Ben Elton says Cancel Culture is ‘not remotely threatening’ comedy and says ‘exactly what I want’
Released: 7:46 am EDT, Oct. 22, 2022 | Updated: 7:46 am EDT, Oct. 22, 2022
World-renowned comedian Ben Elton has claimed that Cancel culture is not a “remotely menacing” comedy that continues to “say exactly what I want,” he says.
Elton, 63, said ahead of the one-off revival of 1980’s Channel 4 show Friday Night Live that even though the world has “changed” he continues to speak his mind and hasn’t been removed.
In an interview with the BBC, he admitted that it’s largely the comedian’s job to ‘navigate’ the changes in clever and interesting ways.
World-renowned comedian Ben Elton has claimed that Cancel culture is not a “remotely menacing” comedy that continues to “say exactly what I want,” he says
Elton, 63, said ahead of the one-off revival of 1980’s Channel 4 show Friday Night Live that even though the world has “changed” he continues to speak his mind and hasn’t been removed
He said: said: “There are language rules, they have always existed. you change. It’s the comedian’s job to get around that.
“I’ve always had to take care of my language in different ways, and I hope I’ve found clever and interesting ways to do it.”
Elton added that he’s just played 150 gigs where he “said exactly what I wanted”.
He explained, “I wasn’t canceled, I spoke my mind and yes I spoke about trans and race and identity and we laughed a lot.”
Though the comedian continues to say what he likes, he admitted the temperature of social media debates on various topical issues had him thinking.
Though the comedian continues to say what he likes, he admitted the temperature of social media debates on various topical issues had him thinking
“In our modern Twitter world, sometimes the radical people you want to support kick you in the face in such a way that you want to say, ‘Well, give me a second to think about it.’”
Last night Elton kicked off his Friday Night Live Channel 4 special with a wild jab at Liz Truss after she announced her resignation as Prime Minister two days ago.
Ms Truss announced she would step down as Prime Minister after just 44 days, making her the shortest-serving Prime Minister in history.
And of course, Elton couldn’t help but kick off the beloved show with a jibe about the latest happenings as part of Channel 4’s 40th anniversary celebrations.
Opening his show, he began, “In these dark and difficult days, there couldn’t be a better time to spread love and laughter,” adding, “But while we do this, please think of poor Liz Truss, who resigned yesterday, putting a merciful end to the most pointlessly destructive, apparently expensive, ego-driven car accident of a delusional vanity project since Simon Cowell had his facelift project!’
Last night Elton kicked off his Friday Night Live Channel 4 special with a wild jab at Liz Truss after she announced her resignation as Prime Minister two days ago
He later joked, “I used to try Mrs Thatch, but credit where credit is due, at least I knew she would still be in power by the end of the programme.”
Elton continued, “How did this great nation fall into such a monumental catastrophe?” before replying, “Well we know how… it was the Conservative Party!”
Elton then turned to Boris Johnson for some digging, joking that he couldn’t “finish” Brexit the way divorces aren’t easy.
“Damn, he’s dumped enough baby mamas in his time that you’d think he’d nailed it, right?!” he said, leaving the viewers in hysterics.
