Frank Skinner has offered his thoughts on wokeness and why the trend is acceptable.
Being awake and concerned about social injustice and prejudice is what defines wokeness. Although the phrase may be used to describe being aware of what is going on in the world and how some people are treated unfairly, it has frequently been used as an insult to suggest that things have gone ‘too far’.
Ashley James only taught Gyles Brandreth about the word this week on This Morning.
Frank, 67, is delighted to be woke because he does not want anyone to feel insulted. The debate began when Frank, a devout Catholic, characterised his profession as a ‘endless stream of trash’. While appearing on The Jonathan Ross Show, he was asked how the Church viewed the jokes.
The comic icon said, ‘I don’t believe there’s anything wrong with dirty jokes; they’re about targets and such.
‘I’m personally very happy about the woke movement because I don’t have any desire to go up and be cruel or unkind to anybody.’
In the programme that aired on Saturday, Frank discussed how his 23-year relationship with Cath Mason had benefited his work.
‘It’s good for a comedian to be in a long-term relationship because it means awkward silences don’t frighten me,’ he shared.
Proving the relationship is a great source for jokes, he added: ‘When we do argue, I’ve always said when you watch us argue, it would be like going to a gig to see a band – we start with some new stuff and then eventually we roll out our greatest hits.’
Buzz Cody, the couple’s 11-year-old son, is an avid fan of heavy metal music. Frank mentioned that they had seen KISS, Slipknot, and Metallica live in the last year.
While the music genre is commonly linked with headbanging and loudness, Frank describes it as’meditative’.
‘Slash did a solo which lasted about 15 minutes and during the solo all my problems, all the problems of my life – the things people said to me at school, getting sacked by my radio show – just washed, it was like a fabulous, cleansing, meditative experience. It was so brilliant,’ he mused.
The BBC wants to see Frank on the dance floor, not in the mosh pits. Strictly Come Dancing has invited Frank to appear on the show “a few times.”
‘My partner persuadedme to go on a lads’ weekend to Amsterdam instead – she thought there would be less temptation,’ he laughed.
So far, Frank has said no since he is’so self-conscious’. He’s even had to turn down Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel because people move their upper bodies to the music while sitting down.
Johannes Radebe, a Strictly professional dancer and another talk show guest, managed to get Frank up on his feet throughout the broadcast, so there may yet be hope!
The Jonathan Ross Show airs on Saturday on ITV at 10:05pm.