Bill Maher blasts cancel culture against former Mumford & Sons banjo player
Comedian Bill Maher referenced former Mumford & Sons banjo player Winston Marshall's brush with cancel culture in 2021 as an example of the "woke revolution."
Former Mumford & Sons banjo player Winston Marshall corrected comedian Bill Maher’s monologue about woke culture that used him as an example Saturday.
Maher attacked what he referred to as the "woke revolution" of far-left extremists censoring and "canceling" things against their political leanings in a viral clip on Friday and included Marshall’s brush with cancel culture in 2021.
"Here’s a cute example from a couple of years ago. The banjo player from Mumford & Sons tweeted that he liked a book, a book that apparently had not been approved by the revolution. So of course he had to delete the tweet then take time away from the band. Oh my God, you mean that this could have affected Mumford & Sons? And then the cringing apology: ‘I have come to better understand the pain caused by the book I endorsed.’ Pain? From a book? Unless he hit the drummer over the head with it," Maher said.
He added, "Whatever happened to ‘I can read whatever the f--- I want?’ Don’t worry, I’m a musician. It won’t happen again."
Bill Maher discusses cancel culture targeting former Mumford & Sons banjo player Winston Marshall. (HBO)
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Marshall himself responded to the clip, pointing out what happened next.
"For the record, @billmaher, I retracted the apology and quit the band," Marshall tweeted.
Marshall came under fire in 2021 after tweeting out support for journalist Andy Ngo’s book "Unmasked: Inside Antifa’s Radical Plan to Destroy Democracy," calling it "important" and Ngo "brave." After the comments went viral, Marshall initially penned a lengthy statement apologizing for his support of the book, revealing his intentions to step away from the band.
However, a few months after the statement, Marshall noted that he received further backlash and announced he would be officially leaving the band to be able to "speak freely" about political issues.
Since then, Marshall has hosted a podcast called "Marshall Matters" for The Spectator where he discusses more taboo topics.
Singer Winston Marshall of Mumford and Sons performs onstage during the KROQ Absolut Almost Acoustic Christmas 2019 at Honda Center on December 08, 2019 in Anaheim, California. (Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
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Marshall’s response to Maher as well as his decision to retract the apology was praised by social media users, some of whom may not have otherwise heard the full story.
"Good," WalkUp Foundation founder Ryan Petty replied to Marshall's recent tweet.
American Enterprise Institute senior fellow Christina Sommers tweeted, "So glad to hear this!"
"Never apologise. It only makes them come back for more," former BBC TV presenter Ian Macwhirter tweeted.
Boxcar CEO Joe Colangelo remarked, "I never understood what you were apologizing for in the first place."
"The trouble is, Maoism has not quit the West," reporter Jim Stinson wrote.
Ngo himself responded to the tweet writing, "I feel helpless in only being able to say sorry for the ways you were made to suffer for expressing support for my book. I never took your tweet for granted. You’re incredibly brave & that’s why you were targeted in that industry."
Winston Marshall left the band Mumford & Sons after facing backlash for praising a book by Andy Ngo in 2021. (Tim Mosenfelder/WireImage)
In an interview with Fox News Digital in November, Marshall commented on the aftermath since leaving the band.
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"No point in having regrets," he told Fox News Digital. "One needs to move forward and look forward in life. Things are what they are, and I’m enjoying the work I’m now doing very much."