#CancelKarenDunbar
- TV documentary
- BBC Scotland
- 2022
- 1 episode
Comedian Karen Dunbar investigates cancel culture's effect on comedy, including repeats of her own previous shows. Also features Greg Hemphill, Leo Kearse, Eliott Simpson, Konstantin Kisin and Frances Foster
Press clippings
#CancelKarenDunbar review
Tellingly, the documentary puts 50-year-old Dunbar in front of a much younger audience, trying out a new routine (with the aid of writer Steven Dick) with all she's been exploring about 'punching up' who owns the right to joke about certain topics. And you know what she makes them laugh - mostly - without losing her grit to some imagined liberal soppiness. It's almost as if you can actually do comedy in today's climate without falling foul of liberal witchfinders - and without going into extremes of crass offensiveness. That course might be more difficult that before, but the message is that it's possible. And comedy's probably better for it.
Steve Bennett, Chortle, 28th February 2022Getting to the bottom of comedy's cancel culture
Comedy is about saying the unsayable but in a fast-changing landscape it's hard to know what is acceptable, says #CancelKarenDunbar director Anne-Claire Pilley.
Anne-Claire Pilley, Broadcast, 24th February 2022Karen Dunbar on 'cancel' culture and the changing rules of comedy
Over the course of our interview, Karen Dunbar will delve into complex and far-ranging subject matter - from outdated language and offence to the thorny truth about "cancel" culture - but, for now, the Glasgow-born comedian and actor is reflecting candidly on why she craves laughter.
Susan Swarbrick, The Herald, 19th February 2022Karen Dunbar: BBC right to cut sketches from comedy repeats
The BBC has banned clips from the Chewin' The Fat sketch show which mocked Japanese and blind people. Last month it was revealed that old episodes of the popular Scottish comedy series were being re-edited for repeat showings to avoid offending modern audiences.
Stuart MacDonald, The Times, 19th February 2022BBC Scotland unveils female-led comedies
Janey Godley, Ashley Storrie and Karen Dunbar are among the stars of a raft of female-led comedies commissioned by BBC Scotland. Commissions include Dregs, Stevens & McCarthy, Who Runs The World? and Two For One.
British Comedy Guide, 26th May 2021