Why Comedies Suck Now - Judd Apatow (4K)

Judd Apatow is a filmmaker, producer, comedian, and writer. The movies that shaped so many of us were unapologetically funny and often pushed boundaries. As the culture has changed and concerns around political correctness and cancellation have grown, how has that affected modern comedy, and what still feels possible? Expect to learn how to have gratitude for pain, how comedy saved Judd and why “you only learn by not being funny”, why bombing on stage is just R&D, how to keep your ego in check when being friends with someone whose career is suddenly outpacing your own, what it takes to harness more creativity, if the “comedy collective” model still works or if social media ended the long-table-read era, why comedy movies aren’t funny anymore and much more… - 0:00 Turning Trauma into Material 12:01 Does Comedy Carry Higher Stakes Than Music? 19:33 Confidence, Doubt and the Fear of Not Knowing 23:49 When the Room Turns Against You 35:12 Success, Comparison and Holding Your Own 46:02 Why Being Funny and True is So Hard 59:02 How Streaming is Reshaping Movies 01:09:24 Do People Still Say No? 01:17:43 The Importance of Shaping New Careers 01:25:39 Trusting Yourself When the Stake are High 01:33:38 Keeping Up to Date with Judd - Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom New pricing since recording: Function is now just $365, plus get $25 off at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom Get a free bottle of D3K2, an AG1 Welcome Kit, and more when you first subscribe at https://ag1.info/modernwisdom - Get access to every episode 10 hours before YouTube by subscribing for free on Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2LSimPn or Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/2MNqIgw Get my free Reading List of 100 life-changing books here - https://chriswillx.com/books/ Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic here - https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom - Get in touch in the comments below or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/

Chris WilliamsonhostJudd Apatowguest

Dec 15, 20251h 35mWatch on YouTube ↗

EPISODE INFO

Released: December 15, 2025
Duration: 1h 35m
Channel: Modern Wisdom
Watch on YouTube: ▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Judd Apatow is a filmmaker, producer, comedian, and writer. The movies that shaped so many of us were unapologetically funny and often pushed boundaries. As the culture has changed and concerns around political correctness and cancellation have grown, how has that affected modern comedy, and what still feels possible? Expect to learn how to have gratitude for pain, how comedy saved Judd and why “you only learn by not being funny”, why bombing on stage is just R&D, how to keep your ego in check when being friends with someone whose career is suddenly outpacing your own, what it takes to harness more creativity, if the “comedy collective” model still works or if social media ended the long-table-read era, why comedy movies aren’t funny anymore and much more… - 0:00 Turning Trauma into Material 12:01 Does Comedy Carry Higher Stakes Than Music? 19:33 Confidence, Doubt and the Fear of Not Knowing 23:49 When the Room Turns Against You 35:12 Success, Comparison and Holding Your Own 46:02 Why Being Funny and True is So Hard 59:02 How Streaming is Reshaping Movies 01:09:24 Do People Still Say No? 01:17:43 The Importance of Shaping New Careers 01:25:39 Trusting Yourself When the Stake are High 01:33:38 Keeping Up to Date with Judd - Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom New pricing since recording: Function is now just $365, plus get $25 off at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom Get a free bottle of D3K2, an AG1 Welcome Kit, and more when you first subscribe at https://ag1.info/modernwisdom - Get access to every episode 10 hours before YouTube by subscribing for free on Spotify - https://spoti.fi/2LSimPn or Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/2MNqIgw Get my free Reading List of 100 life-changing books here - https://chriswillx.com/books/ Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic here - https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom - Get in touch in the comments below or head to... Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/

SPEAKERS

Chris Williamson
host
Judd Apatow
guest

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Modern Wisdom, featuring Chris Williamson and Judd Apatow, Why Comedies Suck Now - Judd Apatow (4K) explores judd Apatow Dissects Comedy, Trauma, Obsession, And Why Movies Falter Judd Apatow and Chris Williamson explore how childhood pain, hypervigilance, and abandonment issues can fuel creativity, work ethic, and obsessive control in comedy and filmmaking. They contrast the instant, public feedback loop of standup with the decade-long judgment cycle of movies, and unpack why modern studio comedies rarely break through culturally like Anchorman or The 40-Year-Old Virgin. Apatow details his evolution from insecure young comic among future superstars to writer‑director, emphasizing mentors, honest feedback, and the need to separate creative flow from self‑critique. They also examine the business realities of DVDs vs. streaming, the social physics of live performance, and why edgy jokes depend less on content than on the perceived heart and intent behind them.

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