Daily London
Comic icon Ben Elton has vehemently supported the Albanese government’s looming restrictions on social media and says it has made him a “proud Australian”.
He has also argued strongly for net zero and suggested it is time to dump warning labels on alcohol.
Elton has never been the type of man to leave you wondering what he thinks of the world and at times that has made him into something of a trouble magnet.
A dual Australian-British citizen, he lives in Australia and is famous for a cutting-edge style of comedy in TV series like The Young Ones and Black Adder.
That, and for stating views which can irritate mainstream media.
This week on my podcast, Neil Mitchell Asks Why?, he was true to form.
In a few weeks, laws take force in Australia restricting social media to people over 16.
Although broadly supported, the laws have also been criticised as tokenistic and clumsy.
As is tradition on the podcast, I asked Elton what he would do if he were king of the country – no parliament, no opinion polls.
“I would carry on with what I think is a wonderful, brave decision by the current government to tackle the curse of social media depriving young people of their childhood,” he said.
“There’s no simple solution to such an invasive and ubiquitous thing, but we have to grasp the nettle.
“And I think I’m proud, as an Australian, that our government, uniquely in the world, has had the guts to stand up to the tech bros and say we will not let children’s imaginations be stolen on our watch if we can possibly avoid it.”
The danger of climate change, too, would be high on his agenda as it has been for many years.
“I would double down on net zero because I think the fact we aren’t the biggest carbon consumer in the world does not negate our responsibility to do our bit for what is undoubtedly an existential crisis facing humanity – which is that we are in the process of destroying our own house, which is the planet we live on.”
Elton is an extraordinary talent.
He has written 16 novels and has now released his autobiography, This Is What I’ve Done.
It covers his early career and success – The Loved Ones was his first TV series – and friendships with people like George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Stephen Fry and Dawn French.
He also explains his fractious relationship with some press and his reaction to unflattering reviews of his work, which also includes five West End plays.
“I’ve had a fair few pastings in my time.
“And I think not always fairly, sometimes perhaps fairly, but it’s always hurtful.
“I’ve never talked about it in the past because it’s not of interest to the public.
“Why would they care that I’ve been kind of personally attacked a fair few times?
“Often what purports to be a review of my work is really a sledging of me. Um, and yeah, it’s hard.”
For that reason, he refuses to use any social media, although it would be a handy promotional tool.
“Having been trolled in the old media on and off for 40 years, I certainly didn’t want to make myself available because now trolling is universal.
“Now, kids at school get trolled when they turn their phone on.”
And a final act as King of the World?
“I would stop putting warnings on alcohol because I love it. And, and whilst I don’t mind them doing it with the fags, I’m sick of being told off every time I have a drink.
“You can’t have a world which tries to legislate against all things that could be problematic for me.
“Having a drink is a wonderful part of my life.
“I don’t consider it to be dysfunctional if it knocks a couple of years off my life, as I’m being told by health experts, it will. I’m telling you, it’s only the last two years.
“And having watched both my parents die, probably a little bit too late, because medical science keeps us all alive longer than our brains or our bodies, frankly, I’m quite happy to miss those two years.
“So yeah, I’d probably draw a line under any more blooming drink responsibly and drink safe adverts because I’m sick of being ticked off every time I have a nice beer at the end of a day’s work.”
Neil Mitchell’s podcast is posted at 6am each Tuesday.
