Actor Julia Louis-Dreyfus weighed in on the discussion of comedians complaining about political correctness and how it ruins their comedy.
In a New York Times interview, the Veep star said she didn't mind being sensitive to outdated cultural and social norms that have been egregiously normalized in the past.
The 63-year-old, who has received more awards—including the Primetime Emmy and Screen Actors Guild—than any actor in television history, also expressed that anyone who vehemently opposes political correctness raises a red flag.
Dreyfus's comments followed her Seinfeld co-star Jerry Seinfeld lamenting how the "extreme Left and P.C. crap" has ruined TV comedy back in an April interview.
“If you look back on comedy and drama both, let’s say 30 years ago, through the lens of today, you might find bits and pieces that don’t age well," Dreyfus told the newspaper in response to being asked about Seinfeld's complaint on political correctness.
The 2018 recipient of the esteemed Mark Twain Prize for American Humor said:
“And 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.”
Dreyfus continued:
“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.”
Fans agreed with her.
In April, Seinfeld lamented the challenges of finding comic relief on TV in the current P.C. climate in an interview with New Yorker's Radio Hour.
"Nothing really affects comedy. People always need it. They need it so badly and they don't get it," he said, adding:
“It used to be, you would get home at the end of the day and most people would say, ‘Oh, Cheers is on. MASH is on. Mary Tyler Moore is on. All in the Family is on."
“You just expected, ‘There’ll be some funny stuff we can watch on TV tonight.’ Well, guess what? Where is it? This is the result of the extreme left, and PC crap, and people worrying so much about offending other people.”
A month later, he was under fire for another interview with The Free Press podcast Honestly with Bari Weiss in which he said he missed the era of "dominant masculinity" and how he likes a "real man."
While Dreyfus didn't specifically associate Seinfeld with the push against political correctness, she did say:
“Of course, I reserve the right to boo anyone who says anything that offends me while also respecting their right to free speech."
Recently, Dreyfus has been the host of the Wiser Than Me podcast, where she interviews notable women older than her, typically in their 70s, on their lived experiences and acquired wisdom.
Past guests included Jane Fonda, Sally Field, comedian Carol Burnett, musician Bonnie Raitt, and authors Isabel Allende and Amy Tan.
The show was named Apple's Best Podcast of the Year in 2023 and the Webby Podcast of the Year in 2024.
