In a candid interview for Vanity Fair’s long-form series Fair Game playwright and cultural commentator Jeremy O. Harris let loose on the Democratic establishment. When host Mark Guiducci asked why the party keeps “losing,” Harris shot back, “Why are you so addicted to losing?” He added, “I’m a really competitive bitch.” The exchange set the tone for a conversation that blended political critique, theater economics, and personal history.
Harris’s frustration is directed at what he sees as a complacent left that tolerates regressive voices. He cited examples of older white men and Black women who, in his view, push for increased aid to Israel or question universal health care, and he argued that such positions repeatedly cost the left electoral ground.
From Virginia roots to a New York showdown
Raised in Virginia Harris admits that his media sprint after the 2018 debut of Slave Play was as much about survival as ambition. “I was doing anything I can to not go back to Virginia and have to work at a Burger King,” he told Guiducci, emphasizing that the rapid rise was a matter of self-preservation.
His breakout work earned a historic 12 Tony nominations in 2021, though none translated into a win. When pressed about the shutout, Harris replied, “The bitchiest level is that in spaces where it matters, as in spaces with money, people think I won the Tony. So it kind of doesn’t matter if you win or lose.” The playwright’s attitude toward the American Theatre Wing is therefore more pragmatic than sentimental.
Broadway’s “crisis moment” and a call to the mayor
Beyond the award circuit, Harris is fixated on a different kind of crisis: the soaring cost of tickets and theater rents in New York City. He described the situation as “the greatest city in the world not having the greatest culture in the world.” To address it, he wants to sit down with Zohran Mamdani the city’s mayor, and discuss concrete steps such as a theater rent-freeze.
During the interview Harris framed his request in familiar terms: “Mamdani, you are calling everyone. Anyone who talks about a pothole, the subway being too hot, you are answering their call. I’m doing this on Vanity Fair. Call me. Your people know me. Let’s talk about how to make theater more accessible in the city.” The playwright’s ambition is to align the cultural elite with everyday New Yorkers who are priced out of the theater experience.
The economic pressures behind Broadway shows
Harris also critiqued the current production model, noting that investors now demand marquee names from the “sixth-biggest Netflix show” to guarantee box-office returns. He warned that this trend sidelines emerging talent and forces mid-career artists into financial precarity, especially in a city where “the cost of living is really, really expensive.”
In his view, the obsession with celebrity casting erodes the pipeline that once carried performers from off-Broadway labs to the Great White Way, threatening the diversity and originality that once defined the stage.
Looking ahead: culture, politics, and activism
Harris’s interview also touched on his relationship with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). He sees the organization as a potential ally in the fight for affordable cultural spaces, and he hopes the DSA will help broker a dialogue with the mayor.
While the conversation was peppered with humor and sharp barbs, the underlying message was clear: without systemic changes—whether in ticket pricing, rent structures, or political priorities—Broadway risks becoming an exclusive club for the affluent, leaving the city’s broader community on the cultural sidelines.
Fans can watch the full discussion on YouTube or any platform that hosts Fair Game where Harris continues to blend theater advocacy with unapologetic political commentary.
