...and of course John Cleese isn't happy about it

The Cambridge Footlights – arguably Britain’s most prolific hothouse for up-and-coming comedians – has launched a ‘sensitivity reading’ service so students can check on whether their material might be offensive.

Aspiring comedians at the university are invited to submit scripts to the group’s committee, who can flag up any gags that might be seen as punching down.

Sketches, stand-up and plays will be examined ‘to check for potential oversights regarding racism, classism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia and ableism, or any other kind of sensitive or upsetting material,’ the society explains.  Their impartial reader will then offer feedback, ‘making suggestions as to things that could be rephrased or improved, or things that should be cut’.

The group is keen to stress that the service is optional, and the notes only suggestions.

‘This is not censorship,’ they explain in a document outlining the initiative.

‘We are not trying to stop students pushing the boundaries on what is acceptable… We also aren’t trying to stop you from being horrible about people you dislike, or telling the crassest, rudest, sweary-est jokes you can think of, or any other kind of dark or ‘edgy’ humor [sic]

‘We are only offering a second, uninvolved opinion on your work, specifically to check whether it comes across as punching up rather than down.’

However the move has not gone down well with all Footlights alumni.

Regular critic of the ‘woke’,  John Cleese, who was part of the 1963 revue, tweeted sarcastically: ‘In retrospect, it seems surprising that Cook, Laurie, Fry, Thompson, Chapman, Idle, Mitchell and I managed to make a living without having lessons from these student "sensitivity" experts.’

Other former members of Footlights include Germaine Greer, Sue Perkins, Richard Ayoade, Clive James, David Mitchell, Tim Key, Sandi Toksvig, Mark Watson, Phil Wang, Nick Mohammed – and even the King when he was a student.

Andrew Doyle, the stand-up and GB News presenter, said: ‘This sounds like a premise for a great sketch, exactly the kind of priggishness they should be lampooning. Alas, it’s probably real…’

Published: 22 May 2023