Frank Skinner Labels Past Jokes ‘Offensive,’ Credits ‘Woke Politics’ Education

Frank Skinner admits he has been educated by “woke politics,” even labeling some of his past jokes as “offensive.”

The 67-year-old comedian hosted The Frank Skinner Show from 1995 to 2005 before transitioning to radio.

Reflecting on that era in a new interview with BBC’s The Today podcast, Skinner stated, “Sometimes even on videos of me from the Nineties, I see myself do a joke and I think, ‘Oh, I wouldn’t do that now,’ because it might be a joke I now find a bit offensive.”

The TV and radio personality has often been asked whether stand-up comedy is feasible in the age of woke politics. He revealed the criteria he now uses for determining the content of his performances.

“My comedy is very autobiographical; I don’t make anything up. It’s just things that have happened in my life which I process through my comedy head,” he explained.

Skinner noted that all the recent woke politics of the last decade has influenced him, particularly as he has become a parent during this period.

Growing up in council housing in Staffordshire, Skinner reminisced about his adolescence, which was a completely different era.

“When I was growing up in the West Midlands, I got to be brutal: racist language, sexist language, homophobia – it was absolutely the norm,” he said. “It wasn’t that I wasn’t listening to the alternate voice, there was no alternate voice. I didn’t even question it.

“But I do question it now, and I have questioned it a lot. I think most of us have in recent years. I don’t feel forced or bullied by woke politics – I feel educated by it,” Skinner added.

He mentioned that recognizing old jokes as inappropriate is a sign of personal growth. “I see stuff now and think I wouldn’t do that now. But at the same time, it’s healthy to think that because I don’t want to think of my life in stasis.

“I think the idea that we can improve, the idea that you can rethink your attitudes, there’s no point in woke politics if that doesn’t work,” he elaborated.

Skinner, who still identifies as a member of the Catholic church, recently confessed that he refused to read his friend and long-time collaborator David Baddiel’s book, The God Desire. Published last year, Baddiel’s book delves into questions of faith and religion, maintaining a firm stance on the non-existence of a higher power.

“I told him I wouldn’t read it,” he admitted to The Times. “I am in it, and to be fair to him, he sent me those bits and said, ‘If there’s anything you don’t like …’ because I do come off as a bit medieval when I say about a relationship, ‘I fear we will burn in hellfire.’

“So, I didn’t read it, but I went to a discussion he did in Edinburgh and I really liked that. Afterwards, we went and had a cup of tea and talked about it. I said, ‘Look, I can’t get round the fact that the basic message of this book is ‘I’d love to believe in God, but I’m too intelligent’.’

“And he said, ‘No, it absolutely isn’t that.’ Then we talked about it for about 10 minutes later, he said, ‘Yeah, you’re probably right. Maybe it is that.’ And it is,” Skinner concluded.

Source: BBC, The Times