Cleese pulls out of union address over ‘woke’ rules
JOHN Cleese says he has “blacklisted himself” from the Cambridge Union after a historian was banned from the debating society for doing an impression of Adolf Hitler.
The Monty Python star, who was due to address the union on Friday, said he had done a similar impression on the famous sketch show and had made the decision to withdraw from the event before he was asked to by someone else.
Cleese, who grew up in Westonsuper-Mare and attended Clifton College in Bristol, apologised to members of the union who were looking forward to his address and suggested an alternative venue be provided “where woke rules do not apply”.
He said: “I was looking forward to talking to students at the Cambridge Union this Friday, but I hear that someone there has been blacklisted for doing an impersonation of Hitler.
“I regret that I did the same on a Monty Python show, so I am blacklisting myself before someone else does.
“I apologise to anyone at Cambridge who was hoping to talk with me, but perhaps some of you can find a venue where woke rules do not apply.”
His comments came after a backlash over art critic and historian Andrew Graham-Dixon’s impression of the German dictator. The incident occurred on November 4 during a debate on the motion “This house believes there is no such thing as good taste”.
Cambridge Union president Keir Bradwell said the remarks made by Mr Graham-Dixon were “grotesque” and apologised for his lack of intervention at the time.
In a statement he said: “I would like to offer my unreserved apology for the comments made by a speaker in our debate on Thursday night.
“Neither I, nor the society, condones the thoughtless and grotesque language used by the individual in question, and I am sorry for my failure to intervene at the time.
“I and my committee represent an intelligent and diverse membership; I am disappointed that this debate let a number of them down this week.”
Mr Graham-Dixon was quoted by BBC News as saying in a statement: “I apologise sincerely to anyone who found my debating tactics and use of Hitler’s own language distressing; on reflection I can see that some of the words I used, even in quotation, are inherently offensive.”
The union has been contacted for comment on Cleese’s decision to withdraw.