David Baddiel, a British author, comedian, and atheist, has spoken candidly about his unconventional family history and his relationship with his Jewish parents, engagingly narrated by David McWilliams, the founder of Dalkey Book Festival. The two Davids held their conversation at the Church of the Assumption in Dalkey.
Baddiel, who holds the honour of being a trailblazer for British stadium comedy and tackling the untold topic of anti-Semitism in the UK, is shifting his focus in his new memoir titled ‘My Family: The Memoir.’ This publication considerably unpacks his relationship with his parents, underlining his mother’s inexplicable affair with a golf memorabilia enthusiast.
Baddiel, born to a Welsh-Jewish father and a mother who managed to escape the horrors of Nazi Germany as an infant, admits, “It’s rather petrifying that my existence is real, considering they escaped in August 1939.”
In his provoking 2021 publication ‘Jews Don’t Count,’ Baddiel critically addresses the omission of Jews from modern-day interpretations of prejudice and racism despite his own religious schooling. As an atheist who grew up practicing Jewish customs, Baddiel found his household situation puzzling. He mentions, “Each morning, while I adhered to kosher practice, my father was cooking bacon.”
Baddiel also described an unorthodox turn of events in the 1970s. His mother developed an unprecedented passion for golf, a sport she hadn’t previously played. She began writing golf-centric poems and collecting golf mementos. It became increasingly apparent that she had an affair, immersing herself in her lover’s interests. Baddiel recounts how she left love letters scattered around their house.
In Baddiel’s novel, he is candid about the misconduct his parents indulged in, much like his discourse in Dalkey. An incident in 2008 highlights this when his mother reached out to an ex-lover looking for some excitement, keeping her sons in the loop through an email. Rather than being upset, Baddiel found humour in the situation. He mentions how his dad was oblivious to it all, describing him as a man who loved food, football and would audibly wonder who is on the other end of a ringing phone.
Baddiel also recalls when he was taken into custody in 1984 for protesting against the military-centric economy of the UK during a Stop the City demonstration. His parents didn’t show at his trial, a fact that left him stunned. However, he swears he would show up if his own child was in a similar situation. Nevertheless, he harbours no resentment against his parents for their absence.
The book also delves into difficult family experiences, one of which Baddiel narrates about a family holiday to Devon. Baddiel shares a comical anecdote of how his father discharged wind so forcefully inside an antique store that they had to vacate the premises. The owner was subsequently taken to hospital.
However, the book offers more than just humorous family anecdotes. Baddiel aims to showcase and honour the flawed nature of the people who have been important in his life. He encourages honesty and authenticity when recounting memories of them, which he considers the best way to ensure these individuals are remembered.
During a Q&A session with the audience, Baddiel, an avid football pundit was asked about his 90s football anthem, “It’s coming home?”. His humorous response? “It’s definitely not coming home to Ireland.” This he jests despite his acknowledgment of the Irish audience’s bemused outlook on English football and scepticism on English history.
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