Legendary Comedian John Cleese Slams the ‘Simple-Minded’ Critics of His Trump-Hitler Tweet

John Cleese, the celebrated comedy figure, sparked a heated debate on X, previously referred to as Twitter, by posting a tweet that drew a comparison between Adolf Hitler and former President Donald Trump. Needless to say, this post triggered varied responses, with some supporting—and others criticizing—Cleese's controversial humor.

Cleese humorously pointed out five aspects where he suggested that the German dictator was more 'preferable' to the embattled former President. These included Hitler's military service, his avoidance of teleprompters, his reported kindness to dogs, his authorship of his books, and not playing golf. Additionally, he tried to outline five ways in which Trump might be considered more favorable than Hitler. "He doesn't practice genocide... He has nicer hair," Cleese wrote in the post.

However, the legendary comic intentionally left three of the five 'reasons' blank, seemingly implying a lack of positive attributes when it comes to Trump. This move had split opinions in the comments section, with some deeming the joke as crossing a line while others stood in support of the Monty Python and the Holy Grail luminary. Furthermore, many of his fans expressed shock and disappointment at his tweet, feeling disappointed by his unconventional humor.

One user wrote, "John, I love you and your volumes of work, but I am disappointed in this tweet. It's low-hanging fruit and something a 15-year-old keyboard warrior would write, not one of the greatest comedic minds of the past 100 years." Another person commented, "This is such a terrible attempt of a joke," whereas a third stated, "Holy shit, why would you write this?" 

Amid escalating criticism, Cleese initially seemed to retract his statement, issuing an apology for what he labeled a 'very bad joke,' particularly in light of the timing on Boxing Day. However, his stance quickly shifted as he reinforced his position by resharing critical remarks and staunchly defending his perspective.

Cleese expressed disappointment at the apparent lack of comprehension from what he referred to as the 'simple-minded,' underscoring that his tweet was intended as a joke and condemning those who failed to grasp the contextual humor, as per the reports from Mediaite. However, this incident doesn't mark the first time Cleese has faced controversy over references related to Hitler. In 2021, he took a protective stand by withdrawing from a speaking engagement at the Cambridge Union in protest after the debating society barred art critic Andrew Graham-Dixon from portraying Hitler.

Moreover, Cleese was also a part of significant controversy on social media platform X due to a contentious post addressing the historical context of global slavery, eliciting widespread debate and criticism. Meanwhile, as per insights from Variety, Cleese has remained actively engaged and occupied in recent months. His involvement includes hosting the newly premiered talk show titled The Dinosaur Hour on GB News, which has attracted major attention. Additionally, he maintains a steadfast focus on reviving and refining the beloved classic series Fawlty Towers, proving the ongoing efforts toward its reboot and development.