You are the reporter who interviewed the actor, Rowan Atkinson. You met the editor of the online newspaper you work for and told him that you would like to have your interview published in the next edition of the newspaper. Your editor didn't have time to read your interview, so he asked you to write a summary of the main information you got from Rowan Atkinson during the interview.
Write the summary in 250 words. You could begin in the following way:
In the course of the interview with Rowan Atkinson, I learned that he became an actor by chance. He was actually studying engineering science at Oxford University when...
Answers
Explanation:
culture is like 'medieval mob looking something to burn'
Rowan Atkinson says 'it is scary for anyone who's a victim of that mob and fears for their future.'
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January 06, 2021 12:06:40 IST
Mr Bean actor Rowan Atkinson says cancel culture is like 'medieval mob looking something to burn'
Johnny English actor Rowan Atkinson has shared his thoughts on the rise of cancel culture, comparing keyboard warriors to a “medieval mob roaming the streets looking for someone to burn.”
In an interview with Radio Times as cited by Variety, he said that the problem they have online is that an algorithm decides what one wants to see, which ends up creating a simplistic, binary view of society. The actor added, "it becomes a case of either you’re with us or against us. And if you’re against us, you deserve to be ‘cancelled.’"
Atkinson further says that it is important one is exposed to a wide spectrum of opinion. However, according to him nowadays everyone has what is the digital equivalent of the "medieval mob roaming the streets looking for someone to burn."
“So it is scary for anyone who’s a victim of that mob and it fills me with fear about the future," he said.
The actor also weighed in on playing the iconic Mr Bean, stating that he does not enjoy playing the character much as the weight of responsibility is not pleasant and he finds it stressful and exhausting.
The original sitcom, which aired from January 1990 to December 1995, comprised 15 episodes. The series has also been sold in 245 territories worldwide and has inspired an animated spin-off as well as two theatrical feature-length films, starring Atkinson.
Atkinson also expressed interest in reviving his iconic BBC comedy Blackadder. The actor said that it is "not impossible" for Blackadder to return after more than 30 years and confirmed there have been talks about a new series. However, he added that he would rather not speculate on when it could be set. The show, written by Atkinson, Ben Elton, and Richard Curtis starred Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie.
Meanwhile, Atkinson will next be seen on the Netflix series Man vs Bee, which revolves around a man who finds himself at war with a bee while in a luxurious mansion.