Matt Damon: Some People Who Were ‘Canceled’ Might Have Preferred Jail

Matt Damon recently spoke about cancel culture while appearing on The Joe Rogan Experience alongside Ben Affleck. The two actors were promoting their upcoming Netflix movie “The Rip” when the conversation turned to how public backlash can affect people in Hollywood.

During the interview, Damon said that some actors who have been canceled might have preferred to serve jail time instead of dealing with the long-term fallout of cancel culture. He explained that jail comes with an end date, while public shaming often does not.

“I bet some of those people would have preferred to go to jail for 18 months or whatever, and then come out and say, ‘I paid my debt. Like, we’re done. Like, can we be done?’” Damon said. He added that cancel culture feels endless and can follow someone for the rest of their life. “It just never ends… it will follow you to the grave.”

Joe Rogan described cancel culture as a system where one mistake can define a person forever. According to Rogan, “this idea that one thing you said or one thing you did, and now we’re going to exaggerate that to the fullest extent and cast you out of civilization for life.” Damon agreed and responded, “In perpetuity.” The comments from the interview were reported by The Daily Beast.

Damon has personal experience with online backlash. In 2021, he faced criticism after an interview with The Sunday Times, where he said he had stopped using the F-slur only months earlier after his daughter explained why the word was harmful. The comments quickly spread online and led to accusations that Damon was out of touch.

Soon after, Damon released a statement to clarify his remarks. He said he never used the slur in his personal life and does not use slurs at all. He explained that he was talking about how language had changed over time and shared a conversation he had with his daughter about social progress. In the statement, Damon said his daughter was passionate and clear about why the word was hurtful, and he said he admired her values and commitment to justice.

Damon also said the backlash helped him reflect. He stated that fighting prejudice requires action, not just seeing oneself as a good person. He made it clear that he supports the LGBTQ+ community and understands why people reacted strongly to his comments.

Despite the controversy, Damon’s career did not slow down. He went on to star in major films like “Air” and “Oppenheimer.” He is also set to return to theaters later this year in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film “The Odyssey.”

The full interview with Damon and Affleck is available on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast, where they discuss cancel culture, Hollywood, and their latest projects.

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