Viciousness: 7.8
Quote: Kevin's dad wasn't there for him because he was addicted to cocaine, which is a lot more respectable than not being there for your kids because you're filming f*cking Jumanji 3. Meaning: Shane turns Kevin’s childhood wound into a mirror. Kevin’s father was absent because of addiction. Shane suggests Kevin may be absent for a cleaner, richer, Hollywood reason. Why it is so brutal: This is not just “Kevin makes bad movies.” It says the thing that hurt Kevin may be something he is now repeating. The joke attacks Kevin’s father, Kevin’s parenting, his movie career, and the idea that success excuses absence. Why it works: The comparison is cruel because the two reasons are different, but the result is the same: the child still gets absence. That is why it lands. It turns Kevin’s public success into a private accusation.
