Judd Apatow is a 'Genius'

Syosset native Judd Apatow won the first ever Critics’ Choice Louis XIII Genius Award Thursday night.

According to The Huffington Post, the brand new award “recognizes genius and artistic excellence over a course of a series of films or career.”

“Spielberg, you did not win tonight. Tommy Lee Jones, you lost. Tom Hooper, stop sulking. Ang Lee, you have another year ... Is Daniel Day-Lewis here? There he is. I beat you, too,” said Apatow in his acceptance speech, according to Zap2It.

Sign up for our free newsletter | Like us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter

The award was presented by Rebel Wilson, whose role in Apatow’s hit comedy, Bridesmaids, shot her to fame in the US.

“Daniel Day-Lewis is right there,” reacted a starstruck Apatow on Pop Sugar. “It’s weird to just talk and see Daniel Day-Lewis…”

Apatow’s comedic work has been recognized more and more in recent years, from his producing the hit comedy Bridesmaids to his more recent film This is 40.

Apatow was interviewed at Syosset High School in June by Anderson Cooper for 60 Minutes. In the interview, the Syosset alum referenced his time as a “goofy” kid and how it shaped his comedic tastes.

“I just liked funny people who said that life wasn’t fair, systems weren’t fair,” said Apatow of his choices in comedians to interview for WKWZ, Syosset High School’s radio station.

“I felt like a nerd, I was like the goofy kid getting picked last in gym class,” he confessed. That nerdiness, he said, became content in his television show, Freaks and Geeks.

Apatow returned to Syosset in September when he finally received his high school diploma -- 27 years late.