Spike Lee Forgets ‘Green Book’ During Podcast Chat

LOS ANGELES, CA — Academy Award-winning director Spike Lee appeared to forget the title of the film “Green Book” during a recent podcast interview. This amusing moment occurred on Thursday’s episode of “WTF with Marc Maron,” over six years after Lee famously dismissed the film as “not his cup of tea” when it won Best Picture at the 2019 Academy Awards.

Lee was discussing his own film, “BlacKkKlansman,” which won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay that same year. Maron asked if Lee felt a sense of relief when he finally received the award. Lee responded by recalling the inconsistency of award recognition, noting, “Do the Right Thing wasn’t even nominated for the [Best Picture] Oscar, and Driving Miss Daisy won.” He then struggled to remember which film won, quipping, “BlacKkKlansman lost out to, uh — what was the name of the film?”

Lee’s lighthearted forgetfulness sparked laughter, as he mentioned, “Someone was being driven in that film too,” jokingly referring back to the theme of driving present in both “Green Book” and “Driving Miss Daisy.” This humor followed years of Lee’s critiques regarding “Green Book,” particularly its portrayal of race relations and its reliance on the white savior trope.

In past interviews, Lee has openly criticized “Green Book,” calling its Best Picture win a “bad call” and discussing his mixed feelings about the American film industry’s acknowledgment of his work versus films featuring white narratives. When asked if “Green Book” offended him, Lee gave a memorable response: “Let me give you a British answer: It wasn’t my cup of tea!”

Despite the past controversies, Lee emphasized he would not let the Oscars dictate his filmmaking journey. He stated, “I’ll not let that deter me from what I’m doing. I understand now that Oscars don’t necessarily mean that’s the best thing. Just keep it moving. I’m mad for a day, then it’s just keep it moving. On to the next. Keep it going.” This well-rounded sentiment highlights Lee’s dedication to storytelling beyond accolades.

Listeners can enjoy the entire interview with Lee on Marc Maron’s podcast, available online now.