Like everyone else with a pulse I am extremely saddened by the passing of Gene Wilder. He’s a comedy icon that comes around once in a lifetime. He was the kind of genius that made everyone feel in on the joke; he was never an elitist, despite the fact that he easily could have been, given his many talents.
Growing up in Wisconsin, Wilder’s home state, I idolized him for his physical comedy and ability to bring unique characters to life. But as I was looking over the many messages on social media about Mr. Wilder’s career this week, I had the sad realization that if his movies had been created today, he would be deemed a racist, homophobic embodiment of white male privilege.
Of course, he was none of those things.
However, in today’s culture, the characters he brought to light would have never seen the light of day. They would be like me after a four-day bender, hidden away in the darkness.
It made me sad to think about how many great characters we no longer get to see come to life because of the current culture of silencing creative minds under the guise of inclusion and social justice. When Mr. Wilder died, a comedic archetype died with him. A “Gene Wilder” would no longer be successful in today’s culture.
Thinking about my three favorite Gene Wilder films, it dawned on me that had he starred in any of them today, he would not be hailed as a comic genius but would be put in the proverbial stocks of the internet by so-called “Social Justice Warriors.” “SJWs” claim to be for “social justice” when in reality they are bullies who silence any art they don’t understand. Ironically, much like puritanical evangelicals.
Three of the best Gene Wilder films, “See No Evil, Hear No Evil”, “Blazing Saddles”, and “Stir Crazy” would never fly by today’s strict, politically correct standards.
Why?
In “See No Evil, Hear No Evil,” Mr. Wilder plays a character named “Dave.” So far, so good, although I’m sure there’s a “Dave” who believes Gene should only play characters named “Gene” so as to not appropriate the name “Dave.” In the film, Dave is deaf, but, here’s a shocker, Gene was not. Some believe that a fully abled person portraying a person with disabilities is offensive. Recently at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, a trio of girls dressed as the “Three Blind Mice” for Halloween. They were reprimanded by the university’s “Bias Incident Team” for supposedly mocking the disabled; yes, that’s how much creativity is being stifled by this outrage culture.
I don’t think I even have to explain why “Blazing Saddles” would never be made today. The Warner Brothers film was controversial even for its time. Director Mel Brooks certainly understood he was pushing buttons when he kept the N-word in the script 17 times. But the difference between then and now is that the movie was made and audiences understood the significance of language and how powerful it is in conveying a message and breaking the malaise of everyday reality. The film became only the 10th film at the time to gross over $100 million at the box office and $120 million total.
Just the title, “Stir Crazy,” is now considered a trigger warning on college campuses. Sadly, my alma-matter, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, actively advises students to not say words like “crazy” or “lame” because the terms are considered “ablest.”
We need to get back to a time when we allow our artists to be artists; let them explore the world the way they need to in order to show us things about ourselves we might not have otherwise known. Don’t stifle the next Gene Wilder by limiting his or her language and humor. We can’t let politics inhibit the creative mind, and we must ensure politics protect the mind of the creatives to find the truth in our reality.
Rest in Peace Mr. Wilder. Thank you for bringing so much joy to this world.