Offerman Slams Shapiro Criticism
Nick Offerman Criticizes Ben Shapiro Over Homophobic Backlash To Acclaimed Television Episode
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Key Points
1
“Long, Long Time” shifts away from the show’s central characters, Joel and Ellie, to follow Bill and Frank’s years-long relationship in isolation after the outbreak.
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Nick Offerman won an Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for playing Bill, while the episode was widely praised as one of the strongest episodes of modern television.
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Shapiro’s original criticism specifically complained that the episode featured “no zombies, no real threat” and mocked its plot involving Bill growing strawberries for Frank before the couple’s deaths.
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Offerman said Shapiro had never actually watched the critique delivered until the podcast host played the clip for him, prompting him to call it “the most Ben Shapiro I’ve ever seen” and “insane.”
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The criticism was part of a broader wave of homophobic backlash against the episode, despite its acclaim and recognition for Offerman’s performance.
Nick Offerman has fired back at conservative commentator Ben Shapiro over Shapiro's dismissal of the beloved "Long, Long Time" episode from HBO's The Last of Us. Variety reports that Offerman, who won an Emmy for his role as Bill, called out what he described as "rampant homophobia" in Shapiro's critique, saying he was "embarrassed" by Shapiro's reading comprehension and accuracy.
Shapiro had criticized the episode for lacking zombies and mocked Offerman's character as a "gay Ron Swanson." During a recent podcast appearance, Offerman revealed that Shapiro had never actually watched the critique himself until the host played the clip — prompting Offerman to call it "the most Ben Shapiro I've ever seen" and "insane."
The Emmy-Winning Episode That Drew Conservative Fire
The "Long, Long Time" episode departed from The Last of Us's main narrative to follow Bill and Frank, two survivors building a life together after the zombie outbreak. Them reports the episode earned widespread critical acclaim and won Offerman the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.
Shapiro complained the episode featured "no zombies, no real threat" and mocked its plot involving Bill growing strawberries for Frank. The criticism was part of a broader wave of homophobic backlash against the storyline, despite its recognition as one of the strongest episodes of modern television.
Offerman Turns Criticism Into Comedy Material
Rather than engage in a personal feud, OK Magazine reports that Offerman decided to incorporate the controversy into his comedy material, treating Shapiro's critique as a punchline. Offerman said he couldn't have written a better joke himself, turning a moment of homophobic criticism into fuel for humor.
The actor viewed the whole situation humorously. When the podcast host played Shapiro's original clip, Offerman immediately recognized the pattern — Shapiro had apparently never actually engaged with the episode in depth before launching his critique.
Shapiro's Unfamiliarity With His Own Critique
Offerman's main complaint centered on Shapiro's inaccuracy and apparent lack of engagement with the actual episode. The revelation that Shapiro had never watched his own critique before the podcast appearance struck Offerman as emblematic of a broader problem — reducing a widely acclaimed love story to mockery based solely on its queer subject matter.
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