“I don’t know how else to say it”: Marvel Star Julia Louis-Dreyfus Blasts Jerry Seinfeld for His Increasingly Disturbing Takes on Comedy to Keep Himself Relevant
Things might get a little awkward between former sitcom co-stars Jerry Seinfeld and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. The two comedians worked together for nine seasons on Seinfeld (1989 – 1998), which was a huge success. Seinfeld played the fictionalized version of himself and Louis-Dreyfus played Elaine Benes, Jerry’s ex-girlfriend and close friend.
Seinfeld has recently made headlines for saying that political correctness is ruining comedy. However, Louis-Dreyfus doesn’t seem to be a fan of these comments. In a new interview, she called them upsetting.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus Believes Jokes on Politics Must Evolve
Actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus, famous for her clever jokes in shows like Veep, agreed that making fun of politics can be tricky these days. She said what people find funny changes over time, and jokes that were okay 30 years ago might not be funny anymore, or even considered rude.
Louis-Dreyfus added this doesn’t mean comedy can’t be good. She believes it’s actually a sign of progress that we’re more careful about what we joke about. The 63-year-old said in an interview with The New York Times:
I think to have an antenna about sensitivities is not a bad thing. It doesn’t mean that all comedy goes out the window as a result.
This comes after Jerry Seinfeld, known for his jokes about everyday life, recently complained that comedians can’t make fun of things anymore because everyone is too easily offended (he calls it ‘political correctness’).
This isn’t a new complaint from comedians. Many have said similar things for years. The problem is, it’s easy to blame being careful not to offend people for a lack of funny ideas.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus Criticizes Seinfeld’s Views on Political Correctness
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jerry Seinfeld’s former co-star, has a different take than what he thinks. She said sometimes when comedians complain about being too careful not to offend anyone, it’s really because their jokes just aren’t that funny anymore. The actress continued in the same interview with NYT:
When I hear people starting to complain about political correctness — and I understand why people might push back on it — but to me that’s a red flag, because it sometimes means something else. I believe being aware of certain sensitivities is not a bad thing. I don’t know how else to say it.
Being ‘politically correct’ can mean different things to different people. It can mean using respectful language, or even just trying to be fair. But some people use it as a way to dismiss any criticism as unimportant. So, the mother of two thinks comedians might need to come up with new ideas instead of blaming political correctness.
