Wanda Sykes lays bare perception of cancel culture

While many of the comedians in her circle have tribulations over cancel culture, Wanda Sykes said she is not worried.

 In a new interview with the Guardian, the 59-year-old explained that cancel culture was a new form of accountability.

In a different perspective to the cancel culture discourse, Sykes put out the idea that people who may be offended by it are the ones who want to say something to target someone however, this culture is putting a stop to it.

"To me, the whole complaint about cancel culture is a lot of men — especially straight men — who are just pissed that they can’t say things anymore, y’know?" Sykes explained. 

"And it’s not like you can't say these things. You can say them, but now there’s just consequences. So that’s why I say I can’t get canceled. Only God can say: ‘All right, Wanda, that’s enough.’"

In her new Netflix special, I’m an Entertainer, for instance, she talked about the transgender community which has traditionally be used by comedians as a target, however, she did not make them the butt of her jokes.

She said, "I welcome my trans sisters into the ladies’ room, Maybe you’ll make us do better, y’know?"

The comedian divulged her view in the interview, that she "wants the community to know that I’m with them. I think it’s important to let people know where you stand, especially with all the comments everyone else has been making."

She also cut herself off from Roseanne Barr when the latter went on news for racist comments on a senior member of Obama administration. 

At that time, Sykes was the consulting producer and writer on The Connors which was a reboot of Barr’s sitcom. In retaliation, she left the show and stated that there is no feud between her and Barr, even though the latter was fired.

Sykes does not fear being ‘cancelled’ in today’s cultural climate. 

"I think it’s just knowing who you are and what you will say and won’t say," she said. 

Out as a lesbian at 44 years, Sykes had a fear of being targeted then. 

But eventually, breaking the news was liberating for her as she now shares 14-year-old twins with her wife Alex.

"You don’t want to be on stage trying to be funny and having that other little piece of your brain being occupied by: ‘Are they gonna find out? What if I slip up?’ Now I’m just 100% there."