Speaking of Twitter/X, I think I'll need to be more active there to get a few more eyes on these articles. If you're on X, give me a follow and say hello. I'll follow back. And if you share this piece there (or any other piece), don't forget to tag me: @GadflyNotes
I am sure that X gets many many more eyes. It also has a TON more trolls. There is no long form unless you pay. You didn’t used to be able to link to Substack from there. Don't know it that's changed.
Yes, it's somewhere I generally avoid except for a few accounts. I've been curating my feed there very strictly and don't get involved in discussions for the reasons you mention. I noticed yesterday that one of my biggest posts got tweeted there a few months back, which is why it took off. So I'm looking at it again. Substack Notes is 1000 times more fun, though, and much more civilised (I hope it stays that way).
I think you can do one for exposure and another for engagement. Unfortunately the trolls/paid agitators may follow you along with those whose support you would like. It would appear to be a balancing act.
I saw him speak at his book launch recently. It was sad to see him looking so frail but it’s brilliant that his mind is still on top form. Long may he continue to stir things up and do what comedians are supposed to do.
I don’t know if this counts as a quote but after October 7th Douglas Murray said” Every so often a flare goes up and you see exactly where everyone is”. It could be applied to many situations.
And I love Helen Staniland “Transactivism- a movement that fails to state what rights it’s fighting for on the grounds that it might incriminate itself”.
Oh wonderful – wish I’d been there for that. Yes, still so sharp and funny.
Great quotes. I love the Murray one, and the second I’ve never seen before – brilliant. I’ll add that to a new quotes post when I come to it (that’s what I meant about adding a quote, btw – to the first quotes post linked above).
Cleese, in my experience, is not what I'd call a conservative -- maybe more of a classical liberal with a sense of humour, much like Bill Maher. I attended a packed talk by him a few years ago, and he was so anti-Trump, speaking to Canadian liberal types who love to look down their nose at Americans, that it ticked me off enough to leave early. He has TDS, like a lot of Europeans who see themselves as superior to MAGA. They are so superior that they allowed their nation to be invaded by barbarians. But I am glad he is not afraid to question Islam. If he were any other Englishman, you know they'd arrest him. Maybe they will if he keeps it up.
He caught a bad strain of TDS and became rather tiresome on the subject, so I didn't pay him much attention for years. He popped up again in my X feed with his recent, often savagely funny, criticisms of Starmer and the Islam stuff. So all is forgiven!
I love John Cleese and I'm so glad he's got the money to be able to speak his mind with no worry of cancellation and the age and experience to not care too much about who he offends.
After decades of contributing comedy and satire that has stood the test of time he now contributes honesty and common sense too.
It's refreshing that it comes with no apologies after committing 'wrongthink'. Too many are cowed after the media (and sponsor) pile on. Jim Ratcliffe is the most recent example.....a bit too much honesty there. But another one that came to mind was Roisin Murphy who criticised puberty blockers for children in Sept 2023. After a huge backlash/pile-on and the BBC cancelling a day of R6M programming centred on her music she was forced to apologise.
Forced to apologise!....for not wanting to chemically alter puberty for children!
At the end of 'The Enigma code' film about the life and work of Alan Turing it (justifiably) makes a big deal about his 'chemical castration', pointing out how wrong it was at the time and how times have changed (i.e. things are better now).
Yet there we were in 2023, chemically castrating children and if you dared to speak out about it the TQIA++ movement would mobilise against you, threaten to end your career and the liberal establishment would not fail to question it but immediately act as judge and jury and decide you no longer deserve airplay, support and exposure.
'Correctional medicine' for homosexuals was wrong in the 1950's but in the 2020's somehow it became OK to 'trans the gay away'?
That came from the BBC, the national broadcaster....who are supposed to represent all of us....not just the narrow accepted wisdom an activist group.
Sorry, bit of a rant.
This is a brilliant article and I'd just like to pull out these three favourite quotes of yours from it....(I realise that was not the challenge....but humour me)...
'The sort of people who today tell you to “educate yourself” and call you a racist for noticing things, in the belief that this wins the argument rather than advertises the absence of one.'
and....
Today, satire is almost dead, not because so much of what surrounds us is beyond parody, but because the reputational costs are too high and the rewards for toeing the line too compelling.
and....
The causes that cost nothing, aimed at the enemies that are safe to have.
That's the kind of rant that gets a warm reception here, David! Well said. Every time I revisit this topic, I'm amazed all over again. How could such a thing happen? How is it still happening after all we know? What on earth happened to the BBC?
Glad you enjoyed the piece, and thanks for the kind words.
What happened is moral cowardice writ large and illuminating the status seeking credentialed classes in action. IOW, many, if not most, don’t believe this shite but can’t say so without losing all of their goodies. And if there is one thing this class is good at it’s conformity.
Hannah Gadsby. I was forced to watch her beyond not funny Netflix special. It was 70 minutes of hearing about how hard life is for being a female autistic queer; and lecturing the world (whites, westerners, patriarchy, yadda yadda).
Really hope her moment of fame during the height of the woke craziness is long past.
Cleese is a living legend! A Fish Called Wanda is in my top ten comedies of all time. As far as this article goes; I think that the messages sent when others have made fun of Islam by fanatics has been well received. It reminds me of the show Narco. Everyone in Columbia was afraid to say anything about the Narcos because they would be killed. The entire world is analogous to Columbia in that time period now. Unfortunately.
Monty Python was a favorite of me and my male friends in the 70s in Wisconsin. To this day when I see one of them someone will quote a line from a show or one of the movies. Great satire from a great comedian speaking the obvious to the willfully blind.
I just tried to message you, but don't seem able to. Great piece, are you interested in the NCF Locals Substack republishing this? I'm responding from my own Substack, but I edit the NCF Locals Substack.
I’m a lifelong Huge Fan of Cleese, since the epiphanic experience of watching my first MPFC episode on PBS at seven years old. So I followed him when he emerged in Substack. But his posts were just TDS-fueled drivel and I blocked him. I wonder if that Stack was really his or was it counterfeit?
BTW, Ricky Gervais deserves a mention in your article.
Yes, he caught a nasty strain of TDS, and I switched off too. But he's making up for it now. Ricky Gervais, yes, and many others – usually the ones outside the media spotlight, though Gervais is an exception.
Speaking of Twitter/X, I think I'll need to be more active there to get a few more eyes on these articles. If you're on X, give me a follow and say hello. I'll follow back. And if you share this piece there (or any other piece), don't forget to tag me: @GadflyNotes
Oh, and don't forget the survey if you have a spare minute: https://www.gadflynotes.com/survey/5979065
Thanks!
I am sure that X gets many many more eyes. It also has a TON more trolls. There is no long form unless you pay. You didn’t used to be able to link to Substack from there. Don't know it that's changed.
Yes, it's somewhere I generally avoid except for a few accounts. I've been curating my feed there very strictly and don't get involved in discussions for the reasons you mention. I noticed yesterday that one of my biggest posts got tweeted there a few months back, which is why it took off. So I'm looking at it again. Substack Notes is 1000 times more fun, though, and much more civilised (I hope it stays that way).
I think you can do one for exposure and another for engagement. Unfortunately the trolls/paid agitators may follow you along with those whose support you would like. It would appear to be a balancing act.
That seems about right.
I saw him speak at his book launch recently. It was sad to see him looking so frail but it’s brilliant that his mind is still on top form. Long may he continue to stir things up and do what comedians are supposed to do.
I don’t know if this counts as a quote but after October 7th Douglas Murray said” Every so often a flare goes up and you see exactly where everyone is”. It could be applied to many situations.
And I love Helen Staniland “Transactivism- a movement that fails to state what rights it’s fighting for on the grounds that it might incriminate itself”.
I’ve got more but that’ll do for now. 😁
Oh wonderful – wish I’d been there for that. Yes, still so sharp and funny.
Great quotes. I love the Murray one, and the second I’ve never seen before – brilliant. I’ll add that to a new quotes post when I come to it (that’s what I meant about adding a quote, btw – to the first quotes post linked above).
But very glad to read them here. Thanks, TT.
Oops! Sorry, reading too fast again!
😄
Cleese, in my experience, is not what I'd call a conservative -- maybe more of a classical liberal with a sense of humour, much like Bill Maher. I attended a packed talk by him a few years ago, and he was so anti-Trump, speaking to Canadian liberal types who love to look down their nose at Americans, that it ticked me off enough to leave early. He has TDS, like a lot of Europeans who see themselves as superior to MAGA. They are so superior that they allowed their nation to be invaded by barbarians. But I am glad he is not afraid to question Islam. If he were any other Englishman, you know they'd arrest him. Maybe they will if he keeps it up.
He caught a bad strain of TDS and became rather tiresome on the subject, so I didn't pay him much attention for years. He popped up again in my X feed with his recent, often savagely funny, criticisms of Starmer and the Islam stuff. So all is forgiven!
Yes, he made a couple of comments like that when I saw him and received dutiful chuckles from the very middle class audience.
I’m also very glad that he’s questioning Islam.
I love John Cleese and I'm so glad he's got the money to be able to speak his mind with no worry of cancellation and the age and experience to not care too much about who he offends.
After decades of contributing comedy and satire that has stood the test of time he now contributes honesty and common sense too.
It's refreshing that it comes with no apologies after committing 'wrongthink'. Too many are cowed after the media (and sponsor) pile on. Jim Ratcliffe is the most recent example.....a bit too much honesty there. But another one that came to mind was Roisin Murphy who criticised puberty blockers for children in Sept 2023. After a huge backlash/pile-on and the BBC cancelling a day of R6M programming centred on her music she was forced to apologise.
Forced to apologise!....for not wanting to chemically alter puberty for children!
At the end of 'The Enigma code' film about the life and work of Alan Turing it (justifiably) makes a big deal about his 'chemical castration', pointing out how wrong it was at the time and how times have changed (i.e. things are better now).
Yet there we were in 2023, chemically castrating children and if you dared to speak out about it the TQIA++ movement would mobilise against you, threaten to end your career and the liberal establishment would not fail to question it but immediately act as judge and jury and decide you no longer deserve airplay, support and exposure.
'Correctional medicine' for homosexuals was wrong in the 1950's but in the 2020's somehow it became OK to 'trans the gay away'?
That came from the BBC, the national broadcaster....who are supposed to represent all of us....not just the narrow accepted wisdom an activist group.
Sorry, bit of a rant.
This is a brilliant article and I'd just like to pull out these three favourite quotes of yours from it....(I realise that was not the challenge....but humour me)...
'The sort of people who today tell you to “educate yourself” and call you a racist for noticing things, in the belief that this wins the argument rather than advertises the absence of one.'
and....
Today, satire is almost dead, not because so much of what surrounds us is beyond parody, but because the reputational costs are too high and the rewards for toeing the line too compelling.
and....
The causes that cost nothing, aimed at the enemies that are safe to have.
Exceptional writing again Frederick. Thank you.
That's the kind of rant that gets a warm reception here, David! Well said. Every time I revisit this topic, I'm amazed all over again. How could such a thing happen? How is it still happening after all we know? What on earth happened to the BBC?
Glad you enjoyed the piece, and thanks for the kind words.
What happened is moral cowardice writ large and illuminating the status seeking credentialed classes in action. IOW, many, if not most, don’t believe this shite but can’t say so without losing all of their goodies. And if there is one thing this class is good at it’s conformity.
Yes, once you understand the incentives, it’s easier to comprehend.
Hannah Gadsby. I was forced to watch her beyond not funny Netflix special. It was 70 minutes of hearing about how hard life is for being a female autistic queer; and lecturing the world (whites, westerners, patriarchy, yadda yadda).
Really hope her moment of fame during the height of the woke craziness is long past.
Oh yes, she's the logical endpoint of that genre of "comedy". Seventy minutes? My sympathies.
Cleese is a living legend! A Fish Called Wanda is in my top ten comedies of all time. As far as this article goes; I think that the messages sent when others have made fun of Islam by fanatics has been well received. It reminds me of the show Narco. Everyone in Columbia was afraid to say anything about the Narcos because they would be killed. The entire world is analogous to Columbia in that time period now. Unfortunately.
Monty Python was a favorite of me and my male friends in the 70s in Wisconsin. To this day when I see one of them someone will quote a line from a show or one of the movies. Great satire from a great comedian speaking the obvious to the willfully blind.
"I fart in your general direction! Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!"
Hearing from the sinking island!
I just tried to message you, but don't seem able to. Great piece, are you interested in the NCF Locals Substack republishing this? I'm responding from my own Substack, but I edit the NCF Locals Substack.
https://substack.com/@ncflocals?utm_source=global-search
Not sure why the messaging didn't work. Yes, interested - let me try to message you now.
Great idea
I’m a lifelong Huge Fan of Cleese, since the epiphanic experience of watching my first MPFC episode on PBS at seven years old. So I followed him when he emerged in Substack. But his posts were just TDS-fueled drivel and I blocked him. I wonder if that Stack was really his or was it counterfeit?
BTW, Ricky Gervais deserves a mention in your article.
Yes, he caught a nasty strain of TDS, and I switched off too. But he's making up for it now. Ricky Gervais, yes, and many others – usually the ones outside the media spotlight, though Gervais is an exception.