Omid Djalili has weighed in on the ongoing debate surrounding “cancel culture” and comedy.
Numerous industry figures have expressed fears that the phenomenon will be the death of comedy, while others have bemoaned the debate around the term, which is used when someone finds themselves ostracised for saying or doing something deemed socially unacceptable.
In recent months, the conversation has evolved to include the fear of reprisal from audience members who are offended by a speaker’s joke after Will Smith stormed the Oscars stage last year and slapped presenter Chris Rock.
Speaking to Metro, Djalili said: “We all need safe spaces but we have to be very careful what we say with cancel culture and [there are] a lot of people who come to be offended.
“They all want to go viral, they know there are cameras. In the live arena, we have to be a little bit careful what we say so we don’t attract nutbags.”
The Iranian-British actor continued: “But also, in the live arena, anything can happen. Lots of stuff has happened in my career and you have to sort of roll with it.
“It teaches you to live in the moment, but if comedians are feeling unsafe, that’s something that should be addressed.”
Omid Djalili— (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
In May last year, controversial US comedian Dave Chappelle was tackled on stage during his performance for the Netflix is a Joke festival, at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
The man charged with assault following the incident said he was “triggered” by the comedian’s jokes about the LGBT+ community.
In an interview with The Independent, actor and activist Michael Sheen criticised the amount of airtime “cancel culture” is given in the media, calling it a “waste of time”.
“That’s all you read about now,” the Welsh star said. “For every column that’s about cancel culture, there’s one fewer for real dangers and unfairnesses.
“The idea that being aware of social issues and aware of the injustices done to certain people, both historically and in the present, the idea that that gets labelled as woke and then is used as a pejorative, it just makes it so easy for people on the right, doesn’t it?”
Sheen said spending time discussing cancel culture was “like microwave dinners as politics”.
