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Veteran comedian John Cleese (pictured) slammed the escalating ‘political correctness’ obsession on the profound video on how important it is to protect the right to offend.
John Cleese
Fonte: Political correctness is killing comedy, says John Cleese
Political correctness is killing comedy, says John Cleese: Monty Python star believes fear of offending certain groups could lead to 1984-style society where free expression is not allowed
- Cleese speaks out on Big Think video about effect of political correctness
- Says can no longer perform at universities as any criticism seen as ‘cruel’
- Claims those who can’t control emotions want to control others’ behaviour
- Says loss of humour will lead to dystopian police state, like Orwell novel
John Cleese says that political correctness and fear of offending could lead to a 1984-style society.
The Monty Python star said he has now been advised not to perform on university campuses as the idea of political correctness has expanded so far that any kind of criticism is now seen as ‘cruel’.
Veteran comic Cleese said it is down to people who cannot control their emotions, so seek to control others, and worries that it could lead to a society like that in the iconic dystopian Orwell Novel.
John Cleese (pictured) says that political correctness and fear of offending could lead to a 1984-style society
He says: ‘If you start to think “ooh, we mustn’t criticise or offend them”, humour is gone, with humour goes a sense of proportion, and then as far as I’m concerned we’re living in 1984.’
Cleese, whose jokes about Germans and Spanish waiter Manuel in Fawlty Towers could well be considered offensive today, said that ‘all comedy is critical,’ in a video for The Big Think.
He explained how British newspapers offend him everyday with ‘laziness, nastiness and inaccuracy,’ but that he doesn’t expect someone to stop it happening, he simply speaks out about it.
Cleese goes on to say that people do not have the right to be ‘protected from any kind of uncomfortable emotion’ as he defends the right of expression for comedians worldwide.
He then quotes psychologist Robin Skynner, saying: ‘If people cant control their own emotions then they need to start controlling other people’s behaviour,’ as he continues the profound tirade.’
Cleese adds: ‘When you’re around people who are saper-sensitive, you cant relax, be spontaneous as you have no idea what is going to upset them next.
Cleese regularly poked fun at various nationalities in Fawlty Towers (pictured, with Spanish waiter Manuel, right) but many of the jokes would today be considered offensive
Cleese in the famous The Germans episode of Fawlty Towers, in which he pokes fun at the British paranoia of mentioning ‘the war’
‘I’ve been warned recently not to go to university campuses because political correctness has been taken from being a good idea, from “lets not be mean particularly to people who are not able to look after themselves very well”, to the point where any kind of criticism of any kind of individual or group can be labelled cruel.
‘The whole point about comedy is that all comedy is critical.’
Cleese and the other comedians in Monty Python pushed the boundaries of comedy in the 60s and 70s, and movie Life of Brian – a spoof version of the story of Jesus – offended numerous groups.
However, Cleese vehemently defends the right to speak through comedy, and this is not the first time he has spoken out about political correctness.
In 2014, he argued that it is ‘condescending’ as it only allows jokes to be made about certain groups while implying others need to be protected.
Speaking to Bill Maher on HBO, the legendary comedian said he used to make jokes about the French and Australians – but if he mentioned Mexicans it was deemed unacceptable.
He also joked that you can make jokes about Muslims, but if you do, ‘they kill you’.