John Cleese slams cancel culture, calls attempts to get people fired 'very totalitarian'

John Cleese, the renowned comedian and "Monty Python" alumnus, has strongly criticized the current state of cancel culture, arguing that when a person sets "out to get someone fired … that's very totalitarian." In a recent interview with Greg Lukianoff from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, Cleese discussed the evolution of cancel culture and its impact on creativity and personal growth.

Reflecting on his experiences in the past, particularly with his 1979 film "The Life of Brian," Cleese noted that while people would get upset and complain about certain topics, the current cancel culture seems to be more organized and focused on getting people fired.

"I don't mind people protesting, that's fine. But if you set out to get someone fired … that's very totalitarian," he said, Newsbusters reported.

A concerned mother named Nina asserts that the entire swimming community is appalled by Cepeda and his antics, but silence prevails due to the threat of cancel culture.

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Cleese emphasized the importance of allowing oneself to think freely and creatively without the fear of offending others. "The enemy of creativity is interruption," he explained. "And if the moment you think of something you think, 'Oh, will that offend someone,' you've interrupted yourself and it will stop the creative flow."

The 84-year-old comedian also stressed the significance of personal growth and learning, stating that all the important moments in his life that shaped his personality came from realizations that challenged his beliefs. He warned against the dangers of people trying to stop others from learning, urging individuals to "ignore the people who are trying to stop you from learning something new."

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Cleese acknowledged the fear many people have of losing their jobs due to cancel culture, but he also emphasized the importance of recognizing that everyone has both good and bad traits. "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. … And that's why all this virtue signaling is so foolish now … they also need to know they have a nasty streak, too, because we all have," he said.

Known for his outspoken views on cancel culture, Cleese has previously labeled the "wokes" as the new "authoritarians," stating that "all the best comedians make fun of them."

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