I can’t believe I’m having to say this, but Nazi salutes are not funny.
This week, David Walliams, the comedian once renowned for Little Britain and as a ubiquitous judge on Britain’s Got Talent, made two Nazi salutes while filming a comedy show, a Christmas special of Would I Lie To You for the BBC.
The story, revealed by The Times, was a wholly humiliating and thoroughly embarrassing act.
Call the Midwife actress and Walliams’ teammate on the show, Helen George, was telling a tale about spraining her wrist after waving too much on the Strictly Come Dancing tour, before demonstrating the wave.
That’s when Walliams ‘joined in with increasingly vigorous waves, culminating in him holding his arm out in a Nazi salute’. He then repeated it, with a ‘sexual twist’, essentially mocking its brutal origins.
Audience members reportedly gasped, fellow panellists looked uncomfortable, and the host, Rob Brydon, was forced to reprimand him. The BBC has since confirmed the footage will never air, calling the gesture ‘completely unacceptable,’ and the production company quickly repeated those sentiments.
To put it simply: I believe he has crossed a line. So he must be shunned from our screens.
Walliams has been treading a tightrope of controversy for decades, with a pattern of behaviour that must ultimately be held to account.
His comedy – particularly Little Britain – has been rightly criticised for racist stand-up and blackface. Something once celebrated as being edgy or irreverent now just exists as an embarrassing reminder of how the entertainment business once had so much less to answer for in terms of its power.
Both Walliams and Lucas have since apologised for these portrayals, stating they regretted playing ‘characters of other races’, adding: ‘we want to make it clear that it was wrong and we are very sorry.’
In more recent times, Walliams stepped down from being a judge on Britain’s Got Talent after tapes were released in which he made ‘disrespectful comments’ about contestants on the show. He apologised at the time, explaining they were private conversations that were ‘never intended to be shared’ but that he was ‘sorry’ nevertheless.
And who can forget, HarperCollins – the publisher of his book, The World’s Worst Children – removed a short story about a Chinese character called Brian Wong after accusations of ‘casual racism’. As far as I can see, Walliams didn’t apologise for this, but the publisher said: ‘In consultation with our author and illustrator [Tony Ross] we can confirm that a new story will be written to replace “Brian Wong”.’
Quite a list.
So when Walliams does a Nazi salute, even when it was an attempt at humour – a symbol of hate, genocide, and oppression – it isn’t just a bad taste and off-colour remark. In my view, it’s the record of someone who has repeatedly failed to listen or to know boundaries, after facing repercussions previously.
And as far as I can see, he hasn’t apologised or even addressed this latest controversy yet.
It’s not ‘cancel culture’ – as Walliams himself contended last year, calling it ‘exhausting’ – no, it’s a matter of responsibility.
It’s about the obligation that comes with having a public voice and the very real consequences of downplaying serious wrongdoings.
Bigger picture counts too. Globally, populism on the far-right is increasing, while fascist imagery and language are slowly reasserting themselves in popular culture.
So a celebrity performing an offhand Nazi salute – even in what looks like a lighthearted setting and from someone who is not racist – is not an innocent nostalgic gesture or a misguided effort at humour. In my view, it’s hate normalisation.
In my opinion, Walliams’ faux pas are a sure sign that he must be blacklisted on TV. It is not a matter of censoring comedy or stifling free speech, but more of not giving a forum to one who has violated the social line of decency and decorum.
The BBC refusing to air the video was right, but not far enough. Walliams must not have access to the same forums that made him famous until he shows genuine accountability and respect to marginalised communities in Britain.
It’s not a witch hunt or social media outrage-driven over response. It’s a call for standards – ones that I believe Walliams has repeatedly fallen short of.
By continuing to grant him airtime, broadcasters send the message that his behaviour is acceptable as long as the perpetrator is a big enough name.
Blacklisting David Walliams would be an absolute, necessary step towards sending the message that this kind of behavior is not going to be tolerated. It’s about protecting the cultural topography from people who would belittle and hate others.
If the BBC and other broadcasters who work with Walliams can commit – if they haven’t already – to not including him on TV, radio, or any other media appearances in the future, the world would be much better off.
It’s about standing together with people who are targeted by these kinds of words and actions. And it’s about getting the record straight that being ‘funny’ is no excuse for causing hurt or being hateful.
The time for excuses is over. The show has come to a close.
Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk.
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