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John Cleese went out to dinner in Chelsea on Wednesday night after Graham Norton attacked him for speaking out against the cancellation culture.
The Monty Python star, 82, looked downcast for the outing after presenter Graham, 59, labeled him a “man of a certain age” who “now suddenly has to answer.”
BBC talk show host Graham said freedom of speech is not ‘consequence free’ and that ‘cancel’ culture was the ‘wrong word’ to use – instead saying it should be ‘responsibility’.
Outing: John Cleese went out for dinner in Chelsea on Wednesday night after Graham Norton targeted him for speaking out against cancellation culture
John looked casual for his outing in a black jacket, gray cable knit sweater and dark jeans when he went to the Manicomio restaurant.
He completed his dinner look with a blue cap and comfortable black trainers.
Norton took a swipe at the Fawlty Towers star on Wednesday, describing him as a “man of a certain age” who has been saying “whatever he wants” for years and is now being held accountable.
His Say: The Monty Python star, 82, looked downcast for the outing after presenter Graham, 57, labeled him a ‘man of a certain age’ who ‘now suddenly has to answer’
Talking about ‘cancel’ culture at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, he said, as reported by the Telegraph: ‘The word is the wrong word. I think the word should be ‘responsibility’.
John Cleese has been very open lately about complaining about what you can’t say.
“It must be very difficult to be a man of a certain age who has been able to say what he wants for years, and now suddenly there is a certain responsibility.”
Targeted: BBC talk show host Graham said free speech is not ‘consequence free’ and ‘cancel’ culture was the ‘wrong word’ to use – instead said it should be ‘responsibility’
He continued: ‘It is freedom of speech, but not free of consequences. I am aware of the things I say.’
Cancel culture refers to “cancelling” people, brands, and other pop culture like movies and shows about what some find offensive.
The “cancellation” could come in the form of taking someone off television to revoke sponsorship deals, boycott products and on social media.
It comes as Monty Python legend Cleese recently told the BBC that he would never work for them again – because the broadcaster would ‘cancel’ him in five minutes.
Outfit: John looked casual for his outing in a black jacket, gray cable knit sweater and dark jeans as he went to restaurant Manicomio
Cleese said he would reject any overtures to the company because he thought it would censor or bite him almost immediately.
The creator of Fawlty Towers spoke to the BBC on Radio 4’s Today program when he made the comments.
He said: ‘The BBC didn’t come to me and say if you want a one hour show, and if they did I’d say ‘not on your nelly’.
“I wouldn’t be on the first show for five minutes before being canceled or censored.”
Get out: He completed his dinner look with a blue cap and comfortable black trainers
Cleese, who is an outspoken critic of wake culture, joins GB News to co-host a show with comedian Andrew Doyle.
Obviously it will be in a discussion format, looking at topics like wokery and cancel culture, as well as freedom of expression.
When asked about his opinion on the limits of free speech, he told presenter Amol Rajan: “Someone once said to me: ‘Everyone is for freedom of speech, especially the ideas they like.’
Criticism: Norton took a swipe at the Fawlty Towers star on Wednesday, describing him as a ‘man of a certain age’ who has said ‘whatever he wants’ for years and is now being held accountable
When he responded to the question of whether free speech should extend to those who spread opinions and misinformation about public health issues, he added: ‘If there is a factual answer to such a thing, then it should be done.
“That’s the job, to put the facts forward, and then to somewhat separate opinions and have a decent argument about it, but not to avoid a public debate and then try to work your way through it.” to get [on] social media.’
In July, Cleese criticized wake culture for having a “disastrous” effect on comedy.
Opinions: Speaking about ‘cancel’ culture at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, he said, as reported by the Telegraph: ‘The word is the wrong word. I think the word should be ‘responsibility’
Bold: The Monty Python legend, pictured at the Social Democrat party conference in Manchester on Saturday, recently said he would turn down a return to the BBC if they asked him to
He told FreedomFest in Las Vegas that he believes comedians no longer have the freedom to be funny, labeling the current cancellation culture as the “death of creativity.”
Cleese: ‘I think it’s especially worrying at the moment, because you can only create in an atmosphere of freedom, where you don’t critically check everything you say before moving on.
“There are a lot of comedians sitting here now and if they come up with something, they’re like, ‘Can I get away with it? I do not think so. So and so got into trouble and he said that, oh, she said that.’ You see what I mean? And that is the death of creativity.’
Former Friends: The couple has been pictured together while John previously appeared on the Graham Norton show