Dieudonné M'bala M'bala, a French comedian, actor, and political activist, was born with a Cameroonian father and a French mother. He initially gained success with Élie Semoun, humorously exploiting racial stereotypes, while campaigning against racism. Dieudonné ran in the 1997 and 2001 legislative elections in Dreux against the National Front, a French far-right political party.
In 2003, he performed a sketch on a TV show depicting an Israeli settler as a Nazi, which some critics deemed as crossing the limits of antisemitism. Dieudonné refused to apologize and denounced Zionism and the Jewish lobby. He later became political allies and friends with Jean-Marie Le Pen, leader of the National Front.
Dieudonné has been convicted eight times on antisemitism charges and has been banned from mainstream media. He has continued to have a following through his Paris theater and internet presence. His signature quenelle gesture became notorious in 2013, particularly after footballer Nicolas Anelka used it during a match.
Dieudonné's recent appearances and videos often feature rants about the "Jewish lobby" and "Israel lobby" controlling things. He was recorded mocking a Jewish journalist, suggesting it was a pity he wasn't sent to the gas chambers. French Interior Minister Manuel Valls deemed Dieudonné an "anti-Semite and racist" and sought to ban his public gatherings as a public safety risk.
The ban on his shows has been upheld by French courts. Dieudonné has also associated with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the former President of Iran, who has been accused of describing the Holocaust as a myth. The two have met on several occasions, including in 2009 during a visit by Dieudonné to Iran, where they reportedly discussed their shared anti-Zionist views.
Dieudonné has been known to make controversial statements, including describing Holocaust remembrance as "memorial pornography" and characterizing the "Jewish lobby" and "Israel lobby" as controlling. He has also been criticized for his association with Holocaust deniers and his use of anti-Semitic imagery in his performances.
