Dan Aykroyd has weighed in on the cancel-culture-and-comedy swamp that we're all currently floundering in, saying that "there is more intelligent writing that can happen if you stay away from the offensive material that should be rightly cancelled for its hurtfulness."
In a new interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Aykroyd took a break from plugging the upcoming Ghostbusters: Afterlife to answer a question about his impression of comedy today and the dreaded spectre of cancellation.
Aykroyd responded:
There is enough range in humour where you don't have to go scatological and you don't have to go pulling any divisive cards to get a laugh. There is so much in the world to comment on that is outside the realm of offensiveness. As a writer, you can go to other areas and have successful creative endeavours. Scatological humour is fun. It's easy laughs. But there is more intelligent writing that can happen if you stay away from the offensive material that should be rightly cancelled for its hurtfulness.
Who can be the subject of an impression today? That's an area of discussion. Can I do my James Brown imitation? He was one of my best friends. I do his voice pretty good. But maybe I shouldn't anymore.
While his name never comes up directly, it seems pretty likely that this line of questioning was inspired by Dave Chappelle's saga around The Closer, and his insistence on talking about trans people at every multi-million-dollar turn he takes.
Further in the interview, Aykroyd talks about how he still watches SNL, the possibility of alien technology, and remembering John Candy. Read the full conversation here.
In a new interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Aykroyd took a break from plugging the upcoming Ghostbusters: Afterlife to answer a question about his impression of comedy today and the dreaded spectre of cancellation.
Aykroyd responded:
There is enough range in humour where you don't have to go scatological and you don't have to go pulling any divisive cards to get a laugh. There is so much in the world to comment on that is outside the realm of offensiveness. As a writer, you can go to other areas and have successful creative endeavours. Scatological humour is fun. It's easy laughs. But there is more intelligent writing that can happen if you stay away from the offensive material that should be rightly cancelled for its hurtfulness.
Who can be the subject of an impression today? That's an area of discussion. Can I do my James Brown imitation? He was one of my best friends. I do his voice pretty good. But maybe I shouldn't anymore.
While his name never comes up directly, it seems pretty likely that this line of questioning was inspired by Dave Chappelle's saga around The Closer, and his insistence on talking about trans people at every multi-million-dollar turn he takes.
Further in the interview, Aykroyd talks about how he still watches SNL, the possibility of alien technology, and remembering John Candy. Read the full conversation here.
