NEW YORK — Bruce Springsteen brought humour and a touch of 1970s Jersey Shore nostalgia to the Museum of Modern Art’s 2026 Film Benefit, joking that Steven Spielberg’s 1975 blockbuster Jaws ruined one of his favourite late-night beach pastimes.
Springsteen made the remarks while honouring Spielberg at MoMA’s annual film benefit in New York on Thursday, November 12. Recalling the summer of 1975, the singer described nighttime swimming along the Jersey Shore as one of life’s great pleasures — preferably without clothes and with someone special.
“One of the great pleasures on the Jersey Shore in 1975 was night swimming, preferably naked with someone you wanted to have sex with,” Springsteen said in the remarks circulating from the event. He then delivered the punchline: “Steven Spielberg f*cked that up. He f*cked it up good.”
Springsteen continued by joking that he had wondered over the years why “a nice man” like Spielberg would do such a thing. The quip drew a humorous connection between the filmmaker’s most famous shark thriller and the way audiences came to think about swimming in open water.
Jaws turned beachgoing into a suspense story
Released in 1975, Jaws follows a great white shark terrorising the fictional seaside community of Amity Island. Adapted from Peter Benchley’s novel, the film became a landmark in popular cinema, combining suspense, memorable performances and John Williams’ instantly recognisable score.
The film’s impact reached far beyond the cinema. MoMA’s own programme notes for its 2026 Spielberg retrospective describe Jaws as the blockbuster that “made an entire generation think twice about swimming.” The film is widely associated with the rise of the modern summer blockbuster and with a lasting change in how popular culture depicts sharks.
For Springsteen, the joke was personal: he was recalling a Jersey Shore ritual from the same year the film arrived in theatres. His comments also echo a fondness for nighttime ocean swimming he has expressed publicly before, including in a 2020 radio broadcast excerpt reported by New Jersey 101.5.
MoMA honours Spielberg’s film legacy
The 18th annual MoMA Film Benefit, presented with CHANEL, honoured Spielberg for a career spanning more than five decades. The museum says the event supports its Department of Film, including the acquisition and preservation of important works and the development of film exhibitions.
Spielberg’s filmography includes Jaws, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan and Jurassic Park. MoMA also organised a special series, “Sundays with Steven,” pairing films selected by the director with works that influenced or inspired him.
Springsteen’s teasing tribute offered a lighter moment in a celebration of a filmmaker whose work has shaped generations of moviegoers. More than 50 years after Jaws first reached cinemas, the film’s cultural footprint remains so recognisable that even a beach memory can become a punchline.
Sources and further reading
- MoMA: 2026 Film Benefit honouring Steven Spielberg
- MoMA: Sundays with Steven and the Jaws retrospective
- MoMA: Film Benefit event details and programme
- New Jersey 101.5: Springsteen’s earlier comments about nighttime ocean swimming
- Showbiz411: Coverage of the November 12 MoMA gala