Alistair Williams lost his career as a comedian, over this sketch. He says that the woke establishment have basically shadow banned him, he can’t get bookings anymore in mainstream comedy clubs, for what they (the woke, pro-remain-Brexit establishment) believe was a pro-leave-Brexit joke.
For me this is a human rights abuse, with someone’s freedom of speech being silenced, in the name of “social justice”, or worse thought policing. I don’t see the justice in someone losing their job, because a group of people saw him as a “wrong thinker”. Where’s the tolerance, equality and “diversity is our strength” in that ? Or are all those kinds of words we hear, just virtue signalling ?
Shouldn’t we be promoting diverse voices and showing tolerance in allowing them to say things we perhaps don’t agree with, instead of rabid mobs cancelling anybody who doesn’t tow the current party line ? Anyone who dares to “wrong think” ?
Extrapolate that a bit further and we’ll see people getting arrested for saying things on social media (ah, whoops, that already happened in UK)
Sadly, in the UK, comedy isn’t funny any more, and comedians are afraid of making real jokes, which don’t tow the current left-wing woke doctrine. I understand similar problems exist in USA, but seems like Dave Chapele isn’t having it, though. But he’s one of the most famous and wealthy, what about the comedians who’re rising stars or just getting started. Are we about to lose a whole generation of entertainers, because of political ideology ? Dunno, I dunno the answer to that.
I liked the joke, because it basically summed up what had happened after 2016 Brexit referendum in UK, and the deal that was brought back to Parliament by Teresa May, the then Prime Minister. I didn’t see it as a partisan political statement, more someone making a joke about a situation a whole country was frustrated with. A joke that should have been (and is in my opinion) more uniting than divisive.
The political and Brexit situation has moved on since Alistair made the joke (Sep 2019 ?) – in that the Conservative government won the 12-Dec-2019 general election by a huge majority, the withdraw agreement being passed in Parliament the following week. And all things being equal UK is leaving Europe on 31-Dec-2020, into a phase of the trade talks with Europe, until final exit date of 31-Dec-2020.
Here’s the short version :
Heres the full version :
And here’s Alistair Williams talking on Triggernometry, about the state of comedy and free speech, and the joke he got canceled for.
I’m posting this in response to someone from overseas, who said she was interested in learning more about UK and Brexit.
Alistair Williams now does YouTube, and can be found at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnPLbYyxQDi4iR_Z1p6yFLA
I’ve watched some of Alistair’s other stand-up comedy and found him to be good at what he does, feel free to check him out.
Polite and courteous commends are often read and replied to.
Cheers
Don
E&OE
Don Charisma 
Hysterical!
Isn’t it just …
Bring back Spitting Image!
I’d put into a crowdfund for that !
It’s a sad commentary when we can’t laugh or make fun of the politics of the day. There’s a lot of truth in humour.
Leslie
Totally 🙂
It’s also a dangerous time…
You’re right, although, try not to worry about it too much 🙂
One day at a time….
“Sadly, in the UK, comedy isn’t funny any more, and comedians are afraid of making real jokes, which don’t tow the current left-wing woke doctrine.”
Yes, it were reet better in t’olden days eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
Just returning to this, I find the priorities in this country odd. After a decade of Tory rule we’ve had crushing austerity measures and budget cuts that have left 14.3+ million in poverty (various sources, including Philip Alston from the UN who toured the country for two weeks as part of extreme destitution research).
Food bank usage is unprecedented, so are child poverty rates, the NHS is close to collapse, local authorities are close to collapse, there’s a housing crisis, a homelessness crisis, and the country is in chaos as the Tories have consistently made a mess of running the place and managing the Brexit negotiations.
Meanwhile the disabled have been treated as subhuman, leading to an increase in suicide rates, poverty, and mental health issues. In fact, there are 130,00+ deaths attributed to austerity (albeit a disputed figure).
Plus, police force cuts (21,000 – Theresa May said it wouldn’t make a difference) have created sky rocketing hate crime rates and crime in general. London’s crime rate was higher than New York’s last year for the first time. In Manchester, the police force is so stretched to the limit it takes three days for the police to attend a burglary.
And the right doesn’t get angry about any of the above (all true and sourced from reputable publications, including an intergovernmental organisation).
The right gets angry because some comedians don’t get to tell some mediocre topical gag about Brexit, because that’s apparently ruining life in the UK when someone “woke” complains?
Okay…
As far as I know most of the points you raise are true, the country is in a shit state. And yet, a whole country voted Boris, Conservatives and biggest Labour defeat since 1935.
Would this indicate, that just perhaps, majority of people don’t want socialism and it’s inevitable consequence, communism. And that all of the far-left rhetoric is having the opposite of the intended effect ? Just saying …
If you want change on the above issues, then lobby those who have the power to change things, I’m not a politician, or anyone who has any power to change any of those problems. And, honestly I agree with you on the issues. I’m also not a news blog, or political blog, so why would I be reporting on the issues you mention ?
I’m not right-wing, and not angry – just passing the info on. I’m a centrist.
You obviously didn’t learn anything from Alistair’s joke, or my post, which is the typical left response to any criticism, or deviation from Comrade Corbyn’s orders, stay in denial, and double down on the ideologically driven rhetoric. Win the argument by any means, rather than civilised debate.
You’re a centrist (more or less), I know, I read your other posts. You raise some interesting points.
“Would this indicate, that just perhaps, majority of people don’t want socialism and it’s inevitable consequence, communism”
The main issue there is much of the right don’t even understand what socialism/democratic socialism is. They equate it with far right fascism. The basic idea is to distribute wealth fairly amongst society, which is what Corbyn was going on about.
The reality is the Tories had the right wing press on their side throughout GE2019 and when you have the likes of The Sun, Daily Mail, and Daily Express generating propaganda about a communist state, of course a lot of them will vote Tory.
And, let’s face it, GE2019 was a second Brexit referendum. And we’re on our way out.
I’m fine with that, so long as it clears up the problems in this country and we can get some equality back. But most guarded predictions suggest it’s not going to be a fun experience.
OK, so I take it back, that’s a debate rather than snowflaking or name calling, or running an identity politics routine on me.
Some issues I’m more slightly more left, some issues I’m slightly more right. Overall I’m a centrist. Far left seems to think anyone who doesn’t COMPLY/AGREE/SUBMIT IMMEDIATELY is right wing, and that’s just not true. It’s the left that’s moved further left, the rest of us have stayed around about the same.
Nobody except for someone who’s had a lobotomy would deny that equality of opportunity IS A MUST. However hierarchy exists (and competence), and is necessary. For instance I don’t want to do Boris’ job, and respect that he’s “higher up” than me, and happy that I don’t have that responsibility. Boris needs a certain amount of wealth in order to “Get Brexit Done” etc, and I don’t begrudge him any of of that, not for an instant. And, Boris, is obviously a million times more competent at that job, than I am, I accept that, and don’t play a victim or oppression card.
An owner of a factory who employs lets say 1000 people, needs a certain level of wealth, in order to survive times where business is quiet amongst other financial needs – he needs money to ensure the continuity of the venture, in good times and bad. I don’t begrudge him his wealth, and he’s providing jobs to 1000 people, and he’s providing a product that’s helping his customers, some of whom are also business owners providing jobs.
The issue I take with distribute, is that quickly moves to re-distribute. If that’s the case, then please send me half your savings, half your income and sign me over half of all your property. I already know your answer. So don’t ask me to sign up for that, you’d be a hypocrite asking me to.
Also, if you take away these potential entrepreneurs and potential business owners’ wealth, then you’ve taken away their capability to start a business or design a product that could be essential for millions, and you may also have taken away their drive and incentive to do so. I mean why bother doing a business if 95% of profit is payed straight out to the taxman ? Or why bother if one’s bank account has 20000 pounds, the government ceases all but 200 pounds ?
Within that, that wealth divide is NOT GOOD. Somewhat I blame this on globalism, which is I think a left-wing policy. I lost a job that was outsourced overseas, so I’ve seen it first hand. Labour government was in power at the time. I don’t blame, I take responsibility for myself, so I moved on to other things.
I’m not convinced that the papers you name are “right-wing”, they may also be centrist. Also, there are far more left-wing papers than what you call right-wing, and most of mainstream media in UK (and US/Australia) is left-wing. So didn’t these publications fail, why aren’t you blaming them ?
Are are you denying that EVERY socialist “experiment” has quickly turned into communism ? Russia started off as socialism, as did more recently Venezuela. People were tortured, murdered, sent to gulags, starved to death and many other atrocities, on a MASSIVE SCALE, all in the aim of creating the ideal utopia.
On paper the socialist utopia makes sense even to me. In practice, it quickly turns into the worst of human behaviour, the malevolent massively succeed to live like kings and queens, BUT the good people, the masses, at best get to live like animals on scraps. I seem to remember books like “Animal Farm” illustrated this, although a very long time since I read it. Gulag Archipelago, was also recommended to me by various places.
So, I don’t reject your ideas per se, what I think is that they need to be implemented in sensible and egalitarian ways. Identity politics, wokeness, virtue signalling, SJW and equality of opportunity, for instance, aren’t that. If labour ejected the hard-left and adopted common sense policies, they might have a chance, they might have won in GE2019. But from what I’ve seen I don’t think they will, the far-left of Momentum is driving labour and in control. Wrong-Baily, Corbyn’s apprentice (apparently) has been ordered in by Momentum. So, learn nothing, double down on existing politics.
At the end of the day, most people are happy to have enough money to live their lives and opportunity to prosper, have enough food, have decent shelters, be safe and secure, have friends and family, be valued and respected in their communities and societies, and freedom. This is achievable in capitalist society. I’m sceptical that this is achievable with socialism.
Main point with sharing the video, is that crushing free speech, is a very slippery and dangerous route into something most wouldn’t like. American’s even put “free speech” in their first amendment, in their Constitution. Comedian’s are at the leading edge of free speech, so them getting censored, is an important indicator of what might be to come and something we need to pay heed to, if we want to retain our free speech. Sorry if that wasn’t clear, I tried hard to make my post somewhat a-political.
Cheers
Don
Professional moron – seems quite apt for you …
It’s called humility, dear, I guess we can’t all be rolling over with charisma.
That wasn’t very humble
As your first message to me wasn’t very charismatic.
That’s your opinion, and you’re welcome to it
“Would this indicate, that just perhaps, majority of people don’t want socialism and it’s inevitable consequence, communism”
Oh and further to that, democratic socialism doesn’t inevitably lead to communism, plague, war and whatever else. Portugal is doing rather well right now with it, amongst other nations. The problem with it, and why socialism can never work, is there’s always going to be some self-absorbed dick determined to seize total power.
But capitalism needs to change on its current trajectory. Things are not good.
Replied fully on my thoughts to your other comment.
“there’s always going to be some self-absorbed dick determined to seize total power”
That’s true – in virtually every social group that I’ve been involved in, from school to work to country to global. Socialism, unfortunately, facilitates that “dick” being able to seize total power more easily. That’s why the the globalist elites (ie the real billionaire dicks), are so keen on implementing it.
“But capitalism needs to change on its current trajectory. Things are not good.”
And agreed. Sources I’m paying attention are talking about “nationalist populist”, hopefully the Tories can be steered in that kind of direction. Support small business’. Foster entrepreneurs. Revert to traditional family values. etc – sure you have many more ideas than I can think of in a sentence.
Cheers
Don
PS I don’t know anything about Portugal’s politics.
I visited once, Lisbon, a long time ago, in no hurry to go back, one of the places I’ve visited I actually didn’t like. And I’ve been around, a bit.