© Photo by Dave J Hogan/Getty Images When “Well, that’s just the sort of blinkered philistine pig ignorance I’ve come to expect” is a little too apropos.
Like many a kid who was tarred with the epithet “socially awkward,” Monty Python helped me get through high school. Many of my happiest memories from this period revolved around pantomime galloping through the halls a la Holy Grail and belting “The Lumberjack Song” in the stands at football games.
— John Cleese (@JohnCleese) January 18, 2020 Its not the first time Cleese has faced a Twitter backlash after making seemingly disparaging remarks about Ireland. In 2019, he was criticised after he complained that letters in Irish words don’t make the same sounds as they would in the English language. John Cleese has poked fun at Hank Azaria after the actor said. Apologise on behalf on Monty Python for all the many sketches we did making fun of white English people,” he said on Twitter. John Cleese accused of transphobia after doubling down on support of J.K. Rowling with controversial tweet The 'Monty Python' star made several jokes on Twitter that followers deemed transphobic.
My friends and I even performed The Yorkshiremen sketch during our school talent show. And no, we never bothered to explain why Yorkshire had suddenly been annexed by the Chicagoland area.
The Pythons were one of my formative influences in comedy and I still adore their work to this day. So it was no small disappointment a few weeks ago when John Cleese publicly defended J.K. Rowling’s transphobia in an open letter and took a depressingly familiar swipe at trans athletes on Twitter:
Yes, my understanding is superficial
One thing: When a woman who was once a man is competing against women who have always been women, I think she has an advantage, because she inherited a man's body, which is usually bigger and stronger than a woman's
Does that prove phobia? https://t.co/8x2H9zvstd
— John Cleese (@JohnCleese) November 22, 2020Sadly, this was far from the only tired thought Cleese had on the subject of trans rights, as he had previously posed the rhetorical question: “Deep down, I want to be a Cambodian police woman. Is that allowed, or am I being unrealistic?”
As the Bay Area Reporter’s Gwendolyn Ann Smith notes, “the above is called, in some trans circles, ‘the one joke.’” Naturally, the intolerance inherent in Cleese’s ignorant musings is his biggest transgression. But as with Dave Chappelle’s transphobia, it’s also deflating to hear one of the most original and inventive comedic minds of all time spewing such hackneyed nonsense.
Look at that Cambodian police woman joke again. If it sounds familiar, that probably means you’ve been to an open mic night at some point in your life and heard six or seven variations on it in the span of two hours. Agent ransack free download. I’m so, so sorry. Now consider that it was written by the man who gave us The Dead Parrot sketch, “Life of Brian,” and “A Fish Called Wanda.”
Epic sigh.
John Cleese Twitter Apology
As you’ve probably surmised, I’m a huge fan of all types of classic comedy. And in learning about Cleese’s antiquated and distressing views regarding the trans community, I was reminded of my experience watching the mostly brilliant Marx Brothers film “A Day at the Races” for the first time.
For three quarters of its running time, it’s comedy heaven. Chico swindles Groucho at the racetrack, Harpo covers a femme fatale in wallpaper, and the Brothers’ examination room scene with Margaret Dumont might be one of the funniest bits they ever did.
Then all of a sudden, the film cuts to a musical number with Harpo leading a crew of Black stablehands in a parade of the most repellant racist stereotypes the year 1937 could possibly serve up. The effect is jarring. It’s like watching the new Borat movie and discovering the climax portrayed Rudy Giuliani as the hero. And it really blights what should have been a flawless masterwork of comedy.
Obviously, racism is a very different phenomenon from transphobia and I’m not suggesting the two should be conflated. But the reason why I flashed back was this: even the most celebrated transgressive comedy minds in history still unconsciously absorb the prejudices of their era.
And as Cleese’s example shows, they can also cling to them just as stubbornly as a reactionary TV pundit. So while it’s important to develop a passion for the work of great artists, that enthusiasm should never be confused with giving everything they produce a free pass. Lego avengers pc free download torrentnewthings. Topaz texture effects 2.0.0 download.
That’s also why it’s vital to call them out when they display open prejudice like this. Once a performer attains comedy legend status, they usually don’t hear a lot of voices contradicting them or their ideas. So while some might dismiss the Twitter backlash against Cleese as “the woke mob,” the fact of the matter is that he needed to repeatedly hear that his views were not OK in order for that message to sink in.
From Smith’s report, Cleese apparently absorbed the backlash and “sort of backtracked, saying on Twitter that he is ‘not that interested’ in transgender people, and that he hopes we’re happy and that we are treated kindly.” It’s not exactly the genuine apology that’s needed, but it does seem that, unlike Rowling, he understands that he did some harm to a community that has already endured more than enough.
Let’s hope that he doesn’t follow her example and double down at any point. If he does, it would seem to prove that Mr. Creosote had the right response all along.
© Provided by The IndependentJohn Cleese has divided Twitter after posting a suicide joke about Donald Trump.
John Cleese J K Rowling
The Monty Python star shared his views on the US presidential election, which has now seen Joe Biden overtake Trump in numerous key states.
The incumbent president has repeatedly made unfounded claims that illegal votes have been counted since Tuesday (3 November).
It has also been reported that Trump's campaign team called Fox News head Rupert Murdoch to complain about the network’s decision to declare Joe Biden the winner in Arizona.
The president and his senior staff were said to be so enraged by the move that they attempted to get its owner to drop its formal projection for Biden.
Fox News is typically supportive of Trump and, in seeming reference to the reports, Cleese, 81, tweeted: 'I suspect Trump’s been dead for two days at least. Probably shot himself when Murdoch dumped him.'
John Cleese Twitter Trump
However, immediately after sending the post, many criticised Cleese with some accusing him of going too far.
John Cleese Twitter Trump
'I love your stuff sir, but I think this went a step too far. Suicide is not to be joked about, not even for Trump,' one person wrote, to which the Fawlty Towers actor responded: Then how about Hitler? That's worth a giggle, surely.'
In reply, another tweeter added: “If the intent is to prevent suicide and make it more accessible for people to get help, making the topic taboo, even to joke about, is doing more harm than good.”
Cleese clapped back: “I don't think taboo subjects really benefit anyone, do they?”
Several others, some of whom said they have had past experience with the subject of suicide, defended Cleese’s joke.
Um hi suicide is absolutely something that can be joked about especially as a way to help process feelings
John Cleese Twitter Video
please don’t stigmatize something that can help people deal with a huge amount of trauma
😬 sincerely, someone who had to deal intimately with someone else’s suicide
— Alex Baguette (@AlexDesignsIt) November 7, 2020No one commits suicide because of something a comedian says. They commit suicide because they're locked in a place that doesn't allow light to come through. We laugh at the darkness so that it doesn't defeat us.
— Pamela LaPier (@LapierPamela) November 7, 2020Talking about suicide does not infect others with desire to kill themselves. There was a time where knowing I had the option, saved my life. We can talk.
— ScreamingMeemie (@MeemieScreaming) November 7, 2020Hi, formerly suicidal person here (I got help). Suicide can be as much of a joke as farting. As others have pointed out, it's all about context.
— John Hennings (@JohnHennings3) November 7, 2020For confidential support with mental health or suicidal feelings, you can contact The Samaritans on their free, 24-hour phone support by calling 116 123 or emailing jo@samaritans.org.