Free speech warrior Toby Young hits out at Stewart Lee for exercising his free speech over Spotify
Stewart Lee is the latest artist to pull their material from Spotify in protest at the app giving a platform to TV commentator Joe Rogan, who has been sharing misinformation about Covid-19 and the vaccine.
"For too long internet platforms have been able to spread lies with impunity"https://t.co/dK1JMJxBdI
— NME (@NME) February 2, 2022
He joins, amongst others, Neil Young and Joni Mitchell, who both suffered from polio as children, making them value vaccines from a personal as well as a social standpoint.
There was a lot of support for the move, with people tweeting comments like these.
I would listen to six hours of Stewart Lee talking about nothing but Joe Rogan. https://t.co/hNr0xKH0f1
— Danny Wallace (@dannywallace) February 2, 2022
He's not wrong. Also, good move. https://t.co/WgEfuuTFwW
— Nullen, Cockjuggling Twatsicle, Biscuit Overlord (@sfinn80) February 2, 2022
Not everyone was supportive, however.
Who’s Stewart Lee? https://t.co/VUstMpHzO2
— Kealan Flynn (@Flyck66) February 2, 2022
Comedian Stewart Lee has taken his work off Spotify in protest.
Oh no, Joe Rogan must be trembling 😂
— Chris Rose (@ArchRose90) February 2, 2022
Self described classical liberal Toby Young clambered onto his high horse to *checks notes* deliver a crushing blow to irony.
No doubt he’ll try to squeeze a column out of it, too.
These responses show what people thought of Young’s performative outrage.
1.
Thing is, he is free to take his speech wherever he wants, which is better than having to tailor your speech to whatever hate rags will have you.
— Danny Wallace (@dannywallace) February 2, 2022
2.
"This comedian has chosen to take his work off a platform that he didn't have to be on. This is anti freedom of speech. Lenny Bruce loved the Joe Rogan podcast"
— Sooz Kempner (@SoozUK) February 2, 2022
3.
I used to really like Stewart Lee. Now I’ve found he’s upsetting you and your ilk, I really, really like him.
— Spark. (@MartinS64671822) February 2, 2022
4.
Not naming names but it's always funny when thicko entitled Tory twerps who don't understand Stewart Lee start dribbling on about Stewart Lee
Job done
— Will Black (@WillBlackWriter) February 2, 2022
5.
Just when you thought you couldn't love Stewart Lee more. https://t.co/fyUt6LmRXy
— Bridget Chapman #StillFightingTheAntiRefugeeBill (@BridgeeCee) February 2, 2022
6.
Stewart Lee worrying about what Toby Young thinks of him: pic.twitter.com/9lZOgKlID4
— Yeet Pray Love (@tephramancy) February 2, 2022
7.
Right-wing Twitter having a meltdown about the end of "free speech" because Stewart Lee has chosen to take his *own* work off Spotify as a protest.
Being able to withdraw your own material as a protest is… y'know… pretty much the most basic requirement of "free speech".
— Lawrence Miles (@The_Beasthouse) February 2, 2022
8.
I see Stewart Lee has been irritating all the right people.
— Malcolm V Tucker 🏴☠️ (@Tucker5law) February 2, 2022
9.
Yeah… never has two tweets advocated Stewart Lee more pic.twitter.com/YnPi6enZSf
— Arihat تایرا (@arihat_) February 2, 2022
10.
Stewart Lee has upset Toby Young — which is another reason to love Stewart Lee. 💚 https://t.co/o0HZP5msy8
— Jo Caulfield (@Jo_Caulfield) February 2, 2022
11.
I'm sure Stewart Lee is mortified to hear of Toby Young's disapproval, how will the brand continue? 🙃
— Laz, Lazarou Monkiest of Terrors 3.5%🏳️🌈💙🚀 (@FrancisMaudeAdv) February 2, 2022
James O’Brien delivered the coup de grâce.
Stewart Lee is literally & obviously exercising his own freedom of expression here, you witless grifter. And you’ve only put “work” in quotes because it’s so long since you did any you’ve forgotten what it looks like. https://t.co/IK3E0lQ0GU
— James Oh Brien (@mrjamesob) February 2, 2022
These days, you get arrested and thrown in jail if you say Stewart Lee is like the anti-Lenny Bruce, don’t you?
READ MORE
An MP collected lockdown sceptic Toby Young’s ‘greatest hits’ and it’s quite the read
Source Toby Young Image Screengrab
