Idiocracy

Idiocracy is satirical science fiction comedy film directed by Mike Judge. It is about two people who take part in a top-secret military hibernation experiment, only to awaken 500 years later in a dystopian society wherein advertising, commercialism, and cultural anti-intellectualism have run rampant and dysgenic pressure has resulted in a uniformly unthinking society devoid of intellectual curiosity, social responsibility, and coherent notions of justice and human rights. Shepard plays Frito Pendejo. Co-stars are Luke Wilson, Maya Rudolph, and Terry Crews.

It initially was very heartbreaking, because I think the movie was worthy of a wide release. But I’ll tell you there’s this weird phenomenon happening with the movie, which I’m told is the same thing that happened with Office Space, which is, all the people that I respect, the kind of people’s opinions I value, are seeing the movie despite it trying to get killed. I couldn’t beg my good friends, fellow comedians, to go see Without a Paddle, but all these people who I love are going to see Idiocracy without me even telling them that it’s out. It’s kind of a neat phenomenon.

I try to approach making movies in a way that it’s about the making of them and not the result of them, if that makes sense. Regardless of what happens with Idiocracy, I still have three months in Austin Texas with Mike Judge, which were three of the best months of my life. So for me, on a life level, the result’s still he same. I had a wonderful time and it was really a unique experience and I got to work with someone I idolize, so that remains intact.