Yahoo Lifestyle Here’s What’s Going On With All The Outrage Over Kieran Culkin’s Oscars Joke About Wanting More Kids, Because I Can’t Believe We’re Still Talking About This
Kieran Culkin is currently being flamed online for allegedly perpetuating “misogyny,” and I’m gonna need all of us to take a step back.
Here’s the deal: Kieran — AKA the nation’s favorite Roy sibling, pee-boy from Home Alone, and a notorious proud dad of two who wears friendship bracelets to every major event — is currently facing a good deal of scrutiny for his speech at the Oscars on Sunday night.
In case you weren’t watching, I’ll give a quick recap. After winning Best Supporting Actor, Kieran hopped onstage to deliver a heartfelt and initially well-received speech, which he began by thanking his manager and Jesse Eisenberg, who wrote and directed A Real Pain, the movie he won for.
He then went on to tell a story about his major award win at the Emmys last year, where he took home Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his stellar performance in Succession. For context, when he won the Emmy, Kieran said in his hilarious speech that his wife of 12 years, Jazz Charton, promised him that they could have a third baby together if he won the award, as she apparently didn’t think he was actually going to win. Recalling this a year later in his Oscar acceptance speech, you could see Jazz mouthing the words “It’s true,” so that part definitely holds up.
ABC / Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science
Kieran then went on to explain that after he won the Emmy, he told Jazz that he actually wanted four kids. Jazz then jokingly said, “I will give you four when you win an Oscar.” Jazz, listening to Kieran’s speech from the front row of the audience, burst out laughing and then nodded, admitting that she had, in fact, made that promise.
ABC / Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science
Smirking, Kieran continued, “I held my hand out, she shook it, and I have not brought it up once until just now. You remember that, honey? You do?” he said. Jazz nodded again, and then mimed a gun going off through her laughter. “Then I just have this to say to you Jazz: love of my life, ye of little faith,” he said. “No pressure — I love you — I’m really sorry I did this again. And let’s get cracking on those kids, what do you say?” he finished.
ABC / Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science
And while Jazz, in mock outrage, mouthed “No” in response to Kieran’s very public request, it definitely seems like she’s in on the joke. On Tuesday, she took to Instagram to post a few adorable snaps of her and her husband, and the caption said it all. “AN OSCAR?!!!!” she wrote. “Okay okay hear me out - making empty baby pacts may seem foolish but it’s clearly been a great motivator. Would he have come this far if I hadn’t kept promising him more kids if he won awards?….. Probably. But who’s to say?…”
Now, while everyone in Jazz’s comment section was congratulating her on Kieran’s big win and being generally supportive, other people online have interpreted the situation entirely differently. One particular thread went viral after a user highlighted how Jazz said “No” in response to Kieran, and one TikTok drew parallels between her reaction and male resentment of their wives.
However, after posts like these went viral, it became clear that most people were not in agreement with this narrative. Many folks felt like the anger was misplaced, and that in trying to decipher Jazz’s “real” feelings, people were speaking over her. One user summed up their defense of Kieran perfectly, saying, “I hate to defend a man but come on.”
“i don't care about thinking the joke is misogynistic or in poor taste i can see that,” another user wrote online. “but forcing your own perspective on his wife against her own words and actions (which all indicate she's in on it and thinks it's funny) is just a bit weird. none of us know these people.”
More people online drew attention to the fact that Kieran’s speech — while definitely focused on having kids — was more of a reflection of his deep love and appreciation for his wife and children. “kieran culkin first man to get cancelled for being the last real lover on earth,” someone said. “husband and wife when they have a husband and wife inside joke because they are husband and wife,” another added.
I think that in 2025, we should maybe stop speaking over women — and let our girls have cute inside jokes with their husbands at the Oscars if they so please. But what are your thoughts? I’d love to hear them in the comments below.
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