In a new interview with GQ Magazine, actor Seth Rogen has expressed remorse over homophobic jokes in his early films.
Rogen, known for films like Knocked Up and This is the End, acknowledged that he and his sense of humor have evolved since his breakout more than ten years ago. He also admits to latent homophobia in his early work, and how that will not help his movies age well over time.
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“We do not want people to feel bad when they’re watching our movies,” Rogen confessed. “I’ve had people come up to me and be like, ‘That made me feel like shit when I was in the movie theater and everyone was laughing about that.’ Like the ‘How I know you’re gay’ thing [from The 40-Year-Old Virgin], it’s something people have been like, ‘It’s not fun to be in the theater when people are laughing at that, knowing what they’re probably actually laughing at.’ And I don’t want anyone to have that experience watching our movies.”
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Rogen had expressed similar sentiments in 2016 in an interview with The Guardian. Rogen’s humor has long come under fire for insensitivity. Even co-star Katherine Heigel criticized the pair’s breakout hit Knocked Up for its attitudes about women.
Cam
Honestly I thought it was funny when Paul Rudd said he knew the other guy was guy because he marcramaed himself a pair of jean shorts.
garrettgla7
i thought it was funny…and im gay! but i guess these days people are very sensitive.
patricklee5150
I’m gay too & I’ve laughed thru all of his movies. I never felt the jokes were malicious or hateful…just funny. We have more than enough “real” enemies, we don’t need to add more who probably are actually our friends. It’s called a joke, so laugh.
patricklee5150
Often too sensitive darling.
Darsithis
I found his work funny…then. I don’t know for sure I would today, as the social landscape is moving pretty fast. What’s good is he’s apologizing now and changing rather than remaining that way.
Brian
Why is your sense of humor based on what the social landscape considers acceptable? Funny is funny.
patricklee5150
Well said.
dwes09
“Funny is funny” only goes so far. Jokes from the past that are making fun of people have not aged well. Especially those about women, lesbian and gay people, and people of color.
A good deal of the humor that depended on cruel stereotype was funny then (except to those it was aimed at) , but is not now unless you still buy into the stereotype.
I thought This is the End was hilarious, especially Channing Tatum’s cameo. And I love the send up he did with James Franco of that awful Kanye West Kim Kardashian video. Cannot comment on his other films.
ShiningSex
His movies are boring and tired, but I don’t see that they’re homophobic. There’s nothing wrong with jokes about gays, etc. when it’s understood that it’s just a joke and not coming from hate. There’s a difference. Sam Kinison came from a point of hate (and being closeted).
Doug
??? I’ve read a lot about Sam Kinison and never heard anything about his being a closeted gay man.
TheDefiler
Well, if you’re (mistakenly) apologizing for that “gay” sequence, which is hilarious (gay here too), you might as well apologize for the entire film whose premise is an entire joke on the “Incel American Community.” They are snowflaker than gay men, IMO.
Geeker
I’ve always thought Seth seemed like a nice guy and even when there was homo based humor in his films it never felt genuinely mean spirited, unlike some other comedies.
blueyedirish
Thank you for pointing this all out! Seth Rogen is basically a big slob and I’ve never really found him funny! This all proves he’s a lazy comedian picking on people with sophomoric, homophobic humor to get laughs from the low intelligence people who find it funny! Seth, you’re on my list with the puny, little black shit who lost his chance as host is the oscars, oh I can find low jokes about both these sleeze whores but I won’t lower myself to their level. I will not see any of their movies which is kinda easy given their movies suck! Hart’s latest is a poor American version of a GREAT French film, The Intouchables! See the French version, it is so much better than Hart’s film that they are advertising like mad because it’s so bad! But I digress, oh Rogen, I guess that’s so gay of me to flick around the topic like that!
Cam
Take a breath.
Rock-N-RollHS
I’ve always thought he was pretty hot. Still do.
Inspector 57
Completely agree, blueyedirish.
Alton
I saw the French Intouchables. It was melodramatic pablum (though I’m sure the American version was, too). I’m not so sure you’re the best judge of great film.
russdog
You tip your hand by referring to someone as a “little black shit”. Says a lot about you. It also undercuts your credibility when you’re arguing against someone else’s sophomoric humor which ‘picks on’ people. I’m both black and gay, so homophobia and racism affect me. You can’t use one to argue against the other and then yell “foul!” at feeling picked-on.
Inspector 57
Amen, Brother Russdog!
I mean, it’s not like the African-American community has been one of the most anti-gay influences in this society, right?!
sfconde
i seems your “outburst” IS lowering yourself to “their” level. It feels pretty hateful to throw in cheap shots. If you disagree then just disagree. that kind of hate and ugliness is just as bad.
Alton
I can excuse homophobic humor as long as it’s FUNNY. The stuff in 40 Year Old Virgin was funny. Eddie Murphy’s Mr T stuff was funny. Mel Brook’s “French Mystique” in Blazing Saddles was funny. It’s okay for comedy to be offensive. It’s only not okay if it’s offensive and not funny. Would that stuff work if it was introduced NOW? Probably not. But people who don’t consider the context of the time in which art was produced don’t understand the purpose of art. Thanks for the apology, Seth Rogen, but relax. We’re good.
patricklee5150
I agree 100%! ?
Inspector 57
Offensive is offensive, whether someone finds it funny or not.
sfconde
Totally agree Alton. Also, “offensive” is subjective. What some may find offensive, is not to others.
batesmotel
I love Seth Rogan and own many of his fratboy comedies. None of the gay innuendo was offensive to me in them. I thought it was funny and so true. He doesn’t need to apologize. Those films are great. Super hyper sensitive people aren’t going to be watching a fratboy comedy anyway. Soon nothing will be funny because everything is off limits.
Inspector 57
So us intelligent homos won’t be watching Seth Rogan’s fratboy comedies.
And that makes it okay that he fed anti-gay hate and stereotypes to his straight fans WHY?
Libertas Belle
If they can’t handle one scene in a movie by Seth, then they better not watch a whole movie with gay innuendos like “Not Another Gay Movie”. Sure, some stuff is offensive, but it’s offensive out of love.
These queens putting down Seth would be first in line to Lisa Lampanelli!
TedV
There’s no “innuendo” in Another Gay Movie. It’s in-your-face-take-back-the-power farce, written, directed, produced and distributed by gays for gays.
OhNoYouDont
Nobody is better at laughing at themselves than the gays…its what we do.
If Rogan’s Humor came out of a place of belittling or hatred it would be different.
I’ve been known to make fun of straight guys too….they laugh it off too
Gary Q VV
This topic lends to the fiasco created by may other so-called comedians, and a host of other public figures, who fail to truely engage with today’s Queer community. Instead, they skirt our community in any manner that we will allow them to pursue us. It’s as if their conception of us is to use us as a tool to help their goals. That in itself can be a good thing and a bad thing at the same time – akin to Schrödinger’s cat. Remember the often abstract adage, “Any news is good news”? I tend to stray from that idea; it’s a ‘misnomer adage’ that often turns and bites you on your backside.
sfconde
I really appreciate that he has apologized without being asked or told to. I believe that speaks volumes.
With that being said, I am a 51 year old gay man who is a big fan of Seth Rogan. I have never been offended by his movies or his remarks in movies, in fact I think he’s hilarious and I don’t feel any of his stuff is malicious or hateful in any way. I think he’s always been an ally.
Thank you Seth.