Vice President J.D. Vance Defends Netflix Hit Emily in Paris as Cultural Masterpiece

Vance had previously praised the series in October 2024 during an appearance on “The Joe Rogan Experience,” saying he watched it with his wife after the Republican National Convention and calling it a “masterpiece.”
The video was posted on Vance’s TikTok account and shared on X by his communications director, Taylor Van Kirk, after a friend mocked the show.
The series stars Lily Collins as an American who moves to Paris after college, where she navigates both a new career and a turbulent love life.
Netflix’s Emily in Paris is scheduled to return for a sixth and final season in December.
Vice President J.D. Vance has become an unlikely champion of Netflix's Emily in Paris, calling the romantic comedy "the Shakespeare of our time" and "a masterwork of American television." Yahoo News reported that Vance posted a video to TikTok and X defending the show after a friend mocked it, arguing that the series offers sharp "cultural criticism" of millennial life choices.
Vance said the show's central message is about commitment. He believes characters Emily and French chef Gabriel should marry and build a life together instead of repeatedly chasing other relationships or career ambitions. The Independent noted that Vance views their romantic mistakes as the show's main commentary on his generation's decision-making patterns.
This is not Vance's first time praising Emily in Paris. Back in October 2024, he appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience and called the show a "masterpiece." He mentioned watching it with his wife after the Republican National Convention. The repeated endorsements suggest Vance has become a genuine fan of the series despite its mixed critical reception.
Beneath the show's glossy Parisian backdrop and fashion-focused storylines, Vance sees a serious work of art. He argues that Emily in Paris uses romance and career drama to explore how millennials make life decisions. The protagonist Emily, played by Lily Collins, moves to Paris after college and juggles both professional ambitions and a complicated love life, according to Yahoo News. Vance reads these plot threads as intentional social commentary rather than shallow entertainment.
Netflix has announced that Emily in Paris will return for its sixth and final season in December. The Independent reported that this will be the show's last chapter, ending the saga that began with Emily's move to Paris. The announcement comes as Vance's comments reignite debate about the show's cultural value and whether it truly deserves comparisons to Shakespeare.
A sitting vice president comparing a Netflix comedy to Shakespeare is unusual and newsworthy. Vance's passionate defense suggests he views pop culture as a legitimate vehicle for serious ideas. By elevating Emily in Paris to Shakespeare's level, he signals that entertainment and social commentary are intertwined. Whether audiences agree with his reading or not, Vance has forced critics and fans alike to reconsider what the show might actually be saying about modern life.
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