Jamie Lee Curtis Clarifies “New Girl” Comments and Asks Fans to “Move On

Jamie Lee Curtis has taken to social media to clarify comments she recently made regarding her time filming the hit sitcom “New Girl,” telling fans that her remarks were entirely “flip” and urging the internet to move on from the minor controversy. The actor addressed the public via Instagram on Tuesday night, pushing back against the widespread online attention sparked by her critique of single-camera comedies versus traditional multi-camera setups.

The discussion began during a Monday panel conversation in Los Angeles promoting her upcoming NBC series “Newlyweds,” which stars Téa Leoni and Tim Daly. During the event, Curtis expressed a lifelong love for multi-camera sitcoms and described her dislike for the silent, audience-free environment typical of single-camera productions like “New Girl,” where she previously guest-starred alongside Zooey Deschanel and Rob Reiner.

As her initial remarks picked up steam across social media platforms, Curtis posted a direct response on Instagram to clear the air. According to her statement, she was simply trying to explain the unique creative energy of performing live in front of a studio audience, which she likened to doing a play where actors receive immediate feedback from viewers.

“HEY INTERNET! HI! As if we don’t have bigger issues facing Americans and the world at large and natural disasters and unnatural behaviors of despots than to be concerned about a flip comment picked up at a press moment promoting NEWLYWEDS @NBC,” Curtis wrote on Instagram.

She emphasized that her critique of the single-camera format was not an attack on the quality of the Zooey Deschanel-led sitcom itself, noting that the production team is remarkably talented and that working with her friend Rob Reiner was a positive experience.

“I said it wasn’t my favorite experience,” Curtis added on Instagram. “Although, the show itself is fantastic and the team that made it are talented and that Zooey Deschanel is an absolute gem of a human and I got to play with my friend, Rob Reiner, as exes and that was sweet and lovely.”

Clarifying the Single-Camera Debate

The dialogue surrounding television production formats surfaced while Curtis was championing “Newlyweds,” a multi-camera sitcom that she co-created alongside Gail Lerner. During the Los Angeles panel discussion, Curtis reflected on her decades-long desire to anchor a traditional studio-audience comedy.

“I’m 68 years old, and every single year, all I’ve ever said to my agents is, ‘I want to do a sitcom — All I want to do is a sitcom,’” Curtis stated during the panel. “It’s my favorite job. I love the whole part, every aspect of it: the dance with the cameras, the idea that you actually get to rehearse something and work it, learn a joke and play it.”

Contrasting that preference with her guest appearance on “New Girl,” she pointed out that shooting without a live audience feels closer to filming a feature-length movie. She characterized the single-camera style as an environment featuring a camera crew where nobody laughs, describing the atmosphere as silent and unsuited to her performance style.

She reiterated that while the format does not align with her personal performance goals, the series remains well-produced and funny.

Moving Past the Online Backlash

In her Tuesday evening social media post, Curtis urged her followers to redirect their attention away from her remarks and toward more pressing global events. She questioned why public discourse fixated on remarks made during a promotional press appearance rather than major world news and humanitarian concerns.

Curtis concluded her message by asking her followers to stop engaging with the headlines surrounding the interview. “Let’s not waste clicks and comments and just move on to WAY more important things,” she wrote.

The attention comes as the actor prepares for the television debut of her new project. According to NBC schedules, “Newlyweds” is scheduled to premiere on Friday, October 23, at 8:30 p.m. ET, bringing Curtis back to the multi-camera format she has championed throughout her career.