Jerry Seinfeld, celebrated comedian and co-creator of the iconic “Seinfeld” sitcom, expressed nostalgia for the “dominant masculinity” of past decades during a recent appearance on the “Honestly with Bari Weiss” podcast. The 70-year-old entertainer discussed various topics, including his latest film, “Unfrosted,” which is set in the 1960s.
Seinfeld lamented the loss of what he described as an agreed-upon social hierarchy from his youth. “There’s another element there that I think is the key element and that is an agreed-upon hierarchy, which I think has absolutely vaporized in today’s moment,” he said. “And I think that is why people lean on the horn and drive in the crazy way that they drive, because we have no sense of hierarchy. And as humans, we don’t really feel comfortable like that.”
Reflecting on the era, Seinfeld noted the presence of dominant masculinity, citing figures like JFK, Muhammad Ali, and Sean Connery as examples of “real men.” He shared that he aspired to embody similar traits, even though he considers his profession as a comedian distinctly “childish.” He remarked, “But I miss dominant masculinity. Yeah, I get the toxic [masculinity], but still, I like a real man.”
This is not Seinfeld’s first commentary on modern culture. In a previous interview with The New Yorker, he criticized “extreme left, PC crap,” claiming it has stifled comedy. He argued that the pervasive concern about offending others has led to a decline in mainstream comedic entertainment.
