Bill Burr Goes Off On Reporter, Refuses To Answer Luigi Mangione Question

Bill Burr isn’t interested in being your political pundit, and he made that crystal clear at the 2025 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor ceremony.

The 56-year-old comedian, who attended the event to support honoree and longtime friend Conan O’Brien, quickly made headlines himself after a tense exchange with reporters on the red carpet.

In a now-viral video circulating on X, Bill Burr was approached by a journalist referencing his past comments in support of Luigi Mangione, the accused shooter in the high-profile UnitedHealthcare CEO case.

“I don’t think you read up on it because I said what I felt about it, and I said what a lot of people said,” Burr fired back. He dismissed the line of questioning as an attempt to provoke “some controversial moment so [she] can get clicks.”

“I’m here for Conan,” Burr added. “I’m not doing all of this. What are you gonna bring up next? The Middle East? I went to summer school three out of four years in high school. I’m not qualified to talk about this.”

His efforts to steer the conversation back to comedy were met with further questions, including one about Elon Musk’s alleged ties to the Trump administration.

“I don’t watch the news! I have no idea what’s going on,” Burr replied, adding that most of his screen time is spent watching silly videos. “I don’t think you should be asking a comedian,” he told reporters. “You’re a journalist.”

When pressed on the idea that comedians are often plugged into the cultural and political zeitgeist, Burr wasn’t having it.

“That’s you guys passing the buck. You guys need to have balls again, which you don’t,” he said. “You guys always go, ‘Should we be thinking this?’ You guys present stuff like that. You guys used to have balls. You need to get your balls back. And it’s not my job. I am a dancing clown.”

Despite his insistence on avoiding political discussions at a celebratory event, Burr has never shied away from expressing strong opinions on stage and screen.

Back in January, Burr sparked controversy during a "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" appearance where he voiced support for Mangione, the man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

Burr lambasted the media for focusing on vandalism and crime amid the Los Angeles wildfires while ignoring what he described as “healthcare bigwigs profiting off the natural disaster.”

“CNN and Fox News are not going to bring up the insurance companies that are just gonna keep everybody’s premiums and still give themselves a bonus,” he told the cheering audience, adding, “Yes! Free Luigi!”

He didn’t stop there.

On the subject of Thompson’s murder, Burr pointed out that the bullets used in the killing were engraved with “deny,” “defend” and “depose," a nod to the insurance industry exposé "Delay, Deny, Defend."

“[The killer] wrote on the bullets why it happened,” Burr said.

He later elaborated to Variety, calling the healthcare industry a “dirty game” and its CEOs “gangsters.”

“I’m sure they didn’t learn anything, but it’s like: This is how you make everybody feel day to day as you apply pressure because ‘that’s how business is done,’” he said. “How you leave this burning wreckage of destroyed lives as you ‘restructure’ and ‘consolidate.’ It was fun to see them worry.”

Mangione has pleaded not guilty and could face the death penalty if convicted.

“Luigi Mangione’s murder of Brian Thompson, an innocent man and father of two young children, was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America,” US Attorney Pam Bondi said in a press release, per The New York Post, earlier this week. “After careful consideration, I have directed federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in this case as we carry out President Trump’s agenda to stop violent crime and Make America Safe Again."

While the incident continues to stir debate, Burr appears undeterred. Whether in stand-up, on talk shows, or walking the red carpet, he’s reminding everyone that he’s a comedian first and a commentator last.