Director Judd Apatow gave a fascinating interview to Vulture this week, revealing a glimpse into how his massively influential mind approaches the craft of comedy, as well as the industry’s intersection with politics.
Asked by David Marchese why “there been this shift in comedy toward moralizing and self-confession,” Apatow replied, “It’s because people are hungrier for honesty now, which is something they’re not getting from other places.”
“Comedians,” Apatow continued, “have no motivation to lie and almost every other public figure we encounter nowadays does. Politicians are lying to you all day long; comedians are telling you what they really feel.”
But later in the same interview, Apatow also suggested liberal politicians are more open and honest than their conservative counterparts, drawing a strange comparison between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump to illustrate his point. “Hillary Clinton’s a mess. Trump is obviously a mess. But I do think Hillary Clinton could probably talk to you about what she struggles with and the mistakes she makes. Can you imagine Donald Trump doing that?”
To the contrary, Clinton’s insincerity and reluctance to admit mistakes is pretty well-documented. But I think his larger point is correct. If most politicians are not being straightforward with the truth, and people are starved for honesty, wouldn’t the consequential honesty expressed through comedy be less partisan?
In fact, some of the best critiques of cultural liberalism have been conveyed through comedy, in standup and in movies and television. That’s why it’s so important to fortify the industry against the increasingly powerful pressures of political correctness.
There is clearly a strong market for comedic takes on politics, whether they’re from Jon Stewart or Tim Allen. Comedians today are some of the only remaining liberals willing to shrug the constraints of political correctness and broach the difficult conversations their peers should be having.
Apatow elaborated on this argument in another part of the interview as well. “I know who I am as a storyteller: I want to feel hope about people’s abilities to incrementally learn,” the standup said. “This is related to the reason why you don’t see movies and television about Republican and conservative ideas — because Republicans are trying to present themselves as correct, as clean, as Mike Pence–y. Unlike them, I want people who actually evolve.”
Drawing an unlikely comparison between Mike Pence and Lena Dunham, Apatow argued “there’s no incredible, hysterically funny show about conservatives” because “they’re too concerned about trying to present themselves as correct.”
“They’re all going, I’m not neurotic. I’m not a disaster in any way,” he contended. “They don’t admit how lost they are. There’s something dishonest to me about that; it’s living a lie.”
Certainly, liberal artists have traditionally displayed such an openness, but it’s difficult to find politicians on either side of the aisle who are not “concerned about trying to present themselves as correct” or openly admit they’re “neurotic” or “a disaster.”
This is also a very interesting contention because it seems to me that it is liberals who are increasingly obsessed with projecting images of moral purity to the world. Though Dunham resisted some calls to sanitize “Girls” of political incorrectness and has occasionally shown a willingness to engage with her liberal peers when they disagree, her censorious streak is undeniable.
But some of the best moments on “Girls” challenged liberals to better themselves. The Left needs to have more of those difficult conversations, not less. Unfortunately, they are no longer even interested in debating tough topics like abortion, a topic “Girls” explored with some success.
Conservatives will always have a harder time penetrating the arts and entertainment industry for a variety of reasons, and perhaps Apatow is right to say that’s because many, if not most of us, are uncomfortable with emotional candor.
Apatow is also right that people turn to comedians to hear the honesty they do not hear from politicians. But if a collective penchant for candor is what he values on the Left, Apatow should be very nervous about what’s happening among his peers. The greatest ideological threat to honesty in the public discourse is actually posed by those liberals who are actively smothering open debate under the blanket of political correctness.
Emily Jashinsky is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
