John Cleese: Cancel Me will see the comedian ask if it is possible to create comedy without causing offence.
British comedy legend John Cleese will be exploring cancel culture in a new documentary series for Channel 4.
The series – which is to be titled John Cleese: Cancel Me – will see the Monty Python and Fawlty Towers star “explore why a new ‘woke’ generation is trying to rewrite the rules on what can and can’t be said”.
Throughout the series, the comedian will talk to a variety of people – including some famous faces who claim to have been ‘cancelled’ and others who have campaigned against comedians and programmes – to ask if it is possible to create comedy without causing offence.
Speaking about the programme, Cleese said, “I’m delighted to have a chance to find out, on camera, about all the aspects of so-called Political Correctness.
‘There’s so much I really don’t understand, like: how the impeccable idea of ‘Let’s all be kind to people’ has been developed in some cases ad absurdum.
“I want to bring the various reasonings right out in the open so that people can be clearer in their minds what they agree with, what they don’t agree with, and what they still can’t make their mind up about.”
Cleese has often been an outspoken critic of so-called cancel culture in the past, regularly posting about the subject on social media.
Last year, he criticised UKTV after they removed a line from an episode of Fawlty Towers which saw the Major using the N-word.
Speaking to 60 Minutes Australia, he explained, “They completely missed the point. It was a stupid decision in the first place. It was as though they thought that if you put certain words in people’s mouths, that meant it had to be true.”
“Comedy’s not about perfect people. It’s about all of our imperfections and it’s not about things going right. It’s all about things going wrong.
“It’s this pathetic idea that people can’t stand up for themselves and can’t hear different opinions. It seems to me extraordinarily condescending.”
John Cleese: Cancel Me will air on Channel 4. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight. Visit our Documentaries hub for all the latest news.