John Cleese's War on Wokeism
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- čas přidán 31. 07. 2022
- The Monty Python legend says political correctness is ruining creativity in all aspects of human activity.
From shows and movies ranging from Monty Python's Flying Circus and Fawlty Towers to Life of Brian and A Fish Called Wanda, the comedian John Cleese has uproariously and relentlessly satirized politics and religion while stretching the boundaries of decorum and good taste like so many silly walks.
Now 82, Cleese-who studied law at Cambridge-has recently set his sights on political correctness and wokeism, which he says are the enemy not only of humor but of creative thinking in all areas of human activity.
He appeared at FreedomFest, the annual July gathering of libertarians in Las Vegas, to discuss creativity, the subject of his 2020 "short and cheerful guide." After giving a talk on the attitudes and habits he believes are necessary for creativity to 2,500 attendees, Reason's Nick Gillespie interviewed Cleese about the importance of freedom of thought and expression for a flourishing society.
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Produced by Nick Gillespie; Footage: Courtesy of FreedomFest; Edited by Adam Czarnecki and Meredith Bragg
'People sitting there waiting for the thrill of being offended' Absolutely brilliant
“Waiting for the thrill of being offended”. So accurate and such a reflection of today’s banal society.
The energy this man showed in Fawlty Towers was superhuman. So much energy in his acting that I thought he would have a heart attack.
This is why I keep a dog. He's a constant generator of laughter. Laughter makes life better.
“People sitting their deliberately waiting for the thrill of being offended”….. the defining characteristic of 50% of US society.
Unbelievable. This man is older than Joe Biden, but sharper than most twenty somethings.
For the record, the name Cleese was struggling to recall was Donald Hebb, a Canadian psychologist who has been described as the father of neoropsychology and neural networks. Brilliant guy, fascinating subject.
I was a preteen in the seventies when Monty Python first came out. My parents didn’t understand this new radical form of comedy but they allowed my one year older brother and myself to watch and it’s been a lifelong love for both of us since but also includes their successors. Thanks Mum and Dad.
Humor is the ultimate cleansing of the soul. When you laugh, you change your entire attitude. We need more edgy comics and standup comedians.
Making John Cleese laugh would be the highlight of anyone's life.
"There are people who are deliberately waiting for the thrill of being offended" - I think that's the best characterization of today's society I've heard so far.
"There are people sitting... who are deliberately waiting for the thrill of being offended" - John Cleese (around
"How do you write a masterpiece?" "Well, when I did Fish called Wanda ..." "Can I just interrupt you there, that film still gets applauded." JC goes off on tangent. Just as JC is about to reveal a great writing secret, the Genius interviewer stops him in his tracks. So many interviewers do this. Please get your own ego's out of the equation, FFS! (In the future this could be considered one of the biggest blunders in interview history).
“People sitting there deliberately waiting for the thrill of being offended” - I've heard this thought phrased in other ways but I think I enjoy this one the most.
this is awesome John Cleese is one of the greatest humorist/satirists who has ever lived ..........he is also extremely intelligent & his wit is as sharp as ever ......
So much wisdom he's able to share. Nearing 60, I'm grateful to have discovered Monty Python et. al. at age 10. Thank you to the old PBS for the Sunday night lineup.
"...deliberately waiting for the thrill of being offended." So well put.
It's so nice to hear an interviewer who understands that he is talking to a comedian.
we need more John Cleese in the world
What a brilliant man. He still makes people laugh which as he says is the most important thing. Bless him for helping so many people get through difficult times with laughter