You remember Bee Movie. At least, if you have any cinematic integrity, you remember Bee Movie. If Unfrosted was Jerry Seinfeld’s Rushmore, Bee Movie was his Bottle Rocket.
Actually, Dreamsworks’ 2007 film Bee Movie was Jerry Seinfeld’s foray into full-length animation and first major project following the wrapping of his hit NBC juggernaut Seinfeld.
It also involved a questionable love story between bee protagonist Barry B. Benson (Seinfeld) and very much human woman Vanessa Bloome (Renée Zellweger). Yes, her last name is a reference to flowers, which are famously pollinated by bees.
You can get a pretty good idea of the film’s love aspect from the compilation below. Take a look, depending on your tolerance for 2007 CG animation:
At his commencement speech over the weekend at Duke University, Seinfeld addressed the film’s notorious aspect, at least to the students who didn’t walk out.
“I made a cartoon movie about bees you may have watched as a child,” said Seinfeld. “If any of you felt slightly uncomfortable about the sexual undertones in the relationship between Barry the bee and Vanessa, the florist who saves his life, I would like to apologize for that now.”
However, despite the sixteen years that have passed, Seinfeld clarified that he has no regrets. “I may not have calibrated that perfectly, but I would not change it.”
Seinfeld’s point was not without context, as the bee-stiality was brought up as an example of not losing your sense of humor as the realities of life set in. “The slightly uncomfortable feeling of awkward humor is OK,” he stated. “It’s not something you need to fix.”
“Not a lot of life makes sense for you to be able to survive it without humor,” added Seinfeld.
You can check out Seinfeld’s full Duke commencement speech below.
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