Bill Burr is not one to mince words, and his latest interview is no exception. The comedian and actor, who stars in Aaron Sorkin's upcoming film The Social Reckoning, didn't hold back when discussing the influence of Big Tech companies and their leaders. "These people are reptiles," Burr said, calling for stricter regulation of tech giants like Facebook.
In the film, Burr joins an ensemble cast that includes Mikey Madison as whistleblower Frances Haugen, Jeremy Allen White as journalist Jeff Horwitz, and Jeremy Strong as Mark Zuckerberg. The story follows Haugen as she secretly meets with Horwitz to expose the dangers of Facebook's algorithms. The movie also features Wunmi Mosaku, Betty Gilpin, and Billy Magnussen.
During a conversation with Collider's Steve Weintraub, Burr shared his experience working with Sorkin, pushing back against the idea that the acclaimed writer-director is a "punctuation tyrant." "It was like doing a play," Burr said, describing Sorkin's collaborative approach. "He would come out and be like, 'Hey, you added that little something there,' and I'd go, 'Oh, is that cool?' He'd go, 'No, no, I like that. Keep that.'"
Burr also revealed that he initially thought Sorkin might have been looking for a different Bill Burr when he requested a meeting. "I thought the whole thing, the fact that he wanted to pitch the movie to me, was hilarious," Burr admitted. "To me, it's like, dude, you're Aaron Sorkin. I would literally dust around a room with no lines just to be in a movie with you."
Beyond the behind-the-scenes anecdotes, Burr expressed his hopes for the film's impact, particularly on younger audiences. He lamented the cruelty of adults and the dangers of unchecked social media, saying, "If you had a business that was causing kids, through cyberbullying, to kill themselves, I mean, okay, emergency brake. Shut the engine off. What are we doing here?"
Burr's critique extended to the broader media landscape, accusing news outlets of becoming "op-ed pieces" and blaming each other. He also voiced concerns about artificial intelligence, joking that he's often fooled by AI-generated content. "You want to trick a 58-year-old, do something with A.I.," he laughed.
The interview comes as The Social Reckoning generates buzz, though some critics have noted that the film falls short of the original's magic. Sorkin himself has been vocal about the challenges of making the movie, including legal threats from Meta that forced rewrites.
For Burr, the project was a chance to work with a legend and deliver a message that feels urgent. "These people need to be stopped or regulated or something," he said, summing up his frustration with tech moguls who prioritize profit over people.
Fans can catch Burr's full interview in the video above, where he also discusses his preferred movie theater seat (dead center, naturally) and shares more insights into his creative process.
