Nick Offerman accused conservative commentator Ben Shapiro of harboring anti-gay bias in his years-old criticism of “The Last of Us” episode that earned Offerman an Emmy in 2023. The exchange happened Sunday on the podcast “Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso,” when host Sam Fragoso played Offerman a clip of Shapiro’s original commentary on the HBO series.
The episode in question, “Long, Long Time,” follows a decades-long romance between Offerman’s character, Bill, and Frank, played by Murray Bartlett, set against the backdrop of the show’s post-apocalyptic world. Shapiro had panned the episode at the time, describing it as lacking the show’s usual threats and centering instead on two men who fall in love, one growing strawberries for the other, before eventually dying. He repeatedly referred to Offerman’s character using his “Parks and Recreation” role, at one point describing him with a crude reference to being gay.
Hearing the clip again, Offerman appeared taken aback, calling it the most quintessential example of Shapiro’s commentary he had encountered. He said Shapiro had gotten numerous details wrong in his original recap and pointed to what he called the host’s evident bias against gay people. Offerman added that he had turned the criticism into a bit for his live comedy tour, joking that Shapiro’s questioning of his masculinity was funnier than any joke he could have written himself.
Offerman also reflected on the broader reach of commentary like Shapiro’s, comparing it to viral clips from figures such as Joe Rogan. He said such content troubled him because of how widely it circulates and how many viewers likely agree with it, even when he considers the underlying argument weak. He said his approach is generally not to engage directly with such criticism online, noting an interest in spending his time differently than trading barbs with critics or billionaires who might want him to respond.
“Long, Long Time” won widespread critical acclaim following its 2023 premiere and helped Offerman win a Primetime Emmy for outstanding guest actor in a drama series. Offerman has addressed backlash to the episode publicly before, including during a 2024 Independent Spirit Awards acceptance speech in which he pushed back on fans who called it a “gay story” rather than simply a love story.
