Seinfeld Takes Back Comments on Comedy and Politics

In a recent podcast appearance, Jerry Seinfeld, known for his roles in Seinfeld and Bee Movie, retracted earlier statements he made about political correctness harming comedy. "I did an interview with The New Yorker, and I said that the extreme left has suppressed the art of comedy," he told Tom Papa on the latest episode of Breaking Bread. "I did say that. That's not true. It's not true."

Seinfeld was referencing an April interview on The New Yorker Radio Hour Podcast, where he discussed the rising popularity of stand-up comedy over network sitcoms. He attributed this shift to what he called the "extreme left" and "PC crap," suggesting that audiences now prefer stand-up because it isn't subject to the same restrictions as scripted shows. "The audience polices us. We know when we're off-track, and we adjust," he explained.

However, during his conversation with Papa, he distanced himself from those views. He used an analogy involving Lindsey Vonn, a champion skier, to illustrate his point: "If you're a champion skier, you can put the gates anywhere you want on the mountain. She's going to make the gate. That's comedy," he said, emphasizing that comedians must adapt to cultural changes while still finding their own way to create.

Seinfeld acknowledged that culture evolves and that certain words are no longer acceptable, but he believes that this should not inhibit a comedian's ability to perform. "You can't just make broad claims about large groups," he stated. He clarified, "I don't think the extreme left has done anything to inhibit the art of comedy. I'm officially taking that back."

Additionally, he addressed his earlier remarks about masculinity, where he mentioned missing "dominant masculinity." In a May interview with Bari Weiss, he explained, "What I really meant was I miss big personalities," referencing figures like Muhammad Ali, Sean Connery, and Howard Cosell as icons he admired growing up.

Seinfeld expressed nostalgia for bold personalities in pop culture, lamenting that people tend to conform to avoid offense. "I miss George C. Scott and these gigantic personalities," he said, acknowledging that while toxic masculinity is not desirable, larger-than-life figures bring excitement.

The director of Unfrosted remarked that he hadn’t held back his opinions during promotional events for his Pop-Tarts movie, assuming no one was paying attention. "I didn’t know that people care what comedians say. Who cares what a comedian thinks about anything? The fun part of being a comedian is to say whatever you want," he noted, highlighting the freedom he felt in his craft.