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Cleese Thinks 'Woke' Culture Is Killing Comedy

"Woke culture," "Cancel culture"...these are just new labels slapped on the old "politically correct" package in an attempt to make us think something different is being talked about.
 
grip said:
It's all perspective, timing, subject matter, and playing on the absurdity of life.

I was getting hammered at work one day with every problem imaginable. And I began to get so wound up that I couldn't function, so instead of freeze up from anxiety, I just started laughing hilariously. My assistant asked, are you okay, and I said, it was either laugh or cry.

Bottom line is that both parties want success and prosperity for the US but are miles apart on how to achieve it. That's not a reason to self implode or destroy each other, because then nobody gets helped.
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You are very kind to suggest that the Republicans want success and prosperity for the US. What did you see in their actions, or lack of them, that brought you to this conclusion?
 
grip said:
It's all perspective, timing, subject matter, and playing on the absurdity of life.

I was getting hammered at work one day with every problem imaginable. And I began to get so wound up that I couldn't function, so instead of freeze up from anxiety, I just started laughing hilariously. My assistant asked, are you okay, and I said, it was either laugh or cry.

Bottom line is that both parties want success and prosperity for the US but are miles apart on how to achieve it. That's not a reason to self implode or destroy each other, because then nobody gets helped.
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Very well said, in the bolded.

As to the rest, yeah I agree.

But what I believe I'm seeing in Trump and much of the GOP politicos is beyond mere 'difference in methodology'. They seem willing to risk american lives and suffering in order to cling to power. That's what I believe I'm seeing. And I find it abhorrent.
 
I think comedians should be able to say anything while in concert, without repercussions.
 
trixare4kids said:
You haven't given me the reasons as to why you blame Trump for all of the above. I can't comment if you won't.
You actually believe Biden will be a better leader? Why?
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Trix, are you really serious that I need to make an argument that Trump blew the pandemic response? Seriously?
 
grip said:
We used to write satire and make fun of politicians perceived weaknesses, now we take everything said so seriously that it makes conversing with others an anxious act of overly filtering and conforming. We should be able to disagree with each other's opinions on issues and policies without hating each other?

I remember growing up there were three subjects that you didn't discuss, politics, religion, and money (personal finances). Our parents were smarter than us.

https://www.thedailybeast.com/john-cleese-thinks-woke-culture-is-killing-comedy

"There's plenty of people who are PC now who have absolutely zero sense of humor. I would love to debate, in a friendly way, a couple of 'woke' people in front of an audience. And I think the first thing I would say is, please tell me a good 'woke' joke. What they don't understand is that there's two types of teasing. There's really nasty teasing, which is horrible, and we shouldn't do it, full stop. But the other type of teasing is affectionate. You can tease people hugely affectionately and it's a bonding mechanism. All humor is critical. You cannot get laughs out of perfect human beings. If you've got someone up on the screen who is perfect, intelligent and kind and flexible and a good person, there's nothing funny about that. So we only laugh at people's frailties, but that's not cruel. You can laugh at people's frailties in very funny and generous ways."
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I will feel a lot better when comedians are able to do their offensive bits!
 
trixare4kids said:
Thank you for sharing your opinion. While he's made mistakes, what president hasn't made mistakes anyway? .. I disagree that he hasn't dealt with the backlash to the murder of George Floyd. He is for peaceful protests, and is not against BLM. The media lies, and people swallow their swill. Whatever he has done to deal and combat covid is met with scorn, ridicule, lies, resistance, and baseless sensationalistic media headlines meant to polticize and get him removed from office. Yeah, whatever it takes. The "woke" thinly veiled as mob rule have tried to ruin his presidency.
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Trump supports protests? He's got a funny way of showing it, by gassing protestors in front of the white house.

And what exactly has he done to combat COVid? Where's our coordinated national response? So far it seems to be every state for itself.
 
Chomsky said:
Trix, are you really serious that I need to make an argument that Trump blew the pandemic response? Seriously?
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Yes, you do. I don't want to hear the fake news headlines either unless you insist Fauci lied when he said Trump listen to them.
 
Cardinal said:
"Woke culture," "Cancel culture"...these are just new labels slapped on the old "politically correct" package in an attempt to make us think something different is being talked about.
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It really just means "I say asshole things and get infuriated when someone else dares call me out on it." Conservatives think free speech gives everyone else a muzzle.
 
swing_voter said:
I think comedians should be able to say anything while in concert, without repercussions.
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Really? I'm not allowed to criticize what they say?
 
If a person is Woke, you shouldn't talk to them, Full Stop.

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trixare4kids said:
Deja vu. I said something very recently just like the above.
Nailed.
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Great minds... :mrgreen:


Cardinal said:
"Woke culture," "Cancel culture"...these are just new labels slapped on the old "politically correct" package in an attempt to make us think something different is being talked about.
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I do believe though they've grown and intensified.


j brown's body said:
You are very kind to suggest that the Republicans want success and prosperity for the US. What did you see in their actions, or lack of them, that brought you to this conclusion?
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Both parties want power, control, and money. That only happens if the US prospers.


Chomsky said:
Very well said, in the bolded.

As to the rest, yeah I agree.

But what I believe I'm seeing in Trump and much of the GOP politicos is beyond mere 'difference in methodology'. They seem willing to risk american lives and suffering in order to cling to power. That's what I believe I'm seeing. And I find it abhorrent.
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Thanks. :)

Trump would do almost anything to win. Winning is wonderful but not at any cost. I believe the Dems favor the populace, while the GOP favors the corporate donors but both have become to entrenched in ideology, instead of pragmatism.
 
grip said:
I do believe though they've grown and intensified.
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I don't doubt that it ebbs and waves in strength. Personally, it feels exactly the same as political correctness.
 
Irredentist said:
Trump supports protests? He's got a funny way of showing it, by gassing protestors in front of the white house.

And what exactly has he done to combat COVid? Where's our coordinated national response? So far it seems to be every state for itself.
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Yes, he does.

Go ahead, and say he didn't really say this while being interviewed by Mark Thiessen of the WA Post.

"President Trump says in a new interview with the Washington Post that he’s not defending confederate memorials and that he supports “peaceful protests for racial injustice.”

Trump interview on Confederate statues, renaming military ...
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/07/09...

Jul 10, 2020 · — The real hate is not the hate from me. The real hate is the hate from the other side on many of the things that we talk about.” “Maybe I’m a voice in the wilderness…

eta:
If you can't get through the paywall, try this to see his actual quotes. Don't know anything about this site, but they did manage to quote back to the Post.
Trump Says He Supports ‘Peaceful Protests for Racial Justice’ and Doesn’t Back Confederate Statues | ATL Praise House
 
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I think Cleese is both trying to have it both ways a bit, by agreeing with a lot of thing PC being left out that he calls 'nasty' but he doesn't want to admit are the same, and that he has some bias that his humor might be more based on 'flaws' he thinks are being questioned.

But even his own humor has plenty examples of 'woke' jokes that are ok. Nothing about the ministry of silly walks, the dead parrot, the argument clinic, the philosophers arguing playing soccer, violates 'PC'. It's hard to think of anything in Holy Grail that is a problem.

It sounds more like is just annoyed at any perceived lack of freedom.

Yes, he's made plenty of funny, tasteless jokes. I don't recall many that were not 'PC'. He thought he was a real rebel, when for the first time institutions from the police to schoolteachers to the royals could be the butt of jokes. He seems to want to lump in bigoted jokes with that, just to keep more 'freedom'.

The least 'PC' things that come to mind from him are the lisp in "A fish called Wanda", and the waiter in "Fawlty Tower".

Note how his words about how the humor is in 'flawed people' doesn't actually even touch on what PC is really about. That's the indication of a straw man argument.
 
grip said:
'Woke' sounds like saying, the light is on but nobody is home.
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Hey that stuff is deadly toxic and contagious, and it will end your career, if not your sanity double quick.

And they snap judge, White-Male, then you're targeted for destruction, unless you jump up and proclaim you are gay... then you get a different type of attention, and its even creepier! (Not to mention the very sore ass.)

Don't play with cat's with foamy mouths, and stay away from "the Woke"!

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Cardinal said:
I don't doubt that it ebbs and waves in strength. Personally, it feels exactly the same as political correctness.
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It's the same PC crowd but amplified and weaponized by mob ideology. Trump has created a cultish type following to counter the movement. The Media is always looking for new terms and labels to stir up controversial interest.
 
Who cares Cleese hasn't been funny in 50 years and most of his comedy was clownish buffoonery.
 
grip said:
It's the same PC crowd but amplified and weaponized by mob ideology. Trump has created a cultish type following to counter the movement. The Media is always looking for new terms and labels to stir up controversial interest.
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They actually are worse now because they have hurt peoples' reputations, their right to maintain their livelihoods.

Agree with the rest of your post too.
 
trixare4kids said:
Great idea for a future thread. ;)
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Any thread I've started blaming both parties or trying to reconcile them rouses no attention. Probably, because people like to exaggerate and fight?
 
trixare4kids said:
Yes, you do. I don't want to hear the fake news headlines either unless you insist Fauci lied when he said Trump listen to them.
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I'd also love to hear from the armchair quarterbacks who wouldn't listen to Trump if he told them breathing is important. We watched Dem Governor after Dem Governor give Trump the middle finger and say, "YOU'RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!" like defiant 3-year olds. And NOW? Oh, now they insist Trump should have Federalized every single response.
Trump offered help and went above and beyond. Just ask the Dem Governors!! But he let them succeed or fail on their own merits.
Now, they want to blame Trump.
Too bad, so sad.
We all watched as Democrats told Trump he's not a "dictator" and couldn't tell them when to open or close.

Watch the tape, babies.
 
Lfl said:
Who cares Cleese hasn't been funny in 50 years and most of his comedy was clownish buffoonery.
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I was never a big fan of his humor but liked his acting. Now Pryor, Carlin, Rock, Lawrence, etc wouldn't even be allowed to perform their material in today's climate.


trixare4kids said:
They actually are worse now because they have hurt peoples' reputations, their right to maintain their livelihoods.

Agree with the rest of your post too.
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Some PC behavior is perfectly normal and positive. But the level of it now, especially with such disparity in opinions, is out of control and negative. There needs to be a balance between group rights and individual rights.
 
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