Steve Harvey Says ‘Cancel Culture’ and ‘Political Correctness’ Killed Comedy
By Movieguide® Staff
After comedian Dave Chappelle received backlash over his latest comedy special, TV personalities, other comedians, and actors have grown more vocal about the negative effect that “cancel-culture” has on comedy.
Recently, Steve Harvey condemned cancel culture at the Television Critics Association press tour while promoting his new ABC daytime courtroom series JUDGE STEVE HARVEY.
“The only way I can do one more special is if it’s at the end of my television career because it will end my television career,” Harvey
. “We’re in the cancel culture now. No stand-up that is sponsor-driven can say anything he wants to. Chris Rock can’t. Kevin Hart can’t. Cedric the Entertainer can’t. D.L. Hughley can’t. I can go down the list. The only person that can say what they want to say on stage is Dave Chappelle because he’s not sponsor-driven. He’s subscription-driven.”
Chappelle’s special, THE CLOSER, came under fire for jokes revolving around the transgender community. Despite the public outcry, Netflix defended Chappelle and kept the show available on their streaming platform.
Harvey doubled down on his criticisms of cancel culture, even noting that it could ruin comedy forever.
“If I had tried to continue as a stand-up, there’s no way I could maintain it,” Harvey said. “Political correctness has killed comedy. Every joke you tell now, it hurts somebody’s feelings. But what people don’t understand about comedians is that a joke has to be about something. It has to be about somebody. We can’t write jokes about puppies all the time. The joke can’t be about bushes all the time. Some of these jokes will have to be about people, because that’s the most interesting topic. So if I come back, I’ll have to wait until I’m done. And I’m not done. I want to do one more. I’ll probably have to call it ‘This Is It.
’”
Harvey isn’t the only comedian to comment on cancel culture.
