‘Airplane!’ Director Says Hollywood Is ‘Destroying Comedy’

[Stevicus]

‘Airplane!’ Director Says Hollywood Is ‘Destroying Comedy’: My James Bond Parody Got Dinged for ‘Mild’ Breast Reduction Joke

Filmmaker David Zucker was one of the biggest names in comedy in the 1980s thanks to the success of classic comedies like “Airplane!” and “The Naked Gun” franchise, but he no longer believes either film could be made by Hollywood in 2022. Well they could, “just without the jokes.” In a new interview (via Mediaite), Zucker said Hollywood is “destroying comedy” by being overly sensitive.

He points out that films like Airplane and The Naked Gun could not be made today because of Hollywood being "overly sensitive." (Note that he doesn't use the term "woke," although it seems to go along similar lines.)

Zucker revealed that at least one film executive recently balked at one of his unmade scripts because it included a joke about a female character needing a breast reduction.

“My current writing partner and I wrote a parody of ‘James Bond’ and ‘Mission: Impossible,'” Zucker said. “One female executive said, ‘This joke is getting pretty risqué.’ It was a mild joke about the lead female character, because she had come up through the police department and FBI, she said she needed a breast reduction to fit into the kevlar vest.”

“It was pure oatmeal, so mild,” Zucker said of the joke. “Not one of our funniest things but this was too much. I thought, ‘If this was the criteria for it, we’re in big trouble.’ They’re destroying comedy because of nine percent of the people who don’t have a sense of humor.”

Zucker concluded, “When we do screenings of ‘Airplane!’ we get the question if we could do ‘Airplane!’ today. The first thing I could think of is sure, just without the jokes.”

The director hasn’t released a feature film project since 2008’s “An American Carol,” a satirical comedy that parodied documentarian Michael Moore. Zucker did serve as a writer on 2013’s “Scary Movie 5.” His next writer-directorial effort, “The Star of Malta,” is a noir spoof that does not yet have a release date.

"They’re destroying comedy because of nine percent of the people who don’t have a sense of humor.”

I sometimes browse movie discussion forums (more so back when IMDb still had message boards), and I've noticed recent trends where people look back on older movies and TV shows with a 21st century perspective. Movies like "Revenge of the Nerds" or "Sixteen Candles" might be viewed differently today than when they were released.

Even "Airplane" with its overly corny jokes that seem pretty innocuous. But I guess some people don't like it.

 

[Debater Slayer]

Like almost everything else in society and culture, comedy changes with the times. I watch older Tom and Jerry episodes and still love them, but I also know that given what we now know about racism and racial stereotypes, a lot of the racially charged depictions in said episodes would be completely unacceptable today, and for good reason.

Sometimes it's best to adapt to changing norms and increased awareness instead of being set in one's ways and insisting that those who take exception to specific kinds of jokes "don't have a sense of humor." Almost no social discourse of significance today is the same as it was back in the '70s or '80s. I don't see why comedy is any different.

 

[SomeRandom]

Well hindsight is 20/20
All movies are a product of their time. Some we look at with fondness, even in spite of their flaws.
Some we notice their flaws and sometimes they’re a bit more awkward to watch again.
But that’s just how society works. I’m sure folks were complaining about sensitivity when they phased out blackface, right?

 

[Revoltingest]

‘Airplane!’ Director Says Hollywood Is ‘Destroying Comedy’: My James Bond Parody Got Dinged for ‘Mild’ Breast Reduction Joke



He points out that films like Airplane and The Naked Gun could not be made today because of Hollywood being "overly sensitive." (Note that he doesn't use the term "woke," although it seems to go along similar lines.)



"They’re destroying comedy because of nine percent of the people who don’t have a sense of humor.”

I sometimes browse movie discussion forums (more so back when IMDb still had message boards), and I've noticed recent trends where people look back on older movies and TV shows with a 21st century perspective. Movies like "Revenge of the Nerds" or "Sixteen Candles" might be viewed differently today than when they were released.

Even "Airplane" with its overly corny jokes that seem pretty innocuous. But I guess some people don't like it.

Could Team America: World Police (2004) be made today?
I think so. But I Animal House....unlikely.

 

[England my lionheart]

https://youtu.be/Gd0NtQDio20

A funny movie,comedy has moved on and although people try to suppress it it will always find a way to express itself,this scene was for shocks more than laughs imo

 

[Revoltingest]

https://youtu.be/Gd0NtQDio20

A funny movie,comedy has moved on and although people try to suppress it it will always find a way to express itself,this scene was for shocks more than laughs imo

I found it hilarious.

 

[England my lionheart]

I found it hilarious.

Dark humour I guess but overall I too found it hilarious.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

‘Airplane!’ Director Says Hollywood Is ‘Destroying Comedy’: My James Bond Parody Got Dinged for ‘Mild’ Breast Reduction Joke



He points out that films like Airplane and The Naked Gun could not be made today because of Hollywood being "overly sensitive." (Note that he doesn't use the term "woke," although it seems to go along similar lines.)



"They’re destroying comedy because of nine percent of the people who don’t have a sense of humor.”

I sometimes browse movie discussion forums (more so back when IMDb still had message boards), and I've noticed recent trends where people look back on older movies and TV shows with a 21st century perspective. Movies like "Revenge of the Nerds" or "Sixteen Candles" might be viewed differently today than when they were released.

Even "Airplane" with its overly corny jokes that seem pretty innocuous. But I guess some people don't like it.

That's why I love Ricky Gervais. Go ahead. Complain about his content. He'll still say it and rub it he still said it and now you're the arse.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Could Team America: World Police (2004) be made today?
I think so. But I Animal House....unlikely.

I've read claims that Blazing Saddles can't be aired today in it's full, uncensored glory. I've watched it aired, in it's full, uncensored glory, at least a couple times since I read that article.

 

[Debater Slayer]

That's why I love Ricky Gervais. Go ahead. Complain about his content. He'll still say it and rub it he still said it and now you're the arse.

He's a Boomer, so his outdated attitude toward such things doesn't surprise me. It's also good PR for a famous comedian to act like he's brave by punching down when he was always going to be able to say certain things even if faced with criticism.

I have far more respect for satirists in dictatorships than glorified bullies like Dave Chapelle and Seth MacFarlane (who are incidentally also Boomers/Gen X'ers). The former actually risk their safety to put out good comedy.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

He's a Boomer, so his outdated attitude toward such things doesn't surprise me.

I find nothing out dated about it. He's addressing bullies who can't take a joke and snowflakes who never learned how to change the channel.

 

[Debater Slayer]

I find nothing out dated about it. He's addressing bullies who can't take a joke and snowflakes who never learned how to change the channel.

I don't think people who recognize that comedy could have an influence on society are "snowflakes." I don't watch any stand-up comedy, but that doesn't mean I will fail to acknowledge the impact that normalization of, say, antisemitic or homophobic jokes could have on a society.

His attitude is outdated, in my opinion, because it's starkly different from that of many (or possibly even most) younger people who have more social awareness or at least care more about the effects of their words than he does. He seems to want perception of his jokes to remain the same despite the changes in society and culture.

 

[Erebus]

Whenever somebody complains that you can't make good comedy these days because people are too sensitive/woke/PC, I like to point them to It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. That show received critical acclaim and explores just about every theme that some people seem to think you aren't allowed to joke about anymore.

All it takes to adapt those subjects for a changing audience is a shift in perspective. The protagonists It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia were intentionally written to be truly awful people. That provides the proper context for when they do something bigoted, manipulative or downright evil.

 

[Nimos]

Like almost everything else in society and culture, comedy changes with the times. I watch older Tom and Jerry episodes and still love them, but I also know that given what we now know about racism and racial stereotypes, a lot of the racially charged depictions in said episodes would be completely unacceptable today, and for good reason.

Sometimes it's best to adapt to changing norms and increased awareness instead of being set in one's ways and insisting that those who take exception to specific kinds of jokes "don't have a sense of humor." Almost no social discourse of significance today is the same as it was back in the '70s or '80s. I don't see why comedy is any different.

Love Airplane! and that kind of humor.

How can you not find this funny

It's like Top secret, think I have watched that at least 15 times

 

[John53]

I thought they only made super hero movies these days

 

[Stevicus]

Like almost everything else in society and culture, comedy changes with the times. I watch older Tom and Jerry episodes and still love them, but I also know that given what we now know about racism and racial stereotypes, a lot of the racially charged depictions in said episodes would be completely unacceptable today, and for good reason.

Sometimes it's best to adapt to changing norms and increased awareness instead of being set in one's ways and insisting that those who take exception to specific kinds of jokes "don't have a sense of humor." Almost no social discourse of significance today is the same as it was back in the '70s or '80s. I don't see why comedy is any different.

I guess it would largely depend on how the audiences react and whether such productions get viewers/listeners. If people don't like it, they wouldn't watch, and such things wouldn't get made at all. Note that he's not complaining that no one wants to watch his movies. If that were the case, it would be a matter of society's changing norms, as you mentioned. Such things would fade out normally, just like a dance craze from the 1920s or a musical genre from the 1950s.

 

[Father Heathen]

If people find material to be offensive, simply don't read/watch it. Jokes can't take anyone's rights or freedom away.

 

[Stevicus]

Well hindsight is 20/20
All movies are a product of their time. Some we look at with fondness, even in spite of their flaws.
Some we notice their flaws and sometimes they’re a bit more awkward to watch again.
But that’s just how society works. I’m sure folks were complaining about sensitivity when they phased out blackface, right?

Perhaps, although the ironic thing about condemnations of blackface is that one of the original blackface entertainers, Al Jolson, was actually beloved for his performances. He was "woke" for his time, as he deeply sympathized with the struggles of black people in America at the time.

 

[Heyo]

I've read claims that Blazing Saddles can't be aired today in it's full, uncensored glory. I've watched it aired, in it's full, uncensored glory, at least a couple times since I read that article.

"... I welcome our new ... "

Spoiler: Trigger warning

I think it is OK to post that to such a sophisticated audience as RF (and it's mod team) who won't fall victim to Poe's Law easily. But I'm not so sure about a general US audience.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I don't watch any stand-up comedy

So, then you're getting his stuff presented to you as someone else wants to present it. Not watching their stuff is a major problem if you want to comment on it. That's how Chappelle was wrongly labeled a Trump supporter.

His attitude is outdated, in my opinion, because it's starkly different from that of many (or possibly even most) younger people who have more social awareness or at least care more about the effects of their words than he does. He seems to want perception of his jokes to remain the same despite the changes in society and culture.

He's pro-animal, pro-environment, pro-trans, and very much pro-free speech. It's not his fault if a young audience can't see how a message can have social awareness and even many of the same values despite coming wrapped in a very different package.
And why should he cater to young audiences? Not all of us are young and we have our likes and dislikes as well. We also tend to have that "set in our ways" thing going for us, even if we aren't old yet.
In fact, trying to make it an issue of age is what is called ageism.