Get the latest BPR news delivered free to your inbox daily. SIGN UP HERE.
It is suddenly cloudy for the popular sitcom It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Given the sensitivities of the moment, Netflix has allegedly pulled one or more episodes from its online catalog because they feature characters wearing blackface.
Supporters of the show have responded on social media, however, to insist that Netflix is missing the entire point.
Fox News reported that “Fans started taking to Twitter early Saturday to question the streaming service about its decision to remove a few of the popular show’s episodes in the United Kingdom, specifically pointing to the axing of an episode titled ‘Dee Reynolds: Shaping America’s Youth.’
“Multiple fans of the show claimed that Netflix was wrong for allegedly stripping the episode from its catalog because it involved characters condemning the use of blackface…Social media users claimed that when they went to watch episodes of the series, the streaming service says they are ‘no longer available’…A rep for Netflix did not immediately return Fox News’ request for comment.”
Apparently Netflix also deleted the episode or episodes here in the U.S. as well.
Devotees of the show condemned Netflix’s action as yet another form of cancel culture for failing to recognize the underlying message:
Pretty stupid to attack It’s Always Sunny for the black face episode when literally the whole point of the episode was talking about “is it ever tasteful” sometimes the social justice brings us backwards. Pretty lame if you ask me.
— HughDanielMurrayIV (@THElogic) June 13, 2020
Netflix just pulled an episode of its always sunny in Philadelphia because Mac uses blackface in it. The problem is that the show is satire and is trying to show how ignorant the characters are for their actions.
It's self-aware that the characters are terrible people
— Ross Dowling (@RossDowling2) June 11, 2020
Multiple episodes of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia have been removed from Netflix because people can't understand the context of the show. Yes there's blackface but IN the show they call it out and say how terrible and not OK it is.
— Chloe (@likamotownbeat) June 13, 2020
Notice Netflix have pulled the Its Always Sunny episode: “Dee Reynolds: Shaping America’s Youth”, but have left the continuation “The Gang Makes Lethal Weapon 6” up.
Both have blackface, surely Lethal Weapon 6 is actually worse than the first one?
— Lewis Palmer 🤙 (@GargantuanAppl1) June 11, 2020
@NetflixUK how can you remove It's always sunny ep? Just because the episode depicts blackface you remove it despite it literally just asking in a satirical manner 'when is blackface okay?' even though concludes that it isnt ever. If this episode was ever relevant it's now.
— chardee macdennis (@fishmannbd) June 13, 2020
The thing about It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia is that the characters are appalling people. The humour is derived from their inability to function as empathetic human beings. We are not celebrating black face with them, we are laughing at how unaware & awful they are.
— Stephen Knight (@GSpellchecker) June 14, 2020
Hi Netflix you removed one of my favourite episodes of It’s always sunny in Philadelphia (S6 E9) ‘Dee Reynolds shaping America’s youth’. Could you re-upload it? The black face in the episode was a parody of black face. Kind of like how you’re now a parody of this new cancel trend
— Giants Fan Hub (@HubGiants) June 11, 2020
Now renewed for its 15th season, It’s Always Sunny is the longest-running, live-action comedy in TV history.
Separately, Howard Stern has found himself immersed in a related controversy. A recently unearthed highly offensive video clip from the 1990s depicts the former shock jock, who has now become an ultra-liberal, anti-Trump celebrity supplicant, wearing blackface and using the N-word. It remains to be seen if there will be any repercussions for the SiriusXM host, whose career is winding down, as a result of the footage.
Other entertainment liberals such as Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon, along with Joy Behar of The View, seem to have a past affinity for performing in blackface. None of them have lost their TV platforms. Fallon has apologized, however.
Canada’s Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau managed to win reelection despite being caught wearing blackface back in 2001. And Democrat Ralph Northam is still governor of Virginia despite his infamous yearbook photo.
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
- ‘Petty heffa’: The View’s Ana Navarro skewered for cracking on Marjorie Taylor Greene’s appearance - December 4, 2022
- Women’s college volleyball game features incredible rally complete with diving, table-crashing safe - December 4, 2022
- Wild brawl breaks out at Fitness Connection gym, takes deciding turn when woman enters picture - December 4, 2022
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
BPR INSIDER COMMENTS
Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!