After Attacking Woke Culture, Jerry Seinfeld Bemoans Modern Men’s Roles: ‘I Miss Dominant Masculinity’

Comedian and director Jerry Seinfeld, 70, shared his thoughts on evolved perceptions of masculinity.

Seinfeld, who just released his directorial debut film Unfrosted, which is set in the 1960s, expressed his fascination with the “agreed-upon hierarchy” that he believes has been “vaporized” in the present day. He suggested that this loss of a clear social structure has contributed to the erratic and chaotic behavior he observes in modern society, such as aggressive driving.

“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,” Seinfeld said in a new interview on the Honestly with Bari Weiss podcast. “And as humans, we don’t really feel comfortable like that.”

“If you want to talk about nostalgia, that is part of what makes that moment attractive looking back,” Seinfeld remarked about the period of his childhood. He fondly described figures from that era, such as John F. Kennedy, Muhammad Ali, Sean Connery and Howard Cosell, as embodiments of a “real” and “dominant” masculinity that contemporary times lack.

“I miss a dominant masculinity. Yeah, I get the [toxic masculinity], but still, I like a real man,” Seinfeld admitted.

Unfrosted, now available on Netflix, is a fictional comedy that centers around the invention of the Pop-Tart at the height of the Cold War and the space race. Seinfeld’s nostalgic fascination with the era is evident in the film’s attention to detail and loving homage to the cultural touchstones of the 1960s, which includes a cameo appearance by Mad Men stars Jon Hamm and John Slattery.

In the interview, Seinfeld also discussed his approach to criticism and expressed his amusement at people who “didn’t laugh” at his work, stating, “Why would I think that I’m going to make something that everyone will like? What sense does that make? You gotta be insane to think that.”

Seinfeld has been in the news frequently in recent months. In April, he said “P.C. c—” was ruining comedy. Last month, pro-Palestinian demonstrators walked out of his Duke commencement speech over his pro-Israel comments.