Amy Poehler criticises the Oscars for failing to recognise comedy roles

‘Every single year at the Oscars, everybody gets blanked’ said star during conversation with Benedict Cumberbatch

Writer and comedy actress Amy Poehler called the Oscars “Some hot bull***” for a lack of comedy award sections.

Following the release of Olivia Colman’s The Roses, Poehler hosted the actress on her podcast, Good Hang, a show where she and one celebrity guest share their perspectives on navigating their careers.

Prior to her guest’s arrival, Poehler prepares for the interview by calling a friend of her guest star to gain some context that she wouldn’t know otherwise.

Calling Benedict Cumberbatch, Colman’s co-star in the 1989 remake of War of the Roses, the Sherlock actor praised the Oscar-winner's talents.

“If you can do comedy … you can do anything. I really do believe that,” argued Cumberbatch, implying that comedy and drama are on equal footing.

Amy Poehler on her podcast, ‘Good Hang’ (Paper Kite Productions)

“You don't have to tell me, babe,” Poehler responded.

“Every single year at the Oscars, everybody gets blanked,” said the 54-year-old, referring to comedy actors. “It’s some hot bulls***! Because comedy is not easy.”

Poehler, though, did argue: “Both you and Olivia can do both.”

Colman did win the Oscar for Best Actress for The Favourite (2019). Cumberbatch, meanwhile, has been nominated twice for Oscars, both in dramatic roles for The Imitation Game and Power of the Dog, respectively.

The Oscars has become more receptive to comedy roles in recent years, with the likes of Mikey Madison, Ryan Gosling, Kieran Culkin and Michelle Yeoh all being recognised for comedy-adjacent roles.

In a four-star review, The Independent’s Clarisse Loughrey said that Colman and Cumberbatch were a “relentlessly entertaining unit” in The Roses.

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She added: “The pair operate at a low simmer of hysteria that feels farcical without ever losing believability, while treating sincere emotion like the bursting of a dam that threatens to drown them together.’

Olivia Colman (left) and Benedict Cumberbatch in ‘The Roses’ (Searchlight Pictures)

Meanwhile, the movie has attracted criticism from the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, which said in an open letter that they were “shocked and surprised to see that you used Ivy’s [Colman’s character] use food allergy to raspberries in the film on three occasions for dramatic and comedic purposes.”

The Foundation continued: “Withholding treatment from someone who is experiencing an allergic reaction to food is both dangerous and irresponsible. Furthermore, the way the adrenaline auto-injector (AAI) was administered in the film, again on three occasions, was inaccurate. It should be administered into the outer thigh, not into the arm. This kind of misinformation is unhelpful at best and, at worst, harmful.

“In addition, for many people, the administration of an adrenaline pen buys time in order to receive urgent medical attention in a hospital setting. It is grossly misleading to suggest that as soon as a person is injected with an adrenaline pen, they carry on with their day as normal.”

The Foundation told The Independent they have contacted the film’s producers but have not yet received a response.

The Roses is directed by Austin Powers filmmaker Jay Roach. The Independent has approached Roach for comment.