Comedian and actorJerry Seinfeldwalks back his comments about comedy being ruined by what he described as over-sensitivity. After a lengthy career in stand-up comedy that helped him rise in prominence, the star shot to fame withhis eponymous sitcomSeinfeld, which starred the comedian as a fictionalized version of himself in his daily life in New York City. Beyond the sitcom and his stand-up routines, Seinfeld has also turned his attention to directing, most recently helming 2024’s Pop-Tart creation movieUnfrosted.
After Seinfeld made controversial comments in April that accused left-wing beliefs and political correctness of causing a decline in comedy,The Daily Beastreports that the actor addresses his past statements in an upcoming episode of theBreaking Breadpodcast. Seinfeld states his previous comments were not true, and that it is up to comedians whether their material can land, explaining:
I said that the ‘extreme left’ has suppressed the art of comedy. I did say that. That’s not true. It’s not true. Whatever the culture is, we make the gate. You don’t make the gate, you’re out of the game.
Later on in the episode, Seinfeld says that comedians should avoid targeting previously controversial topics for an easier laugh based on shock value, and think about how their comedy interacts with today’s topics. This begins when he’s asked if it’s true he won’t perform on college campuses that are too politically correct. He says:
Not true. First of all, I never said it, but if you think I said it, it’s not true… So that perception that I don’t play colleges—wrong. I do, I play them all the time, and it’s not a problem. So, does culture change? And are there things I used to say that I can’t say that everybody’s always moving? Yeah, but that’s the biggest, easiest target. That accuracy of your observation has to be a hundred times finer than that. So I don’t think, as I said, the ‘extreme left’ has done anything to inhibit the art of comedy.
What Seinfeld’s New Comments Mean
The Comedian Has Seemingly Reflected On His Stance
When Seinfeld made his comments in April, various voices within the industry and across the internet were quick to weigh in on his points. While conservative pundits and far-right commentators were quick to embrace his perspective, other comedians pushed back against his claims. For example, Rob McElhenney, creator ofIt’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, challenged one of Seinfeld’s claims about his jokes, whileformerSeinfeldstar Julia Louis-Dreyfusstated Seinfeld’s comments were a “red flag.”
In response to Seinfeld claiming a certainSeinfeldjoke wouldn’t make it to air today, McElhenney referenced anIt’s Always Sunnycharacter who matches the joke.
The idea of political correctness, or just a desire to avoid mocking sensitive topics, ruining comedy has become a hot button issue in Hollywood, and Seinfeld’s initial comments seemed to put him on the side of controversial comedians and public figures. However, it seems he took the time to reflect on the point he was actually trying to make, and realized he vocalized it incorrectly. This is something of a relief, and it shows that liberal perspectives on comedy aren’t bad; it all comes down to how a comedian presents their work.
Our Take On Seinfeld’s Comments
Many Comedians Are Still Thriving Despite New Perspectives
As people like McElhenney and Louis-Dreyfus alluded to, comedy has not been hampered by any kind of over-sensitivity or political correctness. As seen withseries such asHacksandWhat We Do in the Shadows, there are comedies that can cross the line of certain taboos carefully and be transgressive without the intent to cause harm. This is something that some critics have had a difficult time grasping, and it seemed Seinfeld did as well.
It is up to creatives to adapt and learn, and, as Seinfeld now says, it comes down to how original and clever a comedian’s jokes actually are. There are ways to be funny without punching down at people who do not deserve it; comedy is thriving just fine with that sentiment. As such, it appearsSeinfeldhas reached that conclusion and now admits comedy hasn’t been destroyed by modern day perspectives after all.
