Entertainment

‘Political Correctness Has Killed Comedy’: Steve Harvey Slams Cancel Culture

Kevin Winter/Getty Images for NAACP Image Awards

Katie Jerkovich Entertainment Reporter
Font Size:

Steve Harvey said “political correctness has killed comedy” as he slammed cancel culture and said there’s no way he would do a stand-up special in the current climate without it meaning the end of his career.

“We’re in the cancel culture now,” Harvey shared as he promoted his ABC courtroom comedy show “Judge Steve Harvey” at the Television Critics Association press tour panel, the Hollywood Reporter noted in a piece published Wednesday.  (RELATED: Bill Burr Rips People Trying To Cancel Comedians, Says He Won’t Apologize To Complainers Who Don’t Go To His Shows)

“Nobody can say anything he wants to — Chris Rock can’t, Kevin Hart can’t, Cedric the Entertainer can’t, D.L. Hughley can’t,” he added. “I can go down the list. The only person that can say what they want to say on stage is Dave Chappelle because he’s not sponsor-driven. He’s subscription.” (RELATED: ‘No One Can Be Woke Enough’: Dave Chappelle And Joe Rogan Rip ‘Woke Ideology,’ Defend Elon Musk)

“If I had tried to continue as a stand-up, there’s no way I could maintain it because political correctness has killed comedy, has killed it,” Harvey continued. “Every joke now, it hurts somebody’s feelings. What people don’t understand about comedians is that a joke has to be about something. It has to be about somebody. We can’t write jokes about puppies all the time.”

The TV host said a joke can’t just be about “bushes all the time,” they have to be about people “because that’s the most interesting topic.”

“So if I come back, I have to wait until I’m done [with my TV career],” Harvey explained. “And I’m not done. I’d have to call it ‘This Is It’ or something like that.”

“So one of the reasons I stopped doing stand-up was my wife informed me that God was about to do something — I had no idea what he’s going to do — he was going to give me this [new show], and it turned out to be the best thing that happened to me,” he added.

Harvey joins a growing list of comedians who have spoke out about cancel culture. Others include Adam Carrolla, Dave Chappelle, David Spade and more.