Bill Burr scolded reporters as he urged them to ‘get your balls back’ after he was confronted about his recent public comments in support of Luigi Mangione and his desire for billionaires to ‘put down like f***ing rabid dogs.’
The 56-year-old comic has made headlines during the publicity tour for his new standup special, Drop Dead Years, giving often contrarian views on some of the big topics in the news.
In December, he compared murdered United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson to a ‘gangster’ and was in a viral video in February declaring ‘free Luigi.’
He’s also slammed everyone from Donald Trump and Elon Musk to liberals as a whole for dividing America.
But deterred by controversy over his stances, Burr seemed to reach a breaking point when a reporter who said they’d ‘read up’ on him asked the comic about his controversial statements on the red carpet for the 2025 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor which feted Conan O’Brien.
‘I don’t think you read up on it because I said what I felt about it, and I said what a lot of people said,’ he responded.
When the reporter poked at him again, he bluntly said: ‘No, I’m not gonna’ just have some controversial moment so you can get clicks. I’m not doing that.’
He then said that he was only here to support his fellow Bostonian O’Brien, on whose talk show he has been a popular guest.
Bill Burr (pictured) ordered the media to ‘get your balls back’ after he was confronted about his recent public takes in support of Luigi Mangione and declaring that billionaires should be ‘put down like f***ing rabid dogs’
In December, he compared murdered United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson to a ‘gangster’ and was in a viral video in February declaring ‘free Luigi’ (pictured)
‘I’m not doing all of this. What are you gonna bring up next? The Middle East? I went to summer school three out of four years in high school. I’m not qualified to talk about this.’
Burr seemed to grow completely sick of the line of questioning when asked about the relationship between Trump and ‘First Buddy’ Musk.
‘I don’t watch the news! I have no idea what’s going on,’ he quipped, saying that he mostly watched silly videos on the internet.
‘I don’t think you should be asking a comedian, you’re a journalist.’
Another reporter tried to corner Burr with the notion that comedians are ‘on top of current events.
Burr called it ‘weak’ and added: ‘That’s you guys passing the buck. You guys need to have balls again — which you don’t.’
‘You guys always go, ”Should we be thinking this?” You guys present stuff like that. You guys used to have balls. You need to get your balls back. And it’s not my job. I am a dancing clown.’
A few days earlier, Burr took aim at Elon Musk, as he revealed why he believes ‘nerds’ are building artificial intelligence robots and rockets.
Burr (pictured) seemed to grow completely sick of the line of questioning when asked about the relationship between Trump and ‘First Buddy’ Musk
Burr appeared on The View to promote his new standup special and his debut on Broadway in Glengarry Glen Ross, when co-host Joy Behar asked him whether there is ‘anybody getting your ire up these days more than usual.’
‘The nerds,’ the comedian replied. ‘The nerds that own the politicians. All these tech nerds that want to build robots because they don’t know how to talk to hot women.
‘They’re going to take over the world,’ he claimed. ‘They are literally going to replace us. We’re like Beta right now and they’re coming out with the VCR.’
The comedian then took specific aim at ‘First Buddy’ Musk, saying his thinks ‘Elon has got the rockets going because they realize they’re going to trash this one. Because they don’t have any concern for it.
‘And I think Elon has got the rockets going because they realize there’s other Earths out there and they’re going to trash this one. Because they don’t have any concern for it.’
‘And they’re going to move onto the next Earth and you know everybody’s going to be standing down here in their blue and red ties going, “Wait a minute, I was on your side.” And they’re just going to leave.’
His comments on the show left many outraged – with several conservatives claiming the comedian has gotten away from his base.
In the same week, Burr asked Jimmy Fallon: ‘Why does Elon Musk dress like he just got out of a Hot Topic?’
Burr appeared on The View recently, when co-host Joy Behar asked him whether there is ‘anybody getting your ire up these days more than usual’ he decried Elon Musk and ‘tech nerds’
Burr has previously torched Musk for his efforts with President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency
‘I am so sick of that guy trying to rewrite his origin story like he was Matthew McConaughey pulling into the high school,’ he said.
Then on Friday, Burr said in an interview on The Breakfast Club radio show that he couldn’t believe Musk hasn’t been ‘canceled’ following his controversial hand gesture at the inauguration that was likened to a Nazi salute.
He argued that it’s a ‘common sense comment that we shouldn’t have a Nazi,’ then went on to torch Musk for his efforts with the Department of Government Efficiency – arguing that the federal government has worked for him as he became a billionaire.
‘I don’t understand why they’re so upset with this country,’ he said of the billionaire tech bros, according to the Daily Beast. ‘You’re billionaires, I think it’s working for you.’
At the same time, Burr called out democrats in an interview with NPR last week that ‘liberals have no teeth whatsoever.’
In December, Burr made headlines defending Mangione.
He initially expressed his sympathy for Thompson and his family but revealed how his feelings soon shifted as he learned more about the circumstances surrounding Thompson’s career.
‘I was sitting there reading an article, and a guy was like, “Oh my god, he’s such a great guy; he had a wife and kids, and he’s such a great guy,”‘ Burr began.
‘And then you find out, he and the other guys he’s working for are getting sued for $121 million for dumping a stock, and not letting the other people know.’
Burr didn’t mince words about his view of corporate misconduct.
‘It’s like there’s your motive,’ he said about the targeted killing. ‘They’re gangsters, dude. And then one of them gets whacked or something, they’re like, I was good, he was such a good guy. It’s a dirty game.’
The legal controversy referenced by Burr refers to a lawsuit accusing Thompson and other executives of insider trading.
