The face of the iconic Mr Bean character– Rowan Atkinson– opined on online cancel culture and shared the downsides of physical comedy in an interview with UK outlet Radio Times. Atkinson 65, further spoke about the formula about the success of Mr Bean.

While describing the impact cancel culture has had on the online community, Rowan Atkinson vouched for consideration of different opinions before mobbing on any entity.  Cancel culture – a concept that originated in 2017 as New York Times reported– refers to ‘withdrawal of support for public figures and companies after they have done or said something considered objectionable or offensive. Cancel culture is generally discussed as being performed on social media in the form of group shaming’, dictionary.com says.

Referring to the problems the one-mindedness of online communities have created, Atkinson said, “The problem we have online is that an algorithm decides what we want to see, which ends up creating a simplistic, binary view of society. It becomes a case of either you’re with us or against us. And if you’re against us, you deserve to be ‘canceled.’

“It’s important that we’re exposed to a wide spectrum of opinion, but what we have now is the digital equivalent of the medieval mob roaming the streets looking for someone to burn. So it is scary for anyone who’s a victim of that mob and it fills me with fear about the future,” he added.

The British actor, creator of the Mr Bean concept played the title role from 1990 until 1995. He came up with a series if films later in 1997 and Mr Bean’s Holiday (2007), marked the last of the series. However, playing a ‘child in a grown man’ character’, as Rowan describes the concept comes with responsibility.

“I don’t much enjoy playing him. The weight of responsibility is not pleasant. I find it stressful and exhausting, and I look forward to the end of it. Having made an animated TV series, we’re now in the foothills of developing an animated movie for ‘Mr. Bean’ — it’s easier for me to perform the character vocally than visually,” Atkinson said.

The actor also visited his Christmas special character called Blackadder, he played between 1982 and 1989. He won the BAFTA for best light entertainment performance for the BBC show in 1989.

“I don’t actually like the process of making anything — with the possible exception of ‘Blackadder,’ because the responsibility for making that series funny was on many shoulders, not just mine. But ‘Blackadder’ represented the creative energy we all had in the ’80s. To try to replicate that 30 years on wouldn’t be easy,” Rowan Atkinson added.

The stand up comedian turned actor was last seen on screen in 2018 in action comedy-  Johnny English Strikes Again.