Nick Offerman has revisited a years-old controversy over his Emmy-winning role in “The Last of Us,” accusing conservative commentator Ben Shapiro of homophobia in his critique of the character. The actor’s remarks came during a recent appearance on the “Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso” podcast, where host Sam Fragoso played him a 2023 clip of Shapiro dissecting the HBO drama’s third episode, “Long, Long Time.”
That episode centers on Bill, a survivalist played by Offerman, who falls in love with a fellow survivor named Frank, portrayed by Murray Bartlett, as society collapses around them. Shapiro had described the character on his podcast as a version of Offerman’s “Parks and Recreation” alter ego Ron Swanson reimagined as gay, and complained the episode set aside the show’s central threat to focus on a romance that ends when one man chooses to end his life after a cancer diagnosis.
Offerman appeared taken aback watching the clip back, saying he was embarrassed by Shapiro’s misreading of the storyline and calling out what he described as “rampant homophobia” beneath it. He noted this was his first time seeing the commentary in full, though he’d encountered writeups of it before and once referenced Shapiro on tour, joking that no line he could write would top having his masculinity questioned by the podcaster. Offerman also acknowledged the reach such clips carry among online audiences sympathetic to that framing, comparing the dynamic to other viral right-wing commentary that spreads regardless of accuracy.
“Long, Long Time” drew widespread critical praise upon its release and earned Offerman the Emmy for outstanding guest actor in a drama series, even as it faced a wave of homophobic reactions online. Offerman addressed that backlash once before, telling an audience at the 2024 Independent Spirit Awards that the episode was a love story rather than simply a gay one. “The Last of Us” is based on the PlayStation game franchise; its second season aired last year, with a third season expected in 2027, and Offerman currently holds two Primetime Emmy nominations.
