Otto Jespersen (comedian)
Encyclopedia
Otto Jespersen is a controversial Norwegian
comedian
, actor and television personality.
. Working in a local radio station, Radio Nova
in Oslo
, in 1988 Jespersen and collaborators Stig Holmer and Charlo Halvorsen launched the magazine program Revolvermagasinet on Norwegian national radio. This nighttime show featured satire and unusual interviews. In 1992, the three again teamed up for The Show - storbymoro for enslige i Utkant-Norge on national television. The Show became the Norwegian candidate for the Rose d'Or
in 1993, but several judges left the theatre before the program was over.
During the 1994 Winter Olympics
, Jespersen was hired as stunt reporter for Norwegian national television. This led to the first of the four O.J. series, in which Jespersen interviewed celebrities and later created such characters as Tårnfrid, Wirrum, Den ensomme rytter, Baron Blod, Nazi-Per, and Birger as well as Friskusen. He has also made two seasons of Trotto Libre with Trond Kirkvaag
.
In 2002 he joined fellow comedians Silje Stang and Thomas Gjertsen to host the weekly comedy show Torsdagsklubben, gaining a reputation for his scathing closing monologue
. Stang and Giertsen had formerly run the same show concept under the name Mandagsklubben.
In the fall of 2002, Jespersen's closing monologue targeted the Prime Minister
Kjell Magne Bondevik
, ridiculing the man's medication use and his unpopularity. He finished the program by encouraging "all good forces'" to invite Christer Pettersson
, a suspect in the murder of Swedish
Prime Minister
Olof Palme
, to Oslo. Bondevik denounced the monologue in an interview calling it cowardly and distasteful, sparking debate about the monologue in Norway. In the wake of the controversy, Jespersen received a number of death threats.
He satirically burned an American flag
on the air to protest the coming 2003 invasion of Iraq
.
His television show Rikets Røst premiereed in early 2005. Among the show's recurring contributors are and were Zahid Ali
, a Norwegian-Pakistan
i comedian; Pia Haraldsen
; and Espen Eckbo
, an actor
. In spring 2006, while shooting a satirical stunt for the show in the city of Ålesund
, Jespersen and Mayor Arve Tonning lit a bonfire in the center of town and burned some Norwegian books and paper money. To the mayor's consternation, Jespersen then added several pages from the Bible's Old Testament
, leading to national press coverage.
In 2008, when Jespersen satirically mourned the fleas and lice on Holocaust victims, a Jerusalem Post
opinion article decried TV2's defense of this incident, using it as an example of growing anti-Semitism
and anti-Israel
ism in Norway.
He starred in the title role of the 2010 movie The Troll Hunter
.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
, actor and television personality.
Biography
At the age of 19 Jespersen became a Marxist-Leninist, and was for a short period of time a member of the Communist organization Red YouthRed Youth (Norway)
Red Youth is a Norwegian revolutionary youth league. It is the youth organization of the party Red and former Red Electoral Alliance and the Workers' Communist Party. The current leader of Red Youth is Iver Aastebøl.-Politics:...
. Working in a local radio station, Radio Nova
Radio Nova
Radio Nova may refer to one of several different radio stations, among them:*Nova , a network of radio stations in Australia:** Nova 96.9 , Sydney 96.9 FM** Nova 100 , Melbourne 100.3 FM** Nova 106.9 , Brisbane 106.9 FM...
in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, in 1988 Jespersen and collaborators Stig Holmer and Charlo Halvorsen launched the magazine program Revolvermagasinet on Norwegian national radio. This nighttime show featured satire and unusual interviews. In 1992, the three again teamed up for The Show - storbymoro for enslige i Utkant-Norge on national television. The Show became the Norwegian candidate for the Rose d'Or
Rose d'Or
The Rose d’Or is one of the most important international festivals in entertainment television. It was founded in Montreux in 1961 and has taken place in Lucerne since 2004. Producers, executives from independent and public service broadcasters and heads of production companies from over 40...
in 1993, but several judges left the theatre before the program was over.
During the 1994 Winter Olympics
1994 Winter Olympics
The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 12 to 27 February 1994 in and around Lillehammer, Norway. Lillehammer failed to win the bid for the 1992 event. Lillehammer was awarded the games in 1988, after having beat...
, Jespersen was hired as stunt reporter for Norwegian national television. This led to the first of the four O.J. series, in which Jespersen interviewed celebrities and later created such characters as Tårnfrid, Wirrum, Den ensomme rytter, Baron Blod, Nazi-Per, and Birger as well as Friskusen. He has also made two seasons of Trotto Libre with Trond Kirkvaag
Trond Kirkvaag
“”Trond Georg Kirkvaag was a Norwegian comedian, actor, impressionist, screenwriter, author, director and television host. During his 39 years at the Norwegian TV network, NRK, he produced numerous comedy television series. After his death he was widely hailed by his colleagues as possibly the...
.
In 2002 he joined fellow comedians Silje Stang and Thomas Gjertsen to host the weekly comedy show Torsdagsklubben, gaining a reputation for his scathing closing monologue
Monologue
In theatre, a monologue is a speech presented by a single character, most often to express their thoughts aloud, though sometimes also to directly address another character or the audience. Monologues are common across the range of dramatic media...
. Stang and Giertsen had formerly run the same show concept under the name Mandagsklubben.
In the fall of 2002, Jespersen's closing monologue targeted the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Norway
The Prime Minister of Norway is the political leader of Norway and the Head of His Majesty's Government. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Stortinget , to their political party, and ultimately the...
Kjell Magne Bondevik
Kjell Magne Bondevik
Kjell Magne Bondevik is a Norwegian Lutheran minister and politician . He served as Prime Minister of Norway from 1997 to 2000, and from 2001 to 2005, making him Norway's longest serving non-Labour Party Prime Minister since World War II...
, ridiculing the man's medication use and his unpopularity. He finished the program by encouraging "all good forces'" to invite Christer Pettersson
Christer Pettersson
Christer Pettersson was a Swedish criminal who was a suspect in the 1986 assassination of Olof Palme, the Prime Minister of Sweden...
, a suspect in the murder of Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Sweden
The Prime Minister is the head of government in the Kingdom of Sweden. Before the creation of the office of a Prime Minister in 1876, Sweden did not have a head of government separate from its head of state, namely the King, in whom the executive authority was vested...
Olof Palme
Olof Palme
Sven Olof Joachim Palme was a Swedish politician. A long-time protegé of Prime Minister Tage Erlander, Palme led the Swedish Social Democratic Party from 1969 to his assassination, and was a two-term Prime Minister of Sweden, heading a Privy Council Government from 1969 to 1976 and a cabinet...
, to Oslo. Bondevik denounced the monologue in an interview calling it cowardly and distasteful, sparking debate about the monologue in Norway. In the wake of the controversy, Jespersen received a number of death threats.
He satirically burned an American flag
Flag of the United States
The national flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows...
on the air to protest the coming 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
.
His television show Rikets Røst premiereed in early 2005. Among the show's recurring contributors are and were Zahid Ali
Zahid Ali
Zahid Ali is a Norwegian stand-up comedian. He is known for his participation in the TV2 show "Rikets Røst" which is hosted by Otto Jespersen...
, a Norwegian-Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i comedian; Pia Haraldsen
Pia Haraldsen
Pia Renate Haraldsen is a Norwegian TV personality, comedian and author, most known for her interviews on the Norwegian TV show Rikets Røst....
; and Espen Eckbo
Espen Eckbo
Espen Eckbo is a Norwegian actor, writer and comedian.He was born in Oslo, and grew up in Bestum. He now lives in Ullevål Hageby...
, an actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. In spring 2006, while shooting a satirical stunt for the show in the city of Ålesund
Ålesund
is a town and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Sunnmøre, and the center of the Ålesund Region. It is a sea port, and is noted for its unique concentration of Art Nouveau architecture....
, Jespersen and Mayor Arve Tonning lit a bonfire in the center of town and burned some Norwegian books and paper money. To the mayor's consternation, Jespersen then added several pages from the Bible's Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
, leading to national press coverage.
In 2008, when Jespersen satirically mourned the fleas and lice on Holocaust victims, a Jerusalem Post
The Jerusalem Post
The Jerusalem Post is an Israeli daily English-language broadsheet newspaper, founded on December 1, 1932 by Gershon Agron as The Palestine Post. The daily readership numbers do not approach those of the major Hebrew newspapers....
opinion article decried TV2's defense of this incident, using it as an example of growing anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
and anti-Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
ism in Norway.
He starred in the title role of the 2010 movie The Troll Hunter
The Troll Hunter
The Troll Hunter is a 2010 Norwegian dark fantasy film, made in the form of a "found footage" mockumentary. It is written and directed by André Øvredal, and features a mixed cast of relatively unknown actors and well-known Norwegian comedians, including Otto Jespersen. The Troll Hunter received...
.