John Cleese Prompts Outrage For Calling Fraser Nelson A 'Tenement Scot' On Twitter

Limmy responded with with an absolute blinder.

John Cleese has been accused of “casual racism” after describing the editor of The Spectator as a “half-educated tenement Scot”.

The article defended the paper’s use of such tactics to expose possible corruption, lamenting the demise of investigative journalism and the Leveson Inquiry’s attempt at regulating the industry.

John Cleese attends a special Tribeca Film Festival screening of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" at the Beacon Theatre on Friday, April 24, 2015, in New York.
John Cleese attends a special Tribeca Film Festival screening of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" at the Beacon Theatre on Friday, April 24, 2015, in New York.
Andy Kropa /Invision/AP

Cleese - a prominent supporter pro-Leveson reform group, Hacked Off - was alerted to the piece on Twitter prompting him to voice his opinion of the author.

@JohnCleese Have you seen Fraser Nelson's latest puffed up anti-press-censorship self-justification piece? In the Telegraph of all places!

— David Puckridge (@DavidPuckridge) October 1, 2016

Why do we let half-educated tenement Scots run our English press ? Because their craving for social status makes them obedient retainers ? https://t.co/uCXEvbZssE

— John Cleese (@JohnCleese) October 2, 2016

”Tenement” refers to high-density housing blocks in Edinburgh and Scotland, historically built to house the poor, leading to slum conditions in many parts.

Cleese’s description prompted a surge of outrage...

@JohnCleese @DavidPuckridge John I'm afraid your credibility is as alive as that Norwegian Blue. Woeful stuff!

— James Dornan SNP (@glasgowcathcart) October 2, 2016

Hi @JohnCleese Here is 'Windows in the West', a portrait of a Glasgow tenement. I think you owe this building, & other tenements, an apology pic.twitter.com/5s8RFnsIFn

— Michael Gray (@GrayInGlasgow) October 2, 2016

One Scot and fellow comedian, Limmy, took a more lighthearted approach to the unfolding drama.

I've read that John Cleese might have said something, let me see. Join me as I discover a Twitter outrage LIVE. First, the trends...

— Limmy (@DaftLimmy) October 3, 2016

John Cleese being snobby about Scots isnae a surprise, Monty Python took the piss out of Scots tons of times. I don't really care, though.

— Limmy (@DaftLimmy) October 3, 2016

It's comforting to see somebody as educated and intelligent as John Cleese say something so ignorant. I don't know why.

— Limmy (@DaftLimmy) October 3, 2016

Maybe I sometimes wish I was one of these well read academic cunts like John Cleese, then I see that it disnae really matter.

— Limmy (@DaftLimmy) October 3, 2016

To conclude, my outrage level at John Cleese on a scale of 1-10 is 3.

— Limmy (@DaftLimmy) October 3, 2016

. @JohnCleese IM SCOTISH COME TO GLASGOW AND TRY SAYIN TGAT TO MY FUCKIN FACE YA DIRTY ENGLISH CUNT FUCK TEH QUEEN 🔪

— Limmy (@DaftLimmy) October 3, 2016

Amongst the wider public however, the Monty Python star was accused of elitism.

@JohnCleese @DavidPuckridge that's a bit upper class and classless John.

— Larry Malley (@Lardo9) October 2, 2016

Both ? That's a remarkable achievement

Seriously,I'd rather have educated,cultured and intelligent people in charge. Sorry for the elitism https://t.co/4MxADl47Tb

— John Cleese (@JohnCleese) October 2, 2016

After accusations of “casual racism”, Cleese tried to defend his choice of words.

@JohnCleese @DavidPuckridge Whoh! Enough with the casual racism John. You're better than that.

— dengland (@dengland) October 2, 2016

It's not casual racism,it's considered culturalism

— John Cleese (@JohnCleese) October 2, 2016

Though this explanation failed to placate his critics.

@JohnCleese No, it is racism and xenophobia and you have just managed to ruin a lot of work I used to enjoy, you utter plonker.

— J. R. Tomlin (@JRTomlinAuthor) October 2, 2016

@JRTomlinAuthor @JohnCleese He has literally tarnished his entire career to a large section of his fans. Twit.

— Peter (@racshade42) October 2, 2016

The conversation quickly turned political with one person drawing parallels between Nelson - born in Nairn, Scotland - running the Spectator to English politicians running the UK.

.@JohnCleese Why do we Scots let idiotic, xenophobic English people run our country? Another good question.

— Lewis Robertson (@louisfleetwood) October 2, 2016

Another good question is : why are there no English journalists running Scottish newspapers. Xenophobia ? https://t.co/LOdcjtC9C9

— John Cleese (@JohnCleese) October 2, 2016

Despite changing the subject to the political situation in the USA, Scottish social media users were not going to let him get away.

How splendid that Trump is assembling, as his closest advisers, the ultimate list of A-list Assholes ?
Christie,Ailes,Giuliani and Hannity

— John Cleese (@JohnCleese) October 2, 2016

@JohnCleese nah, nah, nah don't change the subject. What have you got against Scots, John?

— findo (@Findlay_Young) October 2, 2016

Only that a tiny percentage of them are rather chippy https://t.co/BZyiMrkha9

— John Cleese (@JohnCleese) October 3, 2016

Then there was this gem from Scotland Editor of The Spectator, Alex Massie.

pic.twitter.com/SH682IQriL

— alexmassie (@alexmassie) October 3, 2016

Nelson himself responded to the furore by pointing out an irony in Cleese’s argument.

Scottish political twitter united in revulsion at John Cleese slagging off Fraser Nelson. Didn't see that coming.

— David Clegg (@davieclegg) October 2, 2016

@davieclegg funny thing is that the Spectator was created by someone who Cleese would disparage as a tenement Scot.

— Fraser Nelson (@FraserNelson) October 2, 2016

Cleese has been consistently vocal in his criticism of the press since the launch of the Leveson Inquiry.

In August the Daily Mail ran a piece on his “pot belly”, prompting a possibly brutal response.

Using pictures of the 76-year-old on a recent shopping trip, the piece said:

He was stick thin while playing his most famous character Basil Fawlty.

But John Cleese revealed a considerable paunch while out shopping inLondon recently.

Wearing an unflatteringly tight-fitting t-shirt, the 76-year-old was unable to disguise his rather large beer belly while walking among shoppers.

Unsurprisingly, Cleese was having none of it and in typically unrestrained fashion insinuated he hoped the paper’s editor, Paul Dacre’s next heart-attack “would be his last”.

I see the Mail is shaming my fatness. Fair comment. Plump at the O2,and much worse since the Shingles and the Arthritis. Must try harder...

— John Cleese (@JohnCleese) August 2, 2016

However,it's also true that Paul Dacre,editor of the Mail,is ahead of me in the Heart Attack stakes,by 5-0.Let's hope his next is his last

— John Cleese (@JohnCleese) August 2, 2016

HuffPost reader opinion:

@HuffPostUK it is a pure racist statement. Change Scot to black & see how it reads. @JohnCleese

— Gerry McGregor (@Gerry_McGregor) October 3, 2016

@HuffPostUK Take that!.. You lower class Scottish People.... #VeryNaughtyBoy pic.twitter.com/pjVqSAhC9T

— george (@Geo77ge) October 3, 2016
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