Julia Louis-Dreyfus appeared to make somewhat of a dig at ‘older men’ on Monday morning – just one day after criticizing former costar Jerry Seinfeld for his ‘red flag’ comments about ‘political correctness.’
During an appearance on Today, Julie, 63, was speaking to hosts Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie about her award-winning podcast, Wiser Than Me, and was asked how she knew there was ‘such a gap’ in the market for older women.
‘Well, because I watched that Jane Fonda documentary that came out a few years ago, and I was struck by the profundity and the scope of her life and there is so much that she’s done, and then I thought, we don’t really hear from older women and the experiences that they have.’
Julia then said rather sarcastically: ‘We certainly hear a lot from older men,’ as Hoda and Savannah giggled. ‘But we don’t hear from older women. Older women are sort of are less visible and that’s a huge resource that is left untapped, and I was thinking, “God, I wish there was like a podcast or someplace I could go to hear conversations.”
‘And I thought, “well there isn’t one, I guess I’ll have to do it,”‘ Julia added, before admitting that she has never felt like she was becoming invisible but is ‘aware of the fact that it happens.’
Julia Louis-Dreyfus appeared to make somewhat of a dig at ‘older men’ on Monday morning – just one day after criticizing her former costar Jerry Seinfeld
Julia referred to Jerry’s comments about ‘political correctness’ within comedy as ‘red flags’
‘And particularly women who are older than all of us. And then all of a sudden, you think, “oh wait, we haven’t heard from… in so many years. Why is that?’ Julia commented as Hoda, 59, nodded in agreement.
Julia’s comment comes after she pushed back against 70-year-old Jerry’s recent complaint about how politically correct comedy has gotten in more recent years, compliments of the extreme left.
During an interview with the New York Times, the actress argued against her former Seinfeld co-star’s belief that ‘the extreme left and PC crap’ is ruining comedy on television, adding that political correctness can actually be ‘fantastic.’
‘When I hear people starting to complain about political correctness — and I understand why people might push back on it — but to me that’s a red flag, because it sometimes means something else,’ Julia told the publication. ‘I believe being aware of certain sensitivities is not a bad thing. I don’t know how else to say it.’
The mother-of-two knows a thing or two about comedic TV, considering she has won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series seven times: once for The New Adventures Of Old Christine (2006-2010) and six more playing Selina Meyer in Veep (2012-2019).
On top of that, she won the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series for Seinfeld (1989-1998) during her nine-season run on the legendary sitcom that starred Jerry Seinfeld in the lead role.
Seinfeld vented about the lack of comedies on television due to people worrying so much about offending others in an interview with The New Yorker in late April.
‘It used to be, you would go home at the end of the day, most people would go, “Oh, Cheers is on. Oh, M*A*S*H is on. Oh, Mary Tyler Moore is on. All in the Family is on.” You just expected, there’ll be some funny stuff we can watch on TV tonight,’ he told the publication.
Julia sat down with Today hosts Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie on Monday morning
Julia and Jerry pictured with their Seinfeld costars Michael Richards and Jason Alexander
Jerry and Julia pictured together at a film screening in New York City in September 2013
‘Well, guess what — where is it? This is the result of the extreme left and PC crap, and people worrying so much about offending other people.’
Sharing her own views, the acclaimed actress said: ‘My feeling about all of it is that political correctness, insofar as it equates to tolerance, is obviously fantastic.
‘And of course I reserve the right to boo anyone who says anything that offends me, while also respecting their right to free speech, right?’
The New York City native admitted that certain comedies and dramas from yesteryear just don’t work anymore under modern scrutiny, but being sensitively aware of changing cultural norms should be acknowledged.
When asked directly about Jerry’s comments on political correctness, Julia made reference to how comedy has evolved over the decades.
‘If you look back on comedy and drama both, let’s say 30 years ago, through the lens of today, you might find bits and pieces that don’t age well,’ she said. ‘And I think to have an antenna about sensitivities is not a bad thing.’
The former Saturday Night Live cast member added: ‘It doesn’t mean that all comedy goes out the window as a result.’