Athena's Cancel Culture

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Athena's Cancel Culture: Episode 1

Episode 1

BBC Radio 4 - Athena's Cancel Culture, Episode 1

Comedian Athena Kugblenu looks at the cultural phenomenon of cancelling the famous.

4 Extra Debut. Comedienne Athena Kugblenu looks at the cultural phenomenon of cancelling the famous. With James McNicholas. From 2021.

Over the last few years, if a celebrity has ever said or done anything remotely controversial, then they've probably been cancelled.  

Largely performed through social media, some describe it as necessary evil to help democratise the internet and reflect the expectancy of an artist’s audience, for others it’s just a chance to shut up gobby celebs!   

Whatever your view, it certainly helps empower fans by diminishing celebrity cultural capital and helping keep their egos and opinions in check. It's a growing phenomenon that's left almost no one unscathed, from comedians and actors to musicians and TV hosts.  

It’s also happening to the not so famous - remember the cat bin lady?

With stand up and sketch comedy, Athena explores cancel culture and the world of offence in modern times.  

Over four episodes, Athena will help explain the phenomenon of cancel culture among celebrities, look at the history of offence, and offer up some cancel rules for guidance.  Athena then puts all that cancel knowledge to the test on her own social media activity from 10 years ago.   

There’s just no escape from cancel culture justice, even for Athena!

Written and performed by Athena Kugblenu.

Producer:  Gus Beattie

A Gusman production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in April 2021.

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Comedy: Sketch

Comedian Athena Kugblenu tries to explain the cultural phenomenon of cancelling the famous by examining high profile examples, and setting out some all important cancel rules.

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