January 10th, 2014
11:25 AM ET
'Girls,' renewed for fourth season, sparks naked debateAfter two seasons of discussing the nudity on her hit show "Girls," Lena Dunham has apparently reached a breaking point. It's not a secret that the actress/showrunner doesn't shy away from nude scenes on the series - she does it so much, in fact, that she made our list of stars who seem to just love being naked. But at Thursday night's "Girls" panel at the Television Critics Association's winter press tour, the 27-year-old award-winner seemed to bristle when asked about her focus on the unclothed form.
According to The Wrap's Tim Molloy, he asked Dunham why her "Girls" character, Hannah Horvath, "is naked so much?" Well, that's the short version. In full, Molloy pointed out to Dunham that he didn't "get the purpose of all the nudity on the show. By you particularly. I feel like I’m walking into a trap where you say 'no one complains about the nudity on "Game of Thrones,"' but I get why they’re doing it. They’re doing it to be salacious. To titillate people. And your character is often naked at random times for no reason.” Dunham did give Molloy a response - she explained that it's "because it's a realistic expression of what it's like to be alive, I think, and I totally get it. If you are not into me, that's your problem" - but the confrontation didn't end there. Dunham's co-producers, Judd Apatow and Jenni Konner, were incensed by Molloy's question, with Apatow calling it "sexist and offensive ... misogynistic." Konnor was so upset that she couldn't focus afterward, interjecting during Dunham's response to another query to say that she was was "spacing out because I’m in such a rage spiral about (Molloy). ... This idea that you would talk to a woman like that and accuse a woman of showing her body too much. The idea it just makes me sort of sick.” When the conversation continued after the panel, Apatow - who's renowned for his own films, such as "Knocked Up" or the recent "This Is 40" - tried to explain to Molloy why Dunham in particular does most of the nude work on the show. “I have people naked when they’re willing to do it," Dunham said. "Lena is confident enough to do it so we have the opportunity to talk about other issues because she is braver than other people. If Paul Rudd said to me, 'I’m willing to be completely naked in the movie,' I would use it ... because it’s more honest.” At least that commitment to honesty is paying off with HBO. Although the third season of "Girls" won't premiere on the network, which shares a parent company with CNN, until January 12, it's already been renewed for a fourth season.
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Her looks do not matter. What does matter is that there is nothing innovative about this show. The show stinks.
There hasn't been a bomb on HBO since "Lucky Louie". Remember the hype on that show?
Dunham's show is professionally mega-hyped in the age of social media, with Judd Apatow's juice behind it.
It's just a bad show and I can't see it lasting............and Dunham can't act her out of a paper bag.
Looks have zero to do with it.
So let me get this straight. . .if a man puts a bunch of naked women on the screen, it's the exploitation of women and seen as contributing the degradation females in America. But if a woman does it, and someone asks why, it's misogynistic?
I could attempt to explain the difference to you, but I'm pretty sure it would be a waste of time as you're probably too obtuse to comprehend.
it is a conundrum isn't it.
You're fat and ugly. Have some mercy on your viewers and put on some clothes.
I have no problem with her being naked on the show don't care if she has a few extra pounds on her but i don't buy that these men are attracted to her and not becuase of her body but because she is a total nut job and her personallity sucks! If she was totally HOT HOT HOT then you could say ok they just want her for her body. I am not a big fan of the show but on occasion I will watch it.
Why doesn't every one just say what they are really thinking? I don't want to see ugly, pudgy girls naked and neither does anyone else. We like our nude women – and men for that matter – hot hot hot. Game of Thrones? Hot women naked? True Blood? Hot. Entertainment is often times and escape from the reality of everyday life. If I want to see a fat girl naked, I can get that right at home so I don;t need to flip on the TV to see it.
It's primeval biology at work. You cant deny that we are human animals who have basic instincts.
Enough of this hag already. Ugh.
The question shouldn't be why is hannah naked so much, it should be why is this crap still on and the brilliant newsroom gets cancelled?
My guess that if she shot and killed 4 or 5 people per episode, no one would say a thing. Man this country is upside down!
I'd say that the reason she is naked so much on screen is that it's the only way she can get guys to look at her naked. She's not the most prime specimen of the female form, boys and girls.
In the next to last paragraph:
“I have people naked when they’re willing to do it," Dunham said. "Lena is confident enough to do it so we have the opportunity to talk about other issues because she is braver than other people. If Paul Rudd said to me, 'I’m willing to be completely naked in the movie,' I would use it ... because it’s more honest.”
It should say "Apatow said" not "Dunham said. Judd Apatow said "I have people naked when they're willing to do it".
I have never watched this show. What's it about. If there's nudity, count me in.
Gratuitous nudity always helps a poorly written plot. Or well-drafted plot. Attractive women with poor acting skills need acting jobs, too! In the raging naked debate, I must side with the girls.
If you have a decent script then you don't need to add a bunch of nude people. Maybe she makes them do that for her. I always suspected that of her.
AND nobody cares
Soon the show will be cancelled all-together, so what does it matter?
Obviously somebody cares, based upon the shows ratings. Just because you, personally, don't care doesn't mean that millions of other people share your opinion.
If you ask me, there's just not enough nudity on that dhow. More, please!
when we can drop this chump once and for all.
"once and gor all."
Oo, Ah!
Lost my bra!
This show is stupid and basically unwatchable.
Fun show. I'm not surprised it's been renewed. As for the naked controversy, she is confident and professional. Keep it up Lena.
They say I'm firsty, firsty, I am so firsty, under the sea, flipper and meeee