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Comedian Ike Barinholtz told The Hollywood Reporter he doesn't hold a high opinion of those in his line of work who complain about "cancel culture."
Recent Celebrity Jeopardy! winner Barinholtz—who rose to fame as one of the sketch performers on MADTV and later starred in hit comedies like Neighbors and Blockers—said fellow comedians who complain about cancel culture are just "mad about... being called out on their sh*t."
He pointed to the examples of two comedians—Dave Chappelle and Louis C.K.—who are often defended by conservatives as part of their crusade against cancel culture.
The former has repeatedly come under fire for his jokes about the transgender community and the latter admitted to sexually harassing multiple women. However, both of them continued to enjoy great success despite their respective controversies.
\u201cIke Barinholtz talks candidly about the increasingly \u201cdistressing\u201d state of the industry and the challenges of making comedy in the year 2023 https://t.co/G4JnjiEqTq\u201d— The Hollywood Reporter (@The Hollywood Reporter) 1677291785
Barinholtz said:
“I think when people in comedy talk about cancel culture, what they’re mad about is being called out on their s**t."
"And, by the way, I don’t know any comedians that are actually fucking canceled. [Dave] Chappelle just won a Grammy, Louis C.K. just sold out Madison Square Garden.”
Barinholtz observed that social media has given a voice to marginalized people, empowering them to speak out when once they wouldn't have been able to at all.
Of course, that hasn't been popular with people who've pushed back against challenges to the status quo, and he noted that now "if you make a joke about" these communities, "they can get you back and that makes a lot of people angry."
Barinholtz went on to tell the publication there are more “landmines” to watch out for than before when working on comedic material but that doing so is really nothing new:
“Like, there are certain words that just get deleted from your mental lexicon, which I’ll remind people, has been happening since time immemorial."
“There were things that people in 1950 where like, ‘Can you believe we can’t say what we said in 1920?’ And it’s like, ‘Uh, I can totally believe it.’”
Many concurred with Barinholtz's assessment.
\u201cThis really is a good interview and the part about canceling and comedy is so right on. Looking forward to all these projects. Thanks @ikebarinholtz \u2014 and yay for your dad! https://t.co/B3jl1OHDFc\u201d— Zora O'Neill @zora@mas.to (@Zora O'Neill @zora@mas.to) 1677262362
\u201cHe's right. @billmaher is mad cuz he was criticized for using the N word. Now his entire shtick it bitching about "cancel culture." I saw the show that night & he knew he was in trouble when he said it! \n\n"Ike Barinholtz Nails What Cancel Culture Complaints Are Really All About"\u201d— Vonnie Shallenberger (@Vonnie Shallenberger) 1677246772
\u201cDidn't know much about Ike Barinholtz, other than digging The Afterparty. Turns out, he's smart and funny. https://t.co/M57zzYccc8\u201d— Michael Strode (@Michael Strode) 1677213803
\u201cThis reflection on comedy writing in @THR is perfect - never use Twitter's character of the day in your writing, cos 6 months from now when the show comes out they've committed patricide. Good reason why 30 Rock and great comedies are still relevant \nhttps://t.co/Dx3xgONR6E\u201d— hate cats, love the Cats (@hate cats, love the Cats) 1677192586
\u201cThis is so so so so good. https://t.co/0KiaYCaZkN\u201d— Aaron Horwitz (@Aaron Horwitz) 1677205490
\u201cInsightful interview, can confirm @ikebarinholtz is great and not at all a complete moron\u201d— Justin Kanew (@Justin Kanew) 1677347735
\u201cGreat read. I relate in so many ways to @ikebarinholtz. Except I have my eyes on the Celebrity Price is Right trophy.\nhttps://t.co/SxAIBoOY1w\u201d— Kipp Tribble (@Kipp Tribble) 1677201760
\u201cThis is so so so so good. https://t.co/0KiaYCaZkN\u201d— Aaron Horwitz (@Aaron Horwitz) 1677205490
Barinholtz is currently starring in AppleTV+'s mystery-comedy The Afterparty, which has been renewed for a second season.
In the 2022-2023 iteration of Celebrity Jeopardy! on ABC, he outlasted comedian Patton Oswalt and actor and activist Wil Wheaton to win the championship. For this win, his charity Pacific Clinics received $1,000,000.