Jerry Seinfeld apologizes for Bee Movie’s ‘sexual undertones’ in opening speech

Jerry Seinfeld has made a comeback almost two decades after the release of “ Bee film.

On Sunday, May 12th, it will take place His field The 70-year-old graduate gave a commencement speech to graduates of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina – where his son Julian is currently studying and his daughter Sascha previously graduated.

During his speech, the comedian took time to reflect on his 2007 animated film Bee film — specifically a controversial element of the plot.

“I made a cartoon about bees that you might have seen as a kid,” Seinfeld said in a video recorded by a participant and shared on TikTok.

“If any of you felt a little uncomfortable about the sexual undertones in the relationship between Barry B. Benson and Vanessa, the florist who saved his life, I would like to apologize now,” he continued, earning laughter in the audience. “Maybe I didn’t calibrate it perfectly.”

Fans of the DreamWorks children’s film have long joked about the romantic tension between Seinfeld’s character Barry (a bee) and Renée Zellweger’s character Vanessa (a human). Seinfeld addressed the same topic during an appearance in October 2021 The Tonight Show, I apologize again for the innuendo.

“I apologize for what appeared to be an unpleasant, subtle sexual aspect Bee film” he said at the time. “It really wasn’t intentional, but after it came out I realized that this really isn’t suitable for children.” Because the bee seems to have a soft spot for the girl, and we don’t really want to pursue that as an idea in children’s entertainment .”

According to NBC News and CBS News, Seinfeld’s commencement speech at Duke also drew public attention when anti-war protesters walked out of the ceremony and were booed by the audience as the TV star took the podium.

Seinfeld has made numerous public appearances in recent weeks in support of his latest film. Unfrozen, This is his feature film directorial debut. Speaking to PEOPLE at the film’s premiere on April 30, Seinfeld talked about taking on the role of director for the first time in his career.

“You shouldn’t think about the fact that this is a really big and important task. For example, the pilot never wants to say over the public address system, ‘I’m going to try to get this plane into the air.’ You have to be confident,” he said.

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Seinfeld previously told PEOPLE that he’s been “obsessed with Pop-Tarts my whole life,” which inspired him to take on the film.

“My friend Spike Feresten, who was a writer on my show and is still a good friend of mine, thought we should make the story, the true story, into a movie, and we did,” he explained .

Unfrosted – featuring a star-studded cast including Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Hugh Grant and more – is set in 1963 Battle Creek, Michigan, as “Kellogg’s and Post, sworn cereal rivals, compete to produce a pastry that will face “will change breakfast forever,” says a synopsis.