Judd Apatow thinks there should be a Best Comedy Oscar

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

It’s a fact that like it or not, is undeniably true. Comedies high-brow or not, almost never win Oscars, and are rarely even nominated for the honor. Whether that’s fair or not is a debate to be had, but Judd Apatow had an idea I’d be curious to your thoughts about.

“There should be a comedy category at the Oscars because why not? Comedy’s not included ever. It’s been like five times in a zillion years that [a comedy] has won Best Picture. It doesn’t seem like it’s screwing up ‘Schindler’s List’ for ‘The Hangover’ to have its own category.”

I mean, the fact is, he’s right. How can you possibly compare most comedies to their deadly serious counterparts? There really isn’t a place for them at the Oscars outside of rarities like FORREST GUMP or uh…I’m drawing a blank, and that’s the problem.

So what would you think of this idea? The definitive “Best Picture” category might be sullied by pulling a Golden Globes and splitting it like this, but otherwise a number of great films would go without recognition.

But conversely, within comedy there’s a debate as well. Should movies that are aimed at kids but still really funny like UP or TANGLED be competing with something as raunchy as THE HANGOVER or BRIDESMAIDS? Isn’t that apples and oranges within the comedy genre? I understand what he’s saying, but I’m not sure it would explicitly solve the problem. Do you?