1990s, Newman is seen as a comic heartthrob, and is associated with the idea that comedy is becoming the new rock 'n' roll.