Blindboy Boatclub: Difference between revisions

'''David Chambers''', known by his professional pseudonym '''Blindboy Boatclub''', is an Irish satirist, musician, podcaster, author, and TV presenter.

BlindboyDavid Chambers was born in Limerick in the mid-1980s,<ref name="TimesShortall">{{Cite news |work = The Times |last=Shortall |first=Eithne |date=22 October 2017 |title=Blindboy Boatclub: the man behind the mask |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/blindboy-boatclub-the-man-behind-the-mask-m729f2v7k |access-date=2024-02-01 |language=en |issn=0140-0460}}</ref> where he attended secondary school in [[Ardscoil Rís, Limerick|Ardscoil Rís]].<ref name="advertiser"/> While at school, he met Bob McGlynn and formed the satirical comedy pairing [[The Rubberbandits]] (performing under the pseudonyms "Blindboy Boatclub" and "Mr Chrome" respectively).<ref name="independent2010"/> BlindboyChambers later attended the [[Limerick School of Art and Design]]<ref name="independent2010"/> and in 2015 he earned his MA in Social Practice and the Creative Environment. He later commented on the degree, stating "It's an MA inside in the art college, which is perfectly suited for artists who work away from galleries, and tend to focus on society".<ref name="IE Independent Nov 15'">{{cite web |last1=Brennan |first1=John |title=Rubberbandit Blindboy Boatclub bags a masters with his best performance |url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/rubberbandit-blindboy-boatclub-bags-a-masters-with-his-best-performance-34239117.html |website=independent.ie |date=27 November 2015 |publisher=The Irish Independent |access-date=20 November 2022}}</ref>

BlindboyChambers was diagnosed with [[autism]] in his 30s following comments from ''[[The Blindboy Podcast]]'' listeners.<ref>{{cite web |last1=McGrath Bryan |first1=Mike |title='I am, in fact, autistic': Blindboy Boatclub reveals autism diagnosis on his podcast |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/artsandculture/arid-40850642.html |website=[[Irish Examiner]] |access-date=26 April 2022 |date=13 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Connolly |first=Rachel |date=2023-04-22 |title=An Outsider Takes on Ireland, From Inside a Plastic Bag |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/22/arts/ireland-blindboy-podcast.html |access-date=2024-02-01 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

Originally touring and performing as part of a duo, Chambers (under the name Blindboy Boatclub) has produced a number of "solo" works, including a podcast which covers topics such as mental health, politics, culture, music, and history.<ref name="irishtimes2019"/> In the ''Blindboy Podcast'', Boatclub sometimes provides "[[hot take]]s" and social commentary alongside personal stories and "absurdist riffs".<ref name="irishtimes2019"/><ref name="vice2018"/><ref name="hotpressPodcast">{{cite web|url = https://www.hotpress.com/music/blindboy-podcast-returns-vicar-street-2019-22763388 | publisher = Hot Press | website = hotpress.com | title = The Blindboy Podcast returns to Vicar Street in 2019 | date = 6 December 2018 | accessdate = 15 June 2020}}</ref> The podcast has also included interviews with people such as [[Bernadette Devlin McAliskey]], [[Spike Lee]], [[Sinéad O'Connor]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Downes |first1=Philip |title=Family and friends ‘devastated’ as tributes pour in for icon Sinéad O’Connor |url=https://extra.ie/2023/07/26/entertainment/sinead-oconnor-tributes |access-date=19 October 2024 |agency=Extra.ie |publisher=DMG Media |date=26 July 2023}}</ref> [[Emma Dabiri]], [[Colm O'Gorman]], [[Cillian Murphy]] and other comedians, activists and academics.<ref name="hotpressPodcast"/><ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.hotpress.com/culture/spike-lee-blindboy-podcast-blackkklansman-22752120 | publisher = [[Hot Press]] | website = hotpress.com | title= Legendary Director Spike Lee to Appear on The Blindboy Podcast | date = 15 August 2018 | accessdate = 15 June 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Emma Dabiri – The Blindboy Podcast|url=https://open.spotify.com/episode/4EG6gDOzEKRyActbvqwxFa|access-date=15 June 2020 |website=spotify.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Colm O Gorman – The Blindboy Podcast|url=https://open.spotify.com/episode/3ksOomtzLDVkvFq7YAOec3|access-date=15 June 2020 |website=spotify.com |language=en}}</ref>