Ninia Benjamin's London Insights and Her Comedic Inspiration

For this episode of The Unusual Histories podcast, Danny is joined by Ninia Benjamin, a tour de force who is known for 3 Non-Blondes, Big Fat Gypsy Gangster and Twisted Tales. She is a comedian, plus size model, writer, painter and actress who describes herself as a mother to your soul. Ninia has also appeared on Celebrity MasterChef and Hole in the Wall. If you´ve got kids they will know her as the voice of the eagle and the mosquito in Tinga Tinga Tales. She was born and raised in London and has lived in several of the city´s boroughs, so she shares some fascinating insights into why and how these areas have changed. Ninia shares her experience of growing up as the child of immigrants from Dominica and how her identity evolved as she got older, her unique way of making people laugh and dealing with hecklers. If you can´t get enough of these podcasts, head to https://www.patreon.com/DannyHurst to access my exclusive, member-only, fun-filled and fact-packed history-related videos. KEY TAKEAWAYS Ninia is a London girl through and through. She was born in Paddington but was raised mainly in Tottenham/Harringay before moving to Walthamstow. In Ninia´s lifetime the area around the Harringay Ladder has gone from mainly Turkish to largely Greek and is now becoming a popular area for Eastern Europeans. As the people change, the way the buildings in the area are used has changed drastically. Tottenham has a bad reputation for crime, but, in Ninia´s experience it is not as bad as some other boroughs. Tottenham has always been a place for new immigrants, which means it has an eclectic mix of cultures, ethnicities and religions. If you want something from a specific country e.g. an ingredient, the chances are you will find it on Tottenham High Road. Unusually, some buildings have been turned into places of worship. Ninia has only experienced racism in London on one occasion. Each wave of immigrants changes the cockney accent. Ninia´s comedy influences includes Robin Williams and Roseanne Barr. Ninia saw comedy as a path into acting. Humour is subjective. There is a new backlash against female stand up comics. Not all female comedians rely on running men down to get a laugh. BEST MOMENTS “I am truly a Tottenham girl, and I know Harringay like the back of my hand.” “Tottenham has always been a mixing pot… you can buy anything on Tottenham High Road.” “I'm the old kind of half cockney, half not cockney.” “I saw you destroy this heckler, you were awesome.” “It tickles me to be absurd.” EPISODE RESOURCES https://www.instagram.com/ninia_benjamin HOST BIO Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can. CONTACT AND SOCIALS https://instagram.com/dannyjhurstfacebook.com/danny.hurst.9638 https://twitter.com/dannyhurst  https://www.linkedin.com/in/danny-hurst-19574720