Amy Poehler recently expressed her discontent on her podcast, ‘Good Hang,’ about the Oscars consistently overlooking comedy movies when it comes to award nominations. During a recent episode with guest Olivia Colman promoting the comedy film ‘The Roses,’ Poehler discussed the lack of recognition for comedy at the prestigious awards ceremony. Benedict Cumberbatch, also part of the film, joined in briefly on the conversation to emphasize the importance of comedy.
Poehler, a respected figure in comedy known for her work on ‘SNL’ and ‘Parks and Recreation,’ criticized the Oscars for favoring serious films over comedies every year. She highlighted the misconception that comedy is an easy genre and acknowledged the talent of Colman and Cumberbatch in excelling in both comedic and dramatic roles.
While the Oscars have shown some progress in recognizing films with comedic elements like ‘Anora’ and ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once,’ traditional comedies often get snubbed unless they have a dramatic aspect. Despite exceptions like Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie,’ which received multiple nominations, genuine comedies struggle to secure major wins.
Looking ahead to the 2025 Oscars, movies like ‘Bugonia’ and ‘Jay Kelly’ are generating early buzz, overshadowing more traditional comedies like ‘Friendship’ and ‘Good Fortune.’ The industry is eagerly anticipating the release of ‘Wake Up Dead Man,’ the third installment of Rian Johnson’s ‘Knives Out’ series, to see if it can break the trend and compete in significant award categories.
For the full discussion with Olivia Colman on the ‘Good Hang’ podcast, check out the video below.
