By Juliet Kaufman

LOS ANGELES – Jason Segel’s reps released a statement last Friday, asking the press to refrain from questions on whether or not Segel has read David Foster Wallace’s behemoth Infinite Jest. Segel stars as the critically acclaimed writer in End of the Tour, which tells the story of the five-day interview between Wallace and journalist David Lipsky, played by Jesse Eisenberg.

“Jason absolutely finished Infinite Jest,” the statement read. “Jason and his team are tired of responding to claims that he did not, in fact, read Infinite Jest. Jason is offended that the public couldn’t believe he read 1,079 pages, plus a lot of footnotes. He totally read it, okay?”

Segel has even gone so far as to pose in public with the book. He personally released a statement on Twitter last weekend, stating, “Of course I read the book! The footnotes too. I read the whole thing, I swear.”

When asked what the book was about, he responded, “Tennis, among other things.” When asked what “other things” Segel was referring to he responded: “Um, footnotes.” He reportedly took cover in a Barnes and Noble Starbucks and refused to answer any further questions.

Judd Apatow, friend and long-time collaborator of Jason Segel, also commented on the situation to Rolling Stone in a recent interview. “Jason and I went on an exotic, tropical vacation to Antigua and he totally, definitely, absolutely had Infinite Jest with him at the pool. Jason kept turning and turning the pages—made my head spin with all the page turning. He read the book, or at least looked at every page.”

Jason Segel is best known for playing the lovable Marshall Eriksen in the hit CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother.

Juliet Kaufman is a freelance writer, proofreader, and occasional comedian based in Los Angeles, California. In 2012, she graduated from UC Berkeley with a BA in English, and has since worked at a number of random jobs, like a true millennial. She is a graduate of the Upright Citizens Brigade and performs in improv shows here and there. She’s never tried her hand at podcasting. She likes to go to the movies once every two weeks and she always gets popcorn.