John Cleese responds to critics he deems ‘simple-minded’ regarding his Hitler joke

 

The 83-year-old star known for Monty Python and Fawlty Towers faced severe backlash for a post that sparked intense criticism over his ‘joke’.

In the shared post, the comedian and GB News host ignited controversy with his statement: ‘Five ways that Hitler was preferable to Trump. 1. He fought for his country. 2. He never used a teleprompter. 3. He was nice to dogs. 4. He wrote his own books. 5. He never played golf. 6. He wasn’t a big fat slob.’

Following this, he listed reasons for ‘Five ways Trump is preferable to Hitler’.

‘1. He doesn’t practice genocide. 2. He has nicer hair. 3. 4. 5.’ The last three reasons were left blank.

As expected, the post swiftly garnered a flood of comments from individuals questioning the nature of what he chose to share.

“One user remarked, ‘It seems like you’re suggesting a preference for Hitler over Trump, FYI.’

Someone else shared, ‘This is not a good take. At all.’

Another individual added, ‘John, I love you and your extensive body of work, but I’m disappointed in this tweet. It’s low-hanging fruit, more akin to something a 15-year-old keyboard warrior would write, not one of the greatest comedic minds of the past 100 years.’

Several others opined that Cleese’s peak in delivering comedic quips might be in the past.

‘Your prime in comedy seems to be behind you,’ one person commented.

‘I remember when you were funny. It feels like a long time ago,’ another shared.”

Later, it seemed John had retracted his statement, expressing, “I would like to apologise for my previous tweet. It was a very poor joke, especially considering it was Boxing Day.”

However, he swiftly reaffirmed his stance by re-sharing critical remarks and directing criticism towards those who had called him out.

In response to one individual, he commented, “The overly literal are always amongst us. It’s regrettable as they often miss out on so much.”

Acknowledging a supporter who defended his initial post as a joke, John highlighted that “we must always remember that those who take things literally often lack an understanding of context.”

He remarked that “being insulted by those lacking in imagination is akin to being jeered by a herd of sheep,” further stating that he never aimed to entertain those with a simplistic view.

To a critic, he mentioned, “Plenty of comedians cater to that audience; you might find enjoyment in their performances.”

In 2021, Cleese withdrew from an event at the Cambridge Union, asserting that he was ‘self-blacklisting’ before anyone else could do so.

This decision from the Monty Python and Fawlty Towers luminary came as a form of protest against the society’s ban of art critic Andrew Graham-Dixon for his portrayal of Adolf Hitler.

“I was eagerly anticipating my talk at the Cambridge Union this Friday, but it seems that someone there has been banned for impersonating Hitler,” he tweeted.

“Regrettably, I did the same in a Monty Python show, so I’m imposing a ban on myself before anyone else does.

“I apologise to those at Cambridge looking forward to our discussion, but perhaps there’s a venue where more lenient rules are in place.”

News Prime has reached out to John Cleese’s representatives for a statement.