Nick Offerman calls Ben Shapiro's 'Last of Us' comments 'rampant homophobia'

The actor saw Shapiro's criticism in full for the first time during a recent podcast appearance

Nick Offerman has responded to Ben Shapiro's criticism of his role in The Last of Us, accusing the conservative commentator of what he described as "rampant homophobia" while also questioning the accuracy of his assessment of the HBO drama.

Offerman addressed the controversy during an appearance on the Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso podcast. Host Sam Fragoso played him a clip of Shapiro discussing the third episode of The Last of Us, titled "Long, Long Time", which focuses on the relationship between Bill and Frank, played by Offerman and Murray Bartlett.

The episode originally aired in 2023 and follows Bill and Frank as they build a life together over several years after the collapse of civilisation. Rather than concentrating on the show's central characters, Joel and Ellie, the episode explores the relationship between the two men and the ways they survive and find companionship in a dangerous world.

Shapiro criticised the episode at the time, focusing on its lack of conventional zombie action and its depiction of a gay relationship. He also compared Offerman's character to Ron Swanson, the actor's famous character from Parks and Recreation, while making comments about the character's sexuality and masculinity.

Offerman appeared visibly surprised while watching the clip during the podcast. After hearing Shapiro's remarks, he called the commentary "crazy" and said he was "embarrassed for his reading comprehension". Offerman also claimed Shapiro had got eight details wrong in his recap before adding that the commentary contained what he called "rampant homophobia".

The actor explained that he had been aware of Shapiro's comments since they were originally made, although he had not previously watched the full clip. Offerman said the incident eventually became material for his music performances.

He recalled writing a song inspired by the controversy and introducing it during his tour by joking that Shapiro had questioned his masculinity. Offerman said he could not have written a better joke himself because of the nature of the original criticism.

Offerman also made clear that he does not want to spend his life responding to online personalities. He said he deliberately avoids engaging with social media hostility and suggested that focusing on that cycle would take time away from the things he values.

The controversy surrounding his The Last of Us performance has followed Offerman since the episode's release. His portrayal of Bill received widespread critical acclaim and earned him the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 2023.

Offerman later addressed the backlash again while accepting an Independent Spirit Award, defending the decision to tell a love story between two men. His performance opposite Bartlett became one of the most discussed elements of the first season, with the episode receiving strong reviews for its emotional storytelling.