Humorouz

On Friday’s broadcast of HBO’s “Real Time,” host Bill Maher argued that “The people who can’t take a joke now aren’t old ladies in the Bible Belt. They’re Gen Z at elite colleges.” And that losing out on jokes and thoughts over self-censorship “are the invisible scars of cancel culture.”

After pointing out that Will Smith initially laughed at Chris Rock’s joke at the Oscars before getting offended because his wife was upset, Maher stated, “I’ve seen the same syndrome happen in comedy clubs, woke hecklers who literally have to wait for the laughter to die down before they yell, ‘That’s not funny!’ This war on jokes must end. Will Smith didn’t get kicked out of the Oscars for going Ike Turner on Chris, but Kevin Hart got kicked out of hosting it for a joke. Who are these people who say cancel culture isn’t a real thing? Just among comedians who’ve gotten fired and lost gigs for exercising their freedom of expression, the toll is high. Gilbert Gottfried and Kathy Griffin were tasteless. So what? That’s why we like them. Comedians are the ones testing where the line is, we can’t always be perfect any more than Tom Brady will never throw an interception.”

He later added, “The people who can’t take a joke now aren’t old ladies in the Bible Belt. They’re Gen Z at elite colleges. Colleges, where comedy goes to die. Kids used to go to college and lose their virginity. Now they go to lose their sense of humor. … Judd Apatow has an awesome new documentary coming here to HBO about George Carlin, owner of the most famous 180 in comedy history, when he turned his back on a lucrative career in nightclubs in order to let his hair down and be himself in front of a younger crowd who welcomed irreverence. … Oh George, it’s a good thing you’re dead. Because today, the seven words you can’t say on TV are Jada, can’t wait for ‘G.I. Jane 2.’ For all those who are constantly demanding an apology for jokes, maybe it’s you who should apologize to us for all the great jokes that we never got to hear, the brilliant thoughts that were never uttered. Those are the invisible scars of cancel culture.”

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett

A couple of weeks ago, Pink Floyd’s guitarist and singer David Gilmour was asked if he’d seen the Instagram feed of Andriy Khlyvnyuk, frontman of Ukrainian rock band BoomBox. Gilmour had performed live with BoomBox in 2015, at a London benefit gig for the Belarus Free Theatre – they played a brief, endearingly raw set of Pink Floyd songs and Gilmour solo tracks – but events had moved on dramatically since then: at the end of Feburary, Khlyvnyuk had abandoned BoomBox’s US tour in order to fight against the Russian invasion.

On his Instagram, Gilmour found a video of the singer in military fatigues, a rifle slung over his shoulder, standing outside Kyiv’s St Sofia Cathedral, belting out an unaccompanied version of Oh, the Red Viburnum in the Meadow, a 1914 protest song written in honour of the Sich Riflemen who fought both in the first world war and the Ukrainian war of independence. “I thought: that is pretty magical and maybe I can do something with this,” says Gilmour. “I’ve got a big platform that [Pink Floyd] have worked on for all these years. It’s a really difficult and frustrating thing to see this extraordinarily crazy, unjust attack by a major power on an independent, peaceful, democratic nation. The frustration of seeing that and thinking ‘what the fuck can I do?’ is sort of unbearable.”

The result is Hey Hey, Rise Up!, a new single by Pink Floyd that samples Khlyvnyuk’s performance, to be released at midnight on Friday with proceeds going to Ukrainian humanitarian relief.

Most observers assumed Pink Floyd were long defunct. They last released original new music 28 years ago, although in 2014 Gilmour and drummer Nick Mason reconvened to turn outtakes from their 1994 album The Division Bell into the largely instrumental The Endless River, as a tribute to the band’s late keyboard player Rick Wright. At the time, Gilmour was insistent that was the finale for a band that began in 1965 and sold more than 250m albums. Pink Floyd couldn’t tour without Wright, who died of cancer in 2008, and there was to be no more music: “It’s a shame,” he told the BBC, “but this is the end.”

The invasion of Ukraine changed Gilmour’s mind. “I hate it when people say things like ‘As a parent, I …’, but the practicalities of having an extended Ukrainian family is part of this. My grandchildren are half-Ukrainian, my daughter-in-law Janina is Ukrainian – her grandmother was in Kharkiv until three weeks ago. She’s very old, disabled, in a wheelchair and has a carer, and Janina and her family managed to get her all the way across Ukraine to the Polish border and now they’ve managed to get her to Sweden, literally last week.”

After “finding the chords for what Andriy was singing and writing another section that I could be” – Gilmour rolls his eyes – “the rock god guitar player on”, he hastily convened a recording session last week with Mason, Pink Floyd’s longstanding bassist Guy Pratt, and musician, producer and composer Nitin Sawhney on keyboards, layering their music with Khlyvnyuk’s sampled voice; Rick Wright’s daughter Gala also attended. They also shot a video for the song, with Mason playing a set of drums decorated with a painting by Ukrainian artist Maria Primachenko (the fate of her paintings remains unknown following the bombing of a museum in Ivankiv).

“I rang Nick up and said: ‘listen, I want to do this thing for Ukraine. I’d be really happy if you played on it and I’d also be really happy if you’d agree to us putting it out as Pink Floyd.’ And he was absolutely on for that.

“It’s Pink Floyd if it’s me and Nick, and that is the biggest promotional vehicle; that is, as I said, the platform that I’ve been working on for my whole adult life, since I was 21. I wouldn’t do this with many more things, but it’s so vitally, vitally important that people understand what’s going on there and do everything within their power to change that situation. And the thought, also, that mine and Pink Floyd’s support of the Ukrainians could help boost morale in those areas: they need to know the whole world supports them.

“When I spoke to Andriy, he was telling me about the things he’d seen, and I said to him, ‘you know this has been on the BBC here in England, and on television around the world? Everyone is seeing these terrible things that are happening.’ And he said, ‘Oh really? I didn’t know.’ I don’t think that most people there have got such great communication and they don’t really understand that actually, the things they are going through are being shown to the world.”

Gilmour says it took some time for him to track Khlyvnyuk down, trawling Instagram and trying phone numbers. Eventually he found an email address. “He wanted to speak on FaceTime – I think he wanted to be sure it was me. The next time I saw him, he was in hospital, having been injured by a mortar. He showed me this tiny quarter-inch piece of shrapnel that had embedded itself in his cheek. He’d kept it in a plastic bag. But you can imagine, if those kind of things are going off, it could just as easily have been a piece over an inch across, which would have taken his head off.”

Prior to the band’s unexpected reconvening, Pink Floyd’s post-1987 output – and the solo work of their late founder, Syd Barrett – was removed from streaming services in Russia and Belarus as part of a cultural boycott. Their most famous work, from the 1960s and 70s, was not removed, leading to rumours that moves to do so had been blocked by former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters, whose relations with his former bandmates are legendarily strained. A week before Russia invaded Ukraine, Waters told an interviewer on Russia Today that talk of a Russian invasion was “bullshit … anybody with an IQ above room temperature knows [an invasion] is nonsense”; he has subsequently condemned the invasion calling it “the act of a gangster”, while also condemning “propaganda to demonise Russia”. It’s a subject on which Gilmour won’t be drawn. “Let’s just say I was disappointed and let’s move on. Read into that what you will.”

Gilmour last spoke to Khlyvnyuk on Tuesday. “He said he had the most hellish day you could imagine, going out and picking up bodies of Ukrainians, Ukrainian children, helping with the clearing up. You know, our little problems become so pathetic and tiny in the context of what you see him doing.”

Nevertheless, Gilmour sent him the song and was “pleased and relieved that he liked it. I can tell you what he said,” he nods, fumbling for his mobile phone and reading out Khlyvnyuk’s message. “Thank you, it’s fabulous. One day we’ll play it together and have a good stout afterwards, on me.” He smiles. “I said, ‘yes, let’s do that’.”

Kate Middleton told a solemn Princess Charlotte to smile the pair walked into Westminster Abbey for Prince Philip‘s memorial service today, a lip reader has revealed.

The Duchess of Cambridge, 40, walked hand-in-hand with her daughter six, while William, 39, held eight-year-old Prince George‘s hand as the family joined 1800 mourners. 

As they approached the Abbey’s doors, Kate – who was smiling – told her serious looking daughter ‘you can smile’ according to expert lip reader Jacqui Press.

Charlotte then smiled.

Kate Middleton told a solemn Princess Charlotte to smile the pair walked into Westminster Abbey for Prince Philip’s memorial service today, a lip reader has revealed. The Duchess of Cambridge, 40, walked hand-in-hand with her daughter six, while William, 39, held eight-year-old Prince George’s hand as the family joined 1800 mourners. Charlotte is picture sombre left and smiling right

Speaking to FEMAIL, Jacqui added that Prince William says ‘let’s go in’ to Prince George as he walks into the chapel before he guides him in and introduces him to dignitaries.

He then told people inside the Abbey ‘good morning , good to see you again’ ‘very well thank you ‘ and ‘have a good day’.

He then explains to Prince George who each of the bishops and other clergy are as he shakes their hands.

Prince Charles later walked into the the service and commented: ‘it always looks so wonderful here’.

Kate looked poised as she wore a £1,495 navy Alessandra Rich gown which she paired with a smart £775 hat from Lock&Co! and Princess Diana’s Collingwood earrings for the service at Westminster Abbey today. 

Alessandra Rich is also one of the Duchess’ favoured labels, with the royal frequently turning to the London-based designer for her royal engagements. 

Speaking to FEMAIL, Jacqui added that Prince William says ‘let’s go in’ to Prince George as he walks into the chapel before he guides him in and introduces him to dignitaries. The family are pictured leaving the chapel

Pick polka dots like the Duchess of Cambridge in Alessandra Rich

Fresh from their return from a tour of the Caribbean, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attended a service of thanksgiving for Prince Philip today, alongside little Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

Kate looked very elegant indeed for the occasion, wearing a new black and white polka dot dress, which is by Alessandra Rich. The label is of course a favourite of hers, and she chose a very Diana-inspired 80s yellow number to depart the Bahamas at the weekend.

We love the button detailing on the shoulder of this midi, which she wore with a statement hat by Lock & Co. Unfortunately the black version of the dress has now sold out, but click through to buy it in navy over at Luisa Via Roma.

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The Duchess of Cambridge swept her brunette locks into a low bun to reveal the pearl drop earrings for the occasion.

Kate regularly wears jewellery that honours her mother-in-law, including her sapphire engagement ring, which once belonged to Diana.

With a keen eye for detail, Kate often references Princess Diana with her style choices.

The memorial includes several elements the Duke had planned for his funeral at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle in April last year but which were forbidden by Covid restrictions at the time. 

Among them is the involvement of Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) gold award winners and Sea Cadets, his expressed wish for the congregation to sing the rousing hymn Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer, and for clergy from the royal estates of Windsor, Sandringham and Balmoral to play a special part.

His funeral at St George’s Chapel in Windsor was limited to just 30 mourners in the midst of the pandemic and mass singing was banned, with the Queen sitting alone in a mask.

Around 1,800 guests are due at today’s service, including British and European royalty, representatives of the many charities of which the duke was patron or president, Boris and Carrie Johnson, and Sir David Attenborough.

But the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are not returning from the US for the service

The Queen has recently been forced to pull out of a string of engagements because of ill health and old age. 

She was unable to attend the Commonwealth Day service this month because of concerns about her mobility and comfort.

As they approached the Abbey’s doors, Kate – who was smiling – told her serious looking daughter ‘you can smile’ according to expert lip reader Jacqui Press

Kate looked poised as she wore a £1,495 navy Alessandra Rich gown which she paired with a smart £775 hat from Lock&Co! and Princess Diana’s Collingwood earrings for the service at Westminster Abbey today

Palace and Abbey aides are thought to have taken steps to ensure that the service, to be televised live on BBC One, is less taxing for the Queen.  

The service will gave thanks for the duke’s dedication to family, nation and Commonwealth and recognise the importance of his legacy in creating opportunities for young people, promoting conservation, and supporting the Armed Forces.

One of the elements planned for the funeral which has now been included in the service will see nine Gold Award holders from The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, plus representatives from UK Cadet Force Associations, line entry routes into Westminster Abbey.

Philip, who died in April last year aged 99, launched the DofE Award in 1956 and was Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Cadet Force, a role he first took up in 1953.

A tenth DofE gold award holder, Doyin Sonibare, 28, from London, will give a tribute to His Royal Highness’s legacy, recognising the impact of the Award on young people across the globe.

Kate regularly wears jewellery that honours her mother-in-law, including her sapphire engagement ring, which once belonged to Diana. Kate is pictured with George, William and Charlotte

The memorial includes several elements the Duke had planned for his funeral at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle in April last year but which were forbidden by Covid restrictions at the time. The family are pictured leaving

The Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, Dean of Westminster, will conduct the service and describe the duke in the Bidding as ‘a man of rare ability and distinction’ who ‘ever directed our attention away from himself.’

He will say: ‘He put privilege to work and understood his rank as a spur to service. Working at pace, with so many claims on his attention, he encouraged us to focus, as he was focussed, on the things that matter.

‘His was a discipline and character that seized opportunity and overcame obstruction and difficulty. We recall, with affection and respect, the sustained offering of a long life lived fully.’ 

It was the duke’s expressed wish that clergy from Windsor, Sandringham and Balmoral – known as The Queen’s domestic chaplains – played a part in his funeral service, but this was not possible due to the Covid restrictions.

Today the Reverend Kenneth MacKenzie Minister of Crathie Church, the regular place of worship of the British royal family when they are in residence at nearby Balmoral Castle, the Reverend Canon Jonathan Riviere, the Rector of Sandringham, and the Reverend Canon Martin Poll, Chaplain to the Royal Chapel of All Saints, Windsor Great Park, will offer prayers recognising Philip’s energy, spirit of adventure and ‘good stewardship of the environment’.

The service will also be attended by around 30 foreign royals, including Prince Albert of Monaco, Denmark’s Queen Margrethe, King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway, and Spain’s King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia.

Queen sheds a tear for beloved Philip: Emotional monarch wears green in tribute to late husband at Westminster Abbey memorial attended by Kate, Wills, Charles and Camilla… a year after sitting alone at his funeral at height of the pandemic 

 By MARTIN ROBINSON, CHIEF REPORTER and MARK DUELL and DANNY HUSSAIN FOR MAILONLINE

The Queen shed a tear for Prince Philip at an extraordinary service in remembrance of his remarkable life of service to Britain and his wife today.

Her Majesty stood in Westminster Abbey where she had personally ensured her beloved husband’s final wishes were fulfilled after his covid-hit funeral left her sat alone without the rousing hymns and guests he loved so much.

The 95-year-old monarch used a stick as she was walked to her seat by her disgraced son the Duke of York to give her ‘strength and stay’ Philip the final farewell he had wanted. The service was attended by the Royal Family and his relatives, friends and people who benefitted from his charities. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were the only senior royals not there.

Despite battling mobility problems, she stood to pray and sing anthems during a 40-minute service that her husband of 73 years had helped plan for before his death last April. But in a controversial decision she chose Prince Andrew to support her as she arrived and left the church, clutching his elbow with one hand and a walking stick with the other.

The Queen had stood with tears in her eyes as the 1,800-strong congregation sang Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer before the bells of Westminster Abbey rang out to mark the end of the memorial service for the Duke of Edinburgh.

After she leant on Andrew as she walked back out of the church, the Queen appeared to grimace as she walked to the car hunched over with the Duke of York at her side guiding her towards the Bentley.

She appeared to be holding tightly to her stick and appeared to be making a great effort to get to the vehicle, concentrating very hard in taking each step. Once inside the car she appeared to be back to her normal composed self as the car slowly drove away. She waved to onlookers as she arrived and left the service.

The Queen and the packed abbey had listened as the Dean of Windsor paid tribute to Philip’s intellect, work ethic, sense of humour and devotion to his family.

The Right Reverend David Conner described the duke as a ‘remarkable man’ who was committed to ‘a host of down-to-earth enterprises’. He pointed out that the duke could be ‘abrupt’, and suggested that at times he could forget ‘just how intimidating he could be’.

Princess Beatrice was seen to give a small chuckle as the Dean remarked: ‘He could be somewhat sharp in pricking what he thought to be bubbles of pomposity or sycophancy.’ But then appeared to break down in tears, covering her face with the order of service.

The Queen, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Princess Royal were all dressed in dark green in a subtle tribute to Philip, whose livery colour was Edinburgh Green. A number of others throughout the congregation also wore the shade, including Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award holder Doyin Sonibare who delivered a special tribute about the effect Philip’s youth scheme had on her life.

Flowers at today’s service are a patriotic red, white and blue, at Her Majesty’s request. They included dendrobium orchids, which also featured in the Queen’s wedding bouquet, and eryngium – or sea holly – echoing the duke’s career in the Royal Navy and lifelong affection for the sea. There were also multiple tributes to his intellect, work ethic, sense of humour and devotion to his family and his country.

The Queen stood and shed a tear for her husband today at an extraordinary service in remembrance of his life

The Queen closed her eyes in prayer as she joined senior royals to pay tribute to Prince Philip at his memorial at Westminster Abbey. When she opened her eyes they appeared moist

Her Majesty stands to sing surrounded by her family with the Duke of York also on the front row.From left to right, front row: Queen Elizabeth II, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, the Princess Royal, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke of York, The Earl of Wessex, the Countess of Wessex, Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and Viscount Severn. (Second row left to right) The Duke of Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, the Duchess of Cambridge, Peter Phillips, Isla Phillips, Savannah Phillips, Mia Tindall, Zara Tindall and Mike Tindall

Princess Beatrice was overwhelmed by the service. Stood behind the Queen she cried and covered her face with the order of service as her grandmother removed her glasses

Her Majesty walked with the help of a stick but stood without support sat next to Charles, Camilla, Anne and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. Across the aisle was Prince Andrew

The Queen arrives at the service holding the Duke of York by the elbow with her left hand and her stick with the right

Andrew escorted her to her seat in an extraordinary moment that may have upset other royals. None of the other royals appeared to look up when they arrived

Her Majesty had arrived at the side door of the church, allowing her to walk a shorter distance from Poets’ Corner to the front where she was surrounded by her children and grandchildren. She stood at various points in the service, despite her own admission recently that she is struggling to move.

Westminster Abbey was completely packed today to celebrate the 99-year life of Prince Philip as Her Majesty battled mobility issues and fought off covid to be there to say goodbye to her husband after 73 years of marriage.

The event, attended by most of the Duke of Edinburgh’s family and many of Europe’s most senior royals, is in the starkest of contrasts to his pared back funeral at Windsor last April when Her Majesty said goodbye to her strength and stay after 73 years of marriage.

The Queen finally decided to attend today’s service in Central London around two hours before but the coverage of the Service of Thanksgiving was dominated by her extraordinary decision to travel with her disgraced son Prince Andrew from Windsor Castle to Central London.

Timothy Laurence and Anne, Princess Royal, arriving ahead of the Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Prince Philip

Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, arrive at Westminster Abbey

The Duke’s family ahead of the service: In the second row is Peter Philips with daughters Savannah and Isla. Next to them is Mia Tindall with parents Zara Philips and Mike Tindall. In the front row are Prince Edward and Sophie Wessex with children Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn

The Cambridges arrived shortly after Prince Charles and Camilla ahead of today’s memorial service for Prince Philip at Westminster Abbey

Kate Middleton arrives at Westminster Abbey for the memorial service to Prince Philip today. She was joined by Prince William and her children George and Charlotte

Princess Charlotte and Prince George sit with the mother the Duchess of Cambridge during today’s service at Westminster Abbey

The Queen remained seated during the service with aides taking special measures to ensure her comfort after recent heath issues

Queen Máxima and King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands left the service at Westminster Abbey arm-in-arm 

Despite her frailty, Queen Elizabeth II stands during a Service of Thanksgiving for the life of the Duke of Edinburgh, at Westminster Abbey today

Her Majesty was determined to be amongst the 1,800 guests despite the 95-year-old’s mobility problems that have prevented her doing a major public engagement away from Windsor Castle in nearly six months. The Tindalls were the first close family to arrive, followed Princess Anne, the Wessexes, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla and then the Cambridges, who were with their children George and Charlotte. The Queen was the last to arrive with Andrew.

It was a move that royal watchers believe may have upset her son Prince Charles and grandson Prince William – both instrumental in the decision to take away the Duke of York’s ‘HRH’.

The Queen chose her second son to join her in the back of her royal car for the 22-mile journey and he was also given a front row in the church, right next to his other siblings at the service just weeks after he paid millions to one of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex slaves, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who accused him of having sex with her three times when she was trafficked to London aged 17.

The Queen’s state limousine arrived at Poets’ Yard entrance with Andrew sat beside her. As they walked through the famous section of the abbey towards her seat, in a small procession, the monarch held onto her son’s elbow with her left hand and had a walking stick in her right.

They walked at a slow but steady pace both looking ahead, and at the end of the aisle they separated – with Andrew giving a last glance to his mother as she turned right. After the first hymn, Charles, who was sat next to her mother, could be seen leaning over to speak to the Queen seated next to him – but it is not clear what was said. The Queen then delved into her black Launer handbag for her glasses to read the order of service.

After the 40 minute service, Her Majesty was escorted out of the abbey by the Duke of York. As the monarch stopped to greet Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award holder Doyin Sonibare, Andrew stood back and at one point broke into a smile.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall were the first to leave Westminster Abbey alongside the abbey’s chapter.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge followed. All four royals waved at the crowd outside as they were driven away in black cars.

Money rains on Actress, Joke Jigan as she celebrates her birthday in grand style – See Photos and Video from the Birthday Party – Madailygist

The Washington Post said Friday that it had “repurposed and updated” a story containing joking comments made by Vice President Kamala Harris about prison inmates begging for water.

The Post’s 2019 Harris feature formerly contained comments wherein Harris compared her life on the campaign trail to the trials of prison inmates.

Reason first published the excerpt that The Post removed.

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The excerpt describes Harris and her sister Maya preparing for a Democratic debate in a “beach-facing hotel suite” in Miami. Harris recalls walking on the beach with her husband and taking a SoulCycle class.

“That kind of stuff,” Kamala said between sips of iced tea, “which was about bringing a little normal to the days, that was a treat for me.”

“I mean, in some ways it was a treat,” Maya said. “But not really.”

“It’s a treat that a prisoner gets when they ask for, ‘A morsel of food please,’” Kamala said shoving her hands forward as if clutching a metal plate, her voice now trembling like an old British man locked in a Dickensian jail cell. “‘And water! I just want wahtahhh….’ Your standards really go out the f—ing window.”

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Kamala burst into laughter.

The Post did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation, but its communications manager Molly Gannon Coway told Reason on Thursday that  “we repurposed and updated some of our strong biographical pieces about both political figures.”

“The profile of Maya Harris was updated with new reporting, as noted online, using the existing URL,” she continued. “The original story remains available in print.”

Content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of their original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.

A version of this article appeared on the Daily Caller News Foundation website.

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