The Golden Age of the American Idiot

The new game show “Nation’s Dumbest,” flips the classic “Jeopardy!” script on its head. The format: twelve famous-ish contestants are peppered with basic logic and trivia questions. The twist is that those who perform well are sent home, with the last one standing receiving the title of “Nation’s Dumbest.” On this episode of Critics at Large, Vinson Cunningham, Naomi Fry, and Alexandra Schwartz consider how the figure of the idiot has evolved over time, from Shakespearean fools—whose position of apparent ignorance allows them to speak difficult truths—to more recent “happy fools” like Austin Powers and the goofy, stunt-obsessed heroes of the “Jackass” franchise. Once a laughingstock, the idiot has reached new heights of influence in the era of A.I. summaries and the infinite scroll. Resisting stupidity can feel like an uphill battle. “Whatever it is to be smart, I’m doing this Sisyphean thing of continuing to push it up the hill, and the rock feels heavy,” Cunningham says. “The question is: is society a wind at your back, or going in the opposite direction?”  Read, watch, and listen with the critics: “Nation’s Dumbest” (2026-) “Jeopardy!” (1984-) “Austin Powers” (1997) “Seinfeld” (1989-98) “The White Lotus” (2021-) “30 Rock” (2006-13) “Tracy Morgan Turns the Drama of His Life Into Comedy,” by Vinson Cunningham (The New Yorker) “American Humor,” by Constance Rourke “Born Yesterday” (1950) “Legally Blonde” (2001) Green Day’s “American Idiot” “Jackass: Best and Last” (2026) Shakespeare’s “King Lear” Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” “A Short History of Stupidity,” by Stuart Jeffries “The Year in Stupidity,” by Naomi Fry (The New Yorker) “A Theory of Dumb,” by Lane Brown (New York) “Naked Gun” (2025) New episodes drop every Thursday. Follow Critics at Large wherever you get your podcasts.Critics at Large is a weekly discussion from The New Yorker which explores the latest trends in books, television, film, and more. Join us every Thursday as we make unexpected connections between classic texts and pop culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices