Twitter's glory days have faded away
Fresh Take:
Did you catch the Andrew Lawrence drama on social media? Well, it seems many comedians missed out on it.
Photograph courtesy of YouTube. By Simon Evans Columnist, June 8th, 2025 | Culture, Free Speech, Politics
In the wake of the Liverpool parade crash, comedian Andrew Lawrence stirred up a storm with a tweet about potentially driving through crowds to escape the city. The reaction was swift and fiery. But, as time passes, the heat seems to be dissipating.
Lawrence has since doubled down, critiquing Liverpool's charm and Scousers' sense of humor. Liverpool's comedy club, Hot Water, and the Comedy Store in London weighed in, declaring him inhospitable. They criticized his "vile attempt at a joke" about the tragic incident, claiming it contradicts the industry's values[1].
I wrote about this kerfuffle and supported Lawrence, not for his joke, but for standing up for free speech[2]. My stance was against the explicit threats to his safety and the Comedy Store's denunciation of anyone who continues to support or perform with him[3].
It's particularly disappointing coming from the Comedy Store, the birthplace of the modern British comedy scene[4]. Its role in fostering groundbreaking comedians like Alexei Sayle and Rik Mayall is commendable. However, it now claims to dictate what the comedy industry should represent[2]. This sounds more like a HR department than a loose affiliation of wandering minstrels, as we stand-ups truly are[5].
Stand By Comedy
Even after the storm has passed, it's interesting to note the lack of support from fellow comedians. During high-profile cases like Jerry Sadowitz's Edinburgh ousting or Graham Linehan's treatment, silence reigned[5]. Perhaps it's not indifference to the principles at stake or disregard for Lawrence's live career, but rather the gradual abandonment of social media by comedians[5].
Since Elon Musk took over Twitter in October 2022, voices once silenced by Twitter's moderators have returned[6]. However, many have since lost interest, and the user experience on social media seems to have worsened[5]. It's becoming increasingly difficult to find the enriching, apolitical jokes that initially attracted many users.
As we navigate this evolving landscape of free speech and comedy, it's important to remember the value of dissenting voices and vibrant discourse. Hopefully, a new golden age of comedy will emerge somewhere, just as it has in the past.
[1] Twitter statements by Hot Water Comedy Club and The Comedy Store[2] Simon Evans' support tweet for Andrew Lawrence[3] Comedy Store post against promoters and comedians working with Andrew Lawrence[4] The history of the Comedy Store and its impact on British comedy[5] Enrichment Data: The declining culture of free speech and comedy on social media[6] The resurgence of banned accounts on Twitter following Elon Musk's takeover
- The turmoil surrounding comedian Andrew Lawrence's cancelled performance at the Comedy Store in London raises questions about the current landscape of free speech in comedy, particularly in light of identity politics and culture wars that permeate pop-culture and general news.
- The silence from fellow comedians during Andrew Lawrence's drama on social media appears to indicate a shift in the comedy scene, where many comedians might be opting out of engaging in heated discussions about free speech and cancel culture, relegating such discourse to the domain of politics and entertainment.
- As the Comedy Store declares its stance against comedians who continue to support or perform with Lawrence, the issue of censorship and the balance between free speech and responsible humor becomes even more pertinent in the context of identity politics, pop-culture, and general news.
- The decline of enriching, apolitical jokes on social media and the increasing difficulty in finding vibrant discourse could signal a departure from the golden age of comedy, with the comedy world now fragmenting into different factions due to identity politics and cancel culture.
- In the wake of the Liverpool parade crash incident, the role of comedians in pushing boundaries and challenging societal norms through free speech seems to be dwindling, as they succumb to the pressures of politics, culture, and public opinion, often sacrificing their sense of humor for political correctness and self-preservation.
