Comedian Bill Burr, in his latest stand-up special “Drop Dead Years” on Hulu, openly admits to not watching the news. Burr finds people who follow the news fascinating, joking that staying informed keeps them in a perpetual fight-or-flight mode. He confesses to not paying attention to current events and feels unaware of what is happening around him.
Despite his comedic style and sharp critiques, this is not a criticism of Burr’s opinions. As a fan of Burr’s work, his ability to humorously dissect various topics while remaining self-deprecating is valued. He embodies acerbic humor and delivers potent laughs.
During his promotional appearances for his special, Burr has been drawing attention for targeting Elon Musk. His remarks on podcasts and radio shows have centered on accusing Musk of being a Nazi, referencing a controversial moment where Musk allegedly made a gesture resembling a Nazi salute during an event tied to Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Bill Burr today roasting Elon Musk pic.twitter.com/1KTR4pgVgo
— Peter Hamby (@PeterHamby) March 10, 2025
“That idiot Elon Musk – evidently he’s a Nazi. I just refuse to believe it was an accidental, two-times Sieg Heil. And he does it at a presidential inauguration.”
Yes, it is the tired trope heard constantly from the Left – and this is not to say Burr is a leftist. But here is the start of why this is an issue. This is not a knee-jerk defense of Musk – it is an issue because this kind of discussion is one Burr himself has mocked in his older routines. He has noted that whenever people invoke Hitler/Nazis in discussions, it completely chills discourse. He called it “dropping the H-bomb.”
Few years ago Bill Burr made fun of the “everyone I don’t like is Hitler” people and Now Bill literally has become the People he used to make fun of.
— Johnny Midnight ⚡️ (@its_The_Dr) March 15, 2025
Now today he has become that very individual and it displays the very heart of the problems seen these days from the Left, from Democrats, and the media. It is shallow lashing out at perceived demons in complete defiance of past positions. These voices of late have been seen taking positions 180 degrees out of phase of their own avowed values. More than simple hypocrisy – it is stark contradictions and a reversal of past positions.
Take Elon Musk himself. A few short years ago he was beloved by the Left. He made successful electric cars, supplied charging stations that are top of the line, he provided Starlink to Ukraine, and was pushing space flight to the next generation. Then he bought Twitter and opened the platform to all voices and thus began his transition to being a pariah of the liberal set.
He is just one example because, much like Burr, the Left is combating items they used to celebrate. Look at why the Twitter purchase angers them; they lost control of the language, when for generations censorship was one of their pet causes. After years of claiming the battle on behalf of women’s rights, they just voted in unison against protecting female athletics. They are mad at Musk for actively cutting the government when previously the likes of Barack Obama, Chuck Schumer, and Liz Warren preached about slashing government waste. The Dems tried to fight the recent budget battle with the Senate filibuster, a tactic they recently described as being a racist tool in Congress. And more examples exist.
This is not designed to impugn Bill Burr because what is being seen is how widespread the off-balanced thinking has become, showing beyond politics. The emotional reactions to the new Trump administration and the efforts of Elon and his DOGE team leads to this emotional reaction frequently seen, past cemented positions be damned.
As Burr becomes the very punchline he once delivered, he becomes the embodiment of the problems the Left is mired in, with no hope of rectifying. Instead the problem appears to be metastasizing, and the lack of treatment means the damage will only broaden. Rather than looking for their cure, we need to be mindful of this reality as we watch the party devolve all the more. It is an object lesson for all moving forward. If you are not careful, you can become ensnared by the very reaction you are promoting.
Watch a well-known Nazi supporting comic Bill Burr pay tribute to the master race. pic.twitter.com/Tpp3vC4MYz
— Jim O’Brien (@Elon4TWin) March 15, 2025