Luke Wilson Discusses The Relevance Of 'Idiocracy' With Conan O'Brien

Mike Judge’s cult classic 2006 film, Idiocracy holds a special place in my heart. I first saw it when my older brother was home from college. We weren’t particularly close at the time (we’re great now), but he asked me if I wanted to watch the movie with him. My cool, going-to-film-school brother wanted me to watch a movie with him. We had a great time and even talked about the movie afterward. I’ll always remember how special that night felt. Because I spent time with my brother and because the movie was unlike anything I’d seen before.

I was no stranger to Mike Judge. While not a huge “Beavis and Butthead” fan, I was a frequent watcher of King Of The Hill and caught Office Space anytime it showed up on Comedy Central (which, at the time, seemed to be every day). Regardless, I had no idea that Idiocracy even existed. I went in completely cold and was given a look into a possible future where pornstar/pro-wrestler could be president and three companies own everything.

Idiocracy has only become more relevant in the years since its release. Calling it ahead of its time would be a massive understatement. The film’s relevance was discussed in a recent episode of Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend. It was a moment where Conan brought up the film to his guest, the star of the film Luke Wilson, and it’s immediately clear why. They marvel at the details Judge put in, and Wilson even jokes that President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho, played by terry Crews in the film, would make a pretty decent president now. I’d rather vote for Beef Supreme.

As I watch the world slowly but surely continue to resemble the world featured in Idiocracy, I can at least find comfort in the memory of watching it with my brother. How our relationship began to get stronger that very night and is currently the best it’s ever been. it won’t keep electrolytes out of tap water, but it’s something.