Dr. Drew strongly rejects Ryan Reynolds’ brutal take on the 1980s

Ryan Reynolds has a bone to pick with the 1980s — but Dr. Drew Pinksy isn’t buying it.

The “Deadpool” star recently shared a decidedly un-nostalgic view of the decade, arguing that the passage of time has allowed people to romanticize an era that was far more turbulent than the movies, music and pop culture of the time might suggest.

“What’s interesting about when you get far enough away from a time period that’s quite distinct, I think there’s always a lovely feeling associated with it. It’s almost like you pave over all the trauma with, like, puppy dogs and ice cream,” Reynolds said during an interview with Variety.

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Dr. Drew Pinsky challenged Ryan Reynolds’ gloomy assessment of the 1980s and questioned whether the decade was really as “brutal” as the actor claimed. (Getty Images)

“And the ’80s was a brutal, brutal time for people. It was a f—ing mess… and people forget that. It was a tremendous strife. Sociopolitical tensions everywhere.”

Reynolds pointed to the lingering shadow of the Cold War and the Cuban Missile Crisis, noting that the latter had occurred only a couple of decades earlier.

“So, you know, it’s a … it’s a tumultuous period, but you look back at it now, and you’re like, ‘Oh, yeah. “Top Gun.” Cocaine!’ Like, ‘No!’ It was really scary,” he said.

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Ryan Reynolds attends the “Mayday” premiere on Sept. 1, 2026, in New York City. (Taylor Hill / FilmMagic)

Reynolds made the remarks while promoting his new Apple TV film, “Mayday,” a Cold War-era movie set in 1987.

The actor also questioned how future generations will view the current era, suggesting that cultural nostalgia can obscure the realities of the time in which people actually lived.

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His comments sparked a debate on the “Actual Friends” podcast, where celebrity physician Dr. Drew pushed back on Reynolds’ assessment.

“I am a Ryan Reynolds fan. I met him way back in the day. People take aim at him all the time. I think he’s a great guy,” Dr. Drew said.

“He is very wrong here.”

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Dr. Drew Pinsky pushed back on Ryan Reynolds’ take on the 1980s, asking, “What happened to fun?” during the conversation. (Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)

Dr. Drew argued Reynolds was confusing the 1980s with the more turbulent 1970s, describing the following decade as a period of optimism and celebration.

“The ’80s was this huge relief that came,” he said. “And yes, there was a lot of hatred for Reagan at the beginning, but things went so well it all went away, and it was just one relief, one celebration after another for like eight years.”

For Dr. Drew, the debate ultimately boils down to one question: “What happened to fun?”

“The ’80s were just flat-out fun. They really were. People were having fun, and we just don’t seem to have fun anymore,” he said.

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