Amy Poehler has criticised the Oscars for failing to properly recognise comedy performances, calling the lack of a dedicated comedy category “some hot bull***”. The writer and actress made the remarks on her podcast Good Hang, where she hosted Olivia Colman, star of the new film The Roses.
During the episode, Poehler played a pre-recorded call with Benedict Cumberbatch, Colman’s co-star in the film. Cumberbatch argued that “if you can do comedy … you can do anything”, suggesting comedy and drama are equally challenging. Poehler agreed, saying: “Every single year at the Oscars, everybody gets blanked. It’s some hot bull***! Because comedy is not easy.”
Both Colman and Cumberbatch have received Oscar recognition for dramatic roles: Colman won Best Actress for The Favourite (2019), while Cumberbatch has two nominations for The Imitation Game and The Power of the Dog. However, Poehler noted that both actors are capable of excelling in comedy as well.
The Oscars have become more inclusive of comedy-adjacent roles in recent years, with nominations for Mikey Madison, Ryan Gosling, Kieran Culkin and Michelle Yeoh. Meanwhile, The Roses has drawn criticism from the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation for its depiction of a food allergy attack, which the charity called “dangerous and irresponsible”. The film’s producers have not yet responded.
