In the latest episode of the Fly on the Wall podcast, veteran comedians David Spade and Dana Carvey took aim at what they see as Hollywood’s obsession with race and gender distinctions. Both men, who built their careers on broad‑appeal comedy, argued that the industry’s constant highlighting of identity markers distracts from talent and creates unnecessary division.

Spade calls for a focus on the work, not the label

Spade opened the discussion by recalling a recent awards‑show clip that announced, “And this gentleman won, and he’s the first Black director to win for this documentary.” He said he wishes such introductions would stop, adding, “We can’t all be equal to you. If you just say we’re all actors, it makes things more even and shows we’re all the same.” Spade’s point, he explained, is that constantly naming race or gender makes the industry seem more fragmented rather than unified.

Carvey jokes about the “white‑male” statistic

Carvey followed with a tongue‑in‑cheek remark about his own Emmy win, noting that the ceremony announced him as the “198th straight white male that has won this award.” The joke underscored the pair’s belief that the focus on demographic milestones can feel forced and even absurd.

Behind‑the‑scenes examples of identity‑driven language

Spade also shared a personal anecdote from his time on the hit NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me (1997‑2003). He said producers would alert him whenever a female director was scheduled for a day’s shoot, prompting him to ask, “That’s fine. Just is it a director? Yeah. Okay, we got it.” He described the label “female director” as “a little diminishing,” noting that it seemed to imply a separate category rather than simply a director.

Carvey agreed, calling the phrase “female director” a “funny thing to say,” reinforcing the notion that such qualifiers can unintentionally marginalize professionals who should be judged on merit alone.

Previous criticism of California’s entertainment leadership

Spade’s critique of Hollywood is not new. In a March episode of the same podcast, he blamed the industry’s decline on the Democratic leadership of California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, stating, “the Hollywood industry is dying” and that he was “just trying to put the blame somewhere.”

Mayor Bass’s office responded, emphasizing her support for the entertainment sector, citing recent initiatives such as reduced filming fees at Griffith Observatory, the reopening of the LA Central Library for productions, and the approval of more than 3 million square feet of studio and office space, including over 120 new sound stages.

Recent dialogue with Tim Dillon

In April, Spade and Carvey revisited the topic with comedian Tim Dillon as a guest. Spade clarified that his earlier remarks were not personal attacks on Newsom or Bass, but a call for better fiscal prioritization. He said, “Could we make it a slightly more of a priority? I don’t know what we’re spending the money on that’s flowing in, because it’s a lot flowing in, but it goes out so quickly. I want to sort of reserve a little piece of the pie to focus on getting this back.”

Dillon added that the California leaders “seem to think everything’s kind of going well,” noting that when officials believe the situation is fine, it becomes harder to persuade them that people are leaving the state.

Why the conversation matters

For many conservatives, the Spade‑Carvey critique reflects a broader cultural concern: that identity‑centric messaging in media can erode the principle of treating individuals as equals. By urging Hollywood to stop “separating us like that,” the comedians echo a call for content that unites rather than divides, aligning with traditional family and faith values that prioritize character and talent over demographic labels.

While the entertainment industry continues to champion diversity initiatives, voices like Spade’s remind audiences that true inclusion may be better served by focusing on shared human experience rather than constantly cataloguing differences.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.