Con The Fruiterer actor Mark Mitchell, 65, takes a swipe at 'cancel culture'... after comedian Chris Lilley's shows were pulled from Netflix

By Daily Mail Australia Reporter

Published: | Updated:

Mark Mitchell is best known for playing Con The Fruiterer on the late 1980s hit show The Comedy Company. 

And now the 65-year-old actor has taken a swipe at people 'cancelling' older televisions series that don't align with more modern politically correct views.

Speaking to The Herald Sun on Thursday, Mark defended comedy shows like Little Britain and Summer Heights High, claiming they were a 'product of the time' and shouldn't be retroactively condemned.

Vocal: On Thursday, actor and comedian Mark Mitchell, 65, took a swipe at 'cancel culture'... after Chris Lilley's shows were pulled from Netflix. Pictured as Con The Fruiterer

Vocal: On Thursday, actor and comedian Mark Mitchell, 65, took a swipe at 'cancel culture'... after Chris Lilley's shows were pulled from Netflix. Pictured as Con The Fruiterer

Mark portrayed the Greek-Australian grocer and his wife Marika on The Comedy Company from 1988 to 1990.

But while many of the jokes don't translate today, Mark claimed he was a 'hero' to migrant Australians at the time. 

'Let those who wish to condemn Con, now, go for it,' Mark told the publication. 

No laughing matter: Speaking to the Herald Sun, Mark (pictured) defended comedy shows like Little Britain and Summer Heights High, claiming they were a 'product of the time' and shouldn't be retroactively condemned

No laughing matter: Speaking to the Herald Sun, Mark (pictured) defended comedy shows like Little Britain and Summer Heights High, claiming they were a 'product of the time' and shouldn't be retroactively condemned 

'They will never erase the countless happy moments I experienced with the audience and with migrant Australians for whom Con was a, dare I say, hero in his own suburban, even mundane way.' 

'Con was an archetype of the new Australian who did well, made a successful life for himself and made suburban Australia better for his personality and family and joie de vivre,' Mark said. 

He explained his character Con received 'enormously high approval' ratings among Greek Australians, according to a Greek newspapers poll at the time. 

'Con was an archetype of the new Australian': While many of the jokes don't translate today, Mark claimed he was a 'hero' to migrant Australians at the time

'Con was an archetype of the new Australian': While many of the jokes don't translate today, Mark claimed he was a 'hero' to migrant Australians at the time

Mark, who went on to play real estate agent Harold Gribble on the beloved children's series Round the Twist, said context of the time is needed for comedy shows.   

It comes after Chris Lilley's controversial mockumentary comedies have been removed from Netflix in light of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Jonah From Tonga, Angry Boys, Summer Heights High and We Can Be Heroes have been taken down from their services in Australia and New Zealand. 

Controversial: In the past, those shows raised questions about racial discrimination as several of the characters were portrayed in blackface and brownface. On Angry Boys, Chris Lilley portrayed African-American rapper S.mouse (pictured) and performed a song called 'Squashed N****'

Controversial: In the past, those shows raised questions about racial discrimination as several of the characters were portrayed in blackface and brownface. On Angry Boys, Chris Lilley portrayed African-American rapper S.mouse (pictured) and performed a song called 'Squashed N****'

In the past, those shows raised questions about racial discrimination as several of the characters were portrayed in blackface and brownface. 

On Angry Boys, he portrayed African-American rapper S.mouse and performed a song called 'Squashed N****'.

For Jonah From Tonga, he painted his face brown and wore a curly wig to portray troubled teen Jonah Takalua.

Raising questions: For Jonah From Tonga, he painted his face brown and wore a curly wig to portray troubled teen Jonah Takalua

Raising questions: For Jonah From Tonga, he painted his face brown and wore a curly wig to portray troubled teen Jonah Takalua

Meanwhile in We Can Be Heroes, Chris played Chinese physics student Ricky Wong. 

Despite the removal of four of his shows, Chris will still have two series available on Netflix - Ja'mie: Private School Girl and Lunatics, in which he dons brownface to play dog whisperer Jana Melhoopen-Jonks.  

Daily Mail Australia has approached Princess Pictures, which produced the shows for the ABC, for comment.

Available: Lunatics, in which he dons brownface to play dog whisperer Jana Melhoopen-Jonks (pictured), is still on Netflix

Available: Lunatics, in which he dons brownface to play dog whisperer Jana Melhoopen-Jonks (pictured), is still on Netflix 

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