Bill Burr isn’t one to shy away from controversy, and his latest war of words with Ben Shapiro is no exception. The stand-up comedian and actor found himself on the receiving end of Shapiro’s scathing critique after his harsh words about CEOs went viral. But if Shapiro thought he could get under Burr’s skin, he might want to think again.
In a recent interview with The New York Times, Burr dismissed Shapiro’s outrage as nothing more than a ploy for attention and money, taking a direct jab at the conservative commentator. “I don’t know who he is, but that guy is a jerk-off,” Burr declared. It’s a classic Burr response—blunt, unapologetic, and laced with just enough disdain to make it clear he’s not losing any sleep over the criticism.
The Comments That Started It All
Burr’s feud with Shapiro started when the comedian took a shot at corporate greed during his Monday Morning Podcast. The conversation was sparked by the recent murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, but Burr’s focus wasn’t on the crime itself—it was on the public’s reaction. Instead of sympathy for the slain executive, many were expressing frustration at the insurance industry’s long history of denying coverage to those in need.
“None of these news programs are talking about the incredible lack of empathy from the general public about this because of how these insurance companies treat people when they are at their most vulnerable,” Burr ranted. He went on to describe the fear CEOs are now experiencing as a long-overdue reckoning. “By and large, you’re all a bunch of selfish, greedy, f—ing pieces of s—, and a lot of you are mass murderers. You just don’t pull the trigger. That’s why it looks clean.”
The clip quickly went viral, with fans cheering Burr’s takedown of corporate corruption. But not everyone was thrilled with his remarks. Shapiro, never one to let a “woke” moment slide, took offense and penned a blistering critique of Burr’s comments for The Daily Wire.
Shapiro’s “Woke” Accusation
In his response, Shapiro accused Burr of going soft, suggesting that the comedian was embarrassed by his conservative-leaning fanbase. “Burr has become woke,” Shapiro wrote. “Over time, I think he became embarrassed that many people on the Right thought he was very funny, so he decided he was going to go woke.”
But Shapiro didn’t stop at calling Burr a sellout. He took it a step further, labeling the comedian’s comments “truly evil” and claiming that Burr was “cheering” the murder of Thompson. “He’s saying you should live in fear if you’re the CEO of a company that does things that Burr deems to be bad or wrong,” Shapiro argued.
Burr, however, quickly clarified that he wasn’t condoning violence. “I was not saying what happened should’ve happened,” he explained on a separate podcast. “But for them to be like, ‘Oh, why would anybody want to do this?’ — they’re denying claims and people are dying!”
Despite this clarification, Shapiro doubled down, insisting that Burr’s rhetoric was dangerous. “Burr openly cheered the murder of the UnitedHealthcare executive because he says CEOs should live in fear if they don’t act in the way that he would have them act,” Shapiro wrote.
Burr Claps Back
If Shapiro expected Burr to backtrack or offer a softer response, he clearly underestimated the comedian’s no-nonsense attitude. Speaking to The New York Times, Burr made it clear that he wasn’t interested in debating Shapiro’s manufactured outrage.
“All he knew is if he put ‘woke’ on what I said, he would make more money,” Burr said, brushing off the criticism. The veteran comedian didn’t mince words about Shapiro’s motives, making it clear he sees the whole thing as nothing more than a cash grab. “I don’t know who he is, but that guy is a jerk-off.”
Beyond the Shapiro controversy, Burr also reflected on his own evolution as a comedian. While he built his career on an aggressive, no-holds-barred style of comedy, he admitted he’s been making a conscious effort to dial back his anger. “I want to lose my edge. I don’t want to go through life angry,” he explained. But don’t mistake that for softness—Burr assured fans that if needed, he can still tap into that rage. “You bark at the other dog and make it go away. I know how to do that.”
A Classic Bill Burr Move
At the end of the day, this feud is classic Bill Burr—blunt, unscripted, and entirely unbothered by whatever backlash comes his way. While Shapiro may continue to rant about Burr’s so-called “wokeness,” the comedian has already moved on, proving once again that he’s not in the business of apologizing for speaking his mind.
For fans, this latest exchange is just another reason to love Burr. Whether he’s calling out corporate greed, ridiculing right-wing outrage machines, or simply delivering his signature rants, he remains one of the most fearless voices in comedy. And if there’s one thing we can count on, it’s that Bill Burr won’t be losing any sleep over Ben Shapiro’s opinions anytime soon.