Despite some attendees walking out, the comedian apologized for the uncomfortable sexual undertones in his 2007 animated film on 'Duke Commencement Address'.
- May 13, 2024
AceShowbiz - Despite some attendees leaving Jerry Seinfeld's Duke Commencement Address, the comedian still delivered his speech and apologized for the "sexual undertones" in "Bee Movie".
"I made a cartoon movie about bees you may have watched as a child," Seinfeld said. "If any of you felt slightly uncomfortable about the sexual undertones in the relationship between Barry the bee and Vanessa, the florist who saves his life, I would like to apologize for that now."
Seinfeld explained that he "may not have calibrated that perfectly," but he would not change it. He referred to the animated film to highlight the importance of maintaining a sense of humor in the face of life's challenges.
"The slightly uncomfortable feeling of awkward humor is OK," he said. "It's not something you need to fix."
While Seinfeld admired the current generation's desire to create a just and inclusive society, he advised them not to lose their sense of humor. "Not a lot of life makes sense for you to be able to survive it without humor," he added.
In 2021, Seinfeld had apologized for the sexual undertones in "Bee Movie" during an appearance on "The Tonight Show". He acknowledged that the film's relationship between Barry and Vanessa was "really not appropriate for children."
Despite its moderate box office success, "Bee Movie" has become infamous for the ambiguous relationship between Barry and Vanessa. Director Steve Hickner denied any romantic intent, but co-writer Spike Feresten admitted that there was "a murkiness to the relationship."
"Bee Movie" failed to secure Oscar nominations but competed for Best Animated Feature at the Golden Globes and received five Annie Award nominations.
