John Cleese on Cancel Culture: An ‘Organized … Totalitarian’ Movement

John Cleese is the master of both silly walks and sublime comedy takes. The Monty Python veteran is as feisty as ever at 84, slashing those attempting to crush comedy that breaks any kind of so-called rule. Cleese opened up to FIRE’s Greg Lukianoff about free speech, “The Life of Brian” and much more in a revealing chat. FIRE stands for the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, a group that often does what the ACLU once did – stands up for free speech. The comic legend recalled the reaction his 1979 film “The Life of Brian” and today’s Cancel Culture movement.      The former expressed itself in walkouts and furious letters tied to the rebellious comedy. Now? “It’s not just protest. It’s trying to get people fired,” Cleese said, calling the Cancel Culture movement both “organized” and “totalitarian” in nature. It also stifles debate. To prove it, he brought up how he tried, in vain, to invite 14 “extreme woke” experts to expound on Lukianoff’s book, “The Coddling of the American Mind,” on Cleese’s “The Dinosaur Show” program. All 14 refused. “One said, ‘the very fact that you’re going to discuss it is the problem,'” Cleese recalled. “In other words, ‘we have a set of ideas and if you don’t agree with us on everything you hate us and we’re gonna try to get you fired. Crazy.”     Cancel Culture doesn’t just get innocent people fired. It makes them less funny. The same applies to any artistic endeavor. “The enemy of creativity is interruption,” Cleese told Lukianoff. “And interruptions can come from inside as well as outside. And if the moment you think of something you think, ‘ooh will that offend someone,’ you’ve interrupted yourself and it will stop the creative flow.” Cleese shared a personal perspective on free speech and how it opened up his world over the decades. “All moments in my life that have been important in forming my personality came when I suddenly had a realization that something I believed wasn’t the case,” he said. “You can’t do that if the people around you are saying you can’t think like that.” Cleese holds out hope that Cancel Culture and the efforts to squelch speech won’t win in the end. He’s still not sure we’ve turned any corner on the woke movement, though. “A lot of people are very frightened of getting fired, and that’s awful, getting fired,” he said. “There’s good and bad in all of us, and the moment you think you’re more perfect than you are, then that’s trouble … That’s why all this virtue signaling is so foolish now … they also need to know they have a nasty streak too.”

Late-Night Panic: Biden Could Lose to Trump!

Late-night television changed forever after Donald Trump descended that escalator in 2015. The left-leaning format abandoned all pretense of objectivity, turning their hosts into DNC shills. Fox News’ “Gutfeld!’ remains a sobering exception.     When President Trump left office in January 2021 that mission creep stayed in place. Now, with the Biden-Trump rematch heading our way, some of late-night TV’s biggest stars are getting nervous. Some might say panicky. Why? The polls suggest the former President might just beat the current President come November. We’re a long way from November, but at the moment the late-night crowd isn’t happy with the state of the race. Let’s start with Stephen Colbert, who literally joined a Biden fundraiser late last month fearing a second Trump term. The far-Left host is trying to drag President Biden over the finish line one more time. To do so, he’s demanding Israel stop fighting back against the ghouls who tortured, raped and killed more than a thousand innocent Israeli citizens on Oct. 7. That plays into Biden’s hands, of course. The Democrat is losing his base for supporting Israel six months into the current war. Remember, Colbert hosts a comedy talk show. He’s not a pundit or an advisor to Team Biden. He just looks and sounds like one, routinely abandoning any pretense of comedy in the process. His fellow late-night Leftist Seth Meyers is even worse on that front. The “SNL” alum is all but melting down over Biden’s tepid poll numbers. He, too, blames Biden’s management of the Israeli/Hamas war. “[Voters] are understandably upset Biden keeps claiming he’s frustrated with Netanyahu’s handling of the war, while simultaneously sending more weapons to support that war against the wishes of a majority of Americans. Meyers chastised Biden for not pushing harder for a Middle East ceasefire, which Biden promised during his propaganda-style interview with the leader. “You’re the president. You can just say, ‘No more funding. No more weapons.’ You can call for a ceasefire—that’s what a majority of Americans want, including the tens of thousands of Democrats who are registering protest votes in key battleground states.” That’s not a moral position. It’s one looking ahead to Nov. 5. In other words, it’s panic time. “There must be an immediate lasting ceasefire and the safe return of all hostages…That’s the loud and clear message of these protest votes, and Biden must listen, otherwise he’s at risk of losing to someone whose presidency was a [complete disaster].” Squint all you want, but you won’t find a single joke or attempt at humor in that harangue. Not a one.   The late nights have largely silent on the Israel-Hamas War. That changed last night with Seth Meyers who said of protest voters "Biden must listen, otherwise he's at risk of losing to" Trump, who was impeached for denying weapons to an ally at war for his own political benefit pic.twitter.com/f0lxio2loB — Alex Christy (@alexchristy17) April 4, 2024   And then there’s Jimmy Kimmel. The former “Man Show” star can’t believe polls suggest Trump may beat Biden in their do-over match. A recent survey found Trump beating Biden in six of seven swing states. “How could this be?” a stunned Kimmel asked during a recent monologue. At least Kimmel squeezed out a quasi-joke to process the news. Trump “doesn’t even lead in a poll of people who worked for him.”  “The Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon isn’t as overtly partisan as his peers. He still allows Democratic heavyweights to push their agendas on his NBC platform. He recently teed up former First Lady Hillary Clinton to bark at swing voters that they cannot even think of staying home on Election Day.     Late-night comedians aren’t political activists by trade. Their gigs are meant to nudge viewers to bed with a smile. Instead, they’ve become an extension of MSNBC. You’d think they’d be giddy at the chance to roast President Trump for another four years. Instead, they’re panicked that they just might.

No, ‘Civil War’s’ Fascist President Isn’t Donald Trump

Few films have stirred the cultural pot quite like “Civil War.” The April 12 release envisions a near-future America at war with itself.     Kirsten Dunst leads an ensemble cast including “Parks and Recreation” standout Nick Offerman as the U.S. president. Much of the film’s story has been kept under wraps. The film’s SXSW Film and TV Festival debut let some light shine on the narrative. Offerman’s president, for example, has fascistic tendencies and is currently serving his third term. It must be Trump. Of course. If Hollywood has taught us anything over the past seven-plus years it’s that it can’t stop referencing the 45th president. And, almost every time said commentary is unflattering. To be kind. That’s exactly what journalists were hoping from “Civil War.” It’s why they’re trying to get the film’s stars to admit it. So far, they’re striking out. Offerman spoke to a Hollywood Reporter journalist at length about the project during the red carpet premiere. The actor, who famously played a libertarian on “Parks and Recreation,” is a liberal in real life. He still didn’t take the reporter’s bait. He shoos away any suggestion his character is Trumpian to the core.     “There’s obvious comparisons to Trump here and our political climate,” the unnamed reporter asks Offerman. “How closely did you want to play that?” The veteran star doesn’t bite. “Honestly, it didn’t even come up,” Offerman responds. “[The movie] is so unrelated to any actual factions or politicians. That’s what I think is so brilliant about this film. Everybody on any side of the aisle or any faction has a lot to say and we’re all immediately divisive and partisan in our conversations. “Everybody’s mad about those other jerks, and this movie transcends that. it’s about all of us. And I’m so grateful for that.” His views echoed those of writer/director Alex Garland. The “Ex-Machina” creator has repeatedly said his film is bipartisan. The big picture he wants to share? Let’s stop attacking each other before it’s too late.             View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Civil War (@civilwarmovie)   Over at the far-Left Variety, its reporter tried to do the same with co-star Dunst. Mission: Unaccomplished. But it’s impossible to watch “Civil War” without being reminded of this year’s presidential election — you know, the one where democracy and maybe the fate of the free world hangs in the balance? … For instance, Dunst won’t admit [emphasis added] that the film’s president, played by Nick Offerman as a narcissist with an authoritarian streak, resembles the 45th, and perhaps 47th, Oval Office occupant. 'It feels fictitious to me,” she says of any connection between Offerman’s character and Donald Trump. “I don’t want to compare because that’s the antithesis of the film. It’s just a fascist president. But I didn’t think about Nick’s character being any certain political figure. I just thought this is this president, in this world, who will not abide by the Constitution and democracy.' “Won’t admit” … it’s almost as if the reporter has an agenda and is annoyed that the film’s star won’t play along.

Studio Mocks Christians to Promote Sydney Sweeney’s Nun Movie ‘Immaculate’

Imagine a movie studio promoting a film by amplifying Islamic outrage against it. You can’t. It’s impossible. The same holds for most major religions. Antisemitism is flaring on the far-Left, meaning a movie studio would be loathe to target that community at this point. Christians? It’s fair game. Always. Neon, the distributor of the new Sydney Sweeney horror film “Immaculate,” is weaponing Christians offended by it to promote the indie shocker.     Here’s the film’s official description: Sydney Sweeney stars as Cecilia, an American nun of devout faith, embarking on a new journey in a remote convent in the picturesque Italian countryside. Cecilia’s warm welcome quickly devolves into a nightmare as it becomes clear her new home harbors a sinister secret and unspeakable horrors. Sweeney’s character ends up pregnant during the film without the benefit of intercourse. It’s standard horror stuff, given recent films that also blended faith and shocks. Think “Nefarious,” the “Nun” franchise, “The Conjuring” series and “Deliver Us.” The Hollywood Reporter says Neon pounced on select social media outrage following the film’s release. With a premise like that, naturally, Immaculate is drawing ire from Christian and conservative communities. The very end of the film in particular seems to be striking a nerve. Rather than issue any sort of statement or apology, Neon — the studio behind the project — has decided to lean into the controversy as a part of its marketing strategy.   https://t.co/yeLO06oTnP pic.twitter.com/Sz3G6WIiCS — NEON (@neonrated) March 23, 2024             View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by NEON (@neonrated)   Hollywood’s relationship with Christianity is complicated. It’s been that way for some time. The rise of small, faith-based hits like “God’s Not Dead” and “War Room” showed the industry there’s profit to be found in Christian crowds. In recent years major studios like Sony and Lionsgate began courting this sizable community. “The Chosen” remains one of the most popular TV shows across the globe. Amazon and Netflix recently announced news deals with faith-friendly stories. The industry still views the community with enough disdain to mock it in the open. The right-leaning Bounding into Comics dismissed “Immaculate” in its review. Immaculate is a retread of the same Catholic formula that we have seen done to death over the last several years. Art is subjective. Always. Artists can tell the tales they wish in a free society. It’s still fascinating to see a Hollywood studio insult Christians to score marketing points. That attitude will only help rising platforms like Angel Studios when they reach out to Christian audiences with love, not mockery.