Bill Engvall, who is stepping away from standup comedy to become a minister, is speaking out this week to reveal the problem with cancel culture, and to explain why it has no business being in the comedy world.
Bill Engvall is celebrating his 66th birthday today! pic.twitter.com/EDbu2AHVHp
— WNDU (@16NewsNow) July 27, 2023
Engvall Torches Cancel Culture
Engvall, 66, can’t stand the fact that comedians have been subject to cancel culture over their jokes in recent years.
“Comedy is the best thing in the world and to be able to go to a place and laugh,” he told Fox News. “Don’t go with the attitude that you’re gonna try to find something that’s offensive. If that’s what you’re wanting to do, then I don’t know where to tell you to go, but just please don’t do it at a comedy show.”
“Cause comedy is great,” he continued. “And it’s very fun. And it’s fun to laugh, and you feel better after you’ve had a great night of comedy. So don’t … put it under the microscope too much.”
Engvall went on to explain that comedians use real-life circumstances to inspire their material.
“It’s just their view on real life,” he added. “Understand that that’s their view. They’re not saying you have to think this way, or you’re wrong.”
Engvall is currently promoting his final standup comedy special “Here’s Your Sign, It’s Finally Time – My Last Show,” which is set to premiere next month. Check out a trailer for that special in the video below.
Related: Joan Rivers’ Daughter Reveals What Comedian Would Have Thought About Cancel Culture
Engvall Becomes A Minister
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Engvall studied at Grand Canyon University, where he got a degree in Christian studies.
“You know, I always considered myself probably a what we used to call a C&E — you know, church was Christmas and Easter,” he said with a laugh. “I have become an ordained minister. I have the great honor of baptizing both my grandkids, and I’ve got a couple of weddings coming up. And it’s just really, really fun.”
When asked if some of his comedy goes against his relationship with God, Engvall responded by saying that it’s all subjective.
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“My relationship with God — and I feel like one of the problems that we’ve had in religion is that we all feel like we all have to have the same relationship with God, which we don’t,” he said. “Mine will be different than yours. Yours would be different than someone else’s.”
“So I try to, you know, keep it along those lines,” he continued. “I don’t like to, I don’t tell anybody what they should or shouldn’t believe. That’s not my position … or my place to do that.”
“And now there are people that are gonna say, ‘Oh, my gosh, I can’t believe you did this, and you said that.’ And I’m like, ‘Wait a minute … this is about you. This isn’t about me.’ You know?” Engvall added. “So, yeah, it doesn’t affect my relationship. And I don’t feel hypocritical at all in … what I say and what people believe. So, it’s been a fairly easy line to walk.”
Remember “here’s your sign “ from Bill Engvall in the late ‘90’s? Well every time I see someone by themselves in a car or outside with a mask this immediately comes to mind. Am I the only one? pic.twitter.com/oevdVVWyDq
— Michael SUPERSTAR (@ekimental) June 10, 2021
Engvall Ready To Leave Comedy World
When it comes to stepping away from standup comedy, Engvall has no regrets.
“When I was first starting out in the business … I couldn’t wait to get out on the road. You know, I’d be packed two or three days before I had to leave. … It used to be the show outweighed the road as far as the amount of fun I had,” he said. “I started realizing that the road was making it a little more difficult.”
“I wanted to go out on my terms. … I didn’t want to end up being the grouchy old man,” he added. “The whole show was just me complaining about stuff. … I knew it was getting to be time.”
One of the biggest factors in Engvall’s decision has been his grandchildren.
“It seemed like I was missing out on stuff … the same kind of stuff I had missed out on with my kids. … But I didn’t want to go through that again,” he stated. “I wanted to be able to really spend time with my kids and my wife and our grandkids. And so I just knew. It was one of those things you just kind of know.”
Bill Engvall (comedian, “Blue Collar Comedy) pic.twitter.com/SS17qknrgQ
— Hells Kitchen Staff (@VipHells) January 30, 2020
Engvall’s special is set to premiere on December 5 and it will be available to purchase or rent on platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV and YouTube, as well as cable providers. If you love his brand of comedy as much as we do, be sure to check it out!
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