‘Joker’ Director Todd Phillips Said He Left Comedy Because Of 'Woke Culture'
“Joker” director Todd Phillips seems frustrated that his signature brand of bro humor isn’t cool anymore.
The director who made a name for himself with comedies like 2003’s “Old School” and 2009’s “The Hangover” told Vanity Fair for its November cover story that he is leaving comedy behind because of “woke culture.”
Phillips said in the feature published Tuesday:
“Go try to be funny nowadays with this woke culture. There were articles written about why comedies don’t work anymore — I’ll tell you why, because all the fucking funny guys are like, ’Fuck this shit, because I don’t want to offend you. It’s hard to argue with 30 million people on Twitter. You just can’t do it, right? So you just go, ‘I’m out.’ I’m out, and you know what? With all my comedies — I think that what comedies in general all have in common — is they’re irreverent. So I go, ‘How do I do something irreverent, but fuck comedy? Oh I know, let’s take the comic book movie universe and turn it on its head with this.’ And so that’s really where that came from.”
The result was “The Joker,” a dark superhero film with little CGI and a plot that the magazine described as a “critique of Hollywood” that centers around “an alienated white guy whose failure to be funny drives him into a vengeful rage.”
People on Twitter had no time for Phillips’ remarks.
I was excited about seeing Joker until I heard Todd Phillips talk.
— Beachy Keen (@LABorn100) October 1, 2019
I don’t care if it was woke culture or whatever that did it I’m just happy Todd Phillips stopped making comedies.
— Ronald Funches (@RonFunches) October 1, 2019
The whole Todd Phillips/‘woke culture’ thing just reminds me once again that some people are alarmingly unable to separate vulgarity from bigotry
— Jason Todd Phillips (@uzionmain) October 1, 2019
Todd Phillips: waaaa woke culture is making comedy impossible
Taika Waititi: bitch I'm literally playing Hitler in a comedy and Woke Twitter loves my ass for it— Boney Ghoul-mark (@tonygoldmark) October 1, 2019
First off, shut up Todd Phillips. Second, if woke culture ruined comedy, explain George Carlin explaining punching down comedy doesn't work and Eddie Murphy apologizing for his homophobic and transphobic jokes? https://t.co/EI8LcAUlCk
— SJWPennywise Wants Nazis Banned ︽✵︽ Agent of GIRL (@mvbrat91) October 1, 2019
He's basically saying, "I don't have the talent or skill to evolve in comedy, so I'm just switching genres"
— Rocki Wingard (@RockiWingard) October 1, 2019
“Comedy is ruined,” he muttered, while deciding whether to not watch Fleabag, not watch Derry Girls, or not watch A Black Lady Sketch Show. “There’s just something about it I don’t like.” https://t.co/Q9k0MQIZAH
— Wendy Molyneux (@WendyMolyneux) October 1, 2019
Todd Phillips: “Go try to be funny nowadays with this woke culture.” The Good Place, Barry, Fleabag, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Curb Your Enthusiasm, BoJack Horseman, Bob's Burger's, Rick and Morty and Schitt's Creek are all managing, but okay, Todd.
— Dan Selcke (@Dan_Selcke) October 1, 2019
And although some may argue that the backlash against Phillips proves the director’s point, is it really a bad thing that people don’t want to watch comedies riddled with homophobic slurs and simulated baby masturbation anymore?
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.