Julia Louis-Dreyfus shares her view on political correctness in comedy: "It's important to stay alert"
Months ago, comedian Jerry Seinfeld kicked off a heated argument online when he told the New Yorker during an interview that he believed there's no "funny stuff" to watch on TV these days. He blamed it on "the results of the extreme left and P.C. nonsense, and people being overly cautious about not offending each other."
When asked about her ex-"Seinfeld" co-star's controversial remarks in a recent New York Times interview, Louis-Dreyfus replied with some careful consideration. "I think being mindful of certain sensitivities isn't necessarily a bad thing," she said.
"If you examine comedy and drama from about 30 years ago using today's viewpoint, you might come across bits that don't hold up well over time," she continued.
Refraining from mentioning her former partner's name, Louis-Dreyfus also commented, "Whenever I hear individuals start whining about political correctness – and I can see why some might grumble – but to me, that's a caution sign, suggesting something more is at work."
During a subsequent conversation with the reporter, "Veep" star shared her further beliefs. "Political correctness, when looked at as a form of promoting tolerance, is great," she stated. "However, I still hold the right to jeer at anything that bothers me, while still respecting others' right to vocalize their opinions freely."
"I think it's best to remain vigilant," she added.
The real peril, she expressed, comes from the "concentration of both money and power in Hollywood's entertainment industry, studios, streaming services, and distributors. This turn of events, in her view, presents a much graver threat to artistic expression."
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In response to Jerry Seinfeld's comments about the lack of funny content due to political correctness, Julia Louis-Dreyfus suggested that being mindful of sensitivities isn't necessarily a bad thing in comedy. She further added that political correctness, while promoting tolerance, allows her to jeer at things that bother her while respecting others' opinions.
Despite the controversy surrounding political correctness in entertainment, Julia Louis-Dreyfus believes that the real threat to artistic expression comes from the concentration of money and power in Hollywood's entertainment industry.
