Maybe you love her, maybe you hate her, or maybe you feel nothing but contempt for the Trainwreck star, but one thing is for sure, you probably have an opinion on the controversial American stand-up comedian and actor Amy Schumer. So perhaps that is the reason why Call Her Daddy podcast host Alex Cooper decided to invite Schumer for an hour-long chit-chat. In typical CHD fashion, this episode included everything from sex confessions and conversations about body image to discussion about misogyny in the film and TV industry. However, none of these topics stirred up as much outrage as the fact that Schumer was invited to appear on the show in the first place. So here is everything you need to know about her much-contested appearance on the popular podcast, and why some many Gen Zers are so offended by it.
Amy Schumer is a 43-year-old stand-up comedian, actor, writer, producer, and director, who rose to fame in the mid-2010s for becoming the first woman ever to make the highest-paid comedian list.
Most people became acquainted with Schumer through her sketch comedy show Inside Amy Schumer, which earned a couple of awards during its run on Comedy Central. It turned the entertainer into a Hollywood staple and cast a brimming spotlight on her that unfortunately shunned a light on, well, some would say nasty aspects of her comedy and personhood.
The first thing that put a nail in Amy Schumer’s proverbial coffin with Gen Zers was a slew of racist jokes she allegedly made. This included saying: ‘I used to date Latino guys. Now I prefer consensual,’ in a stand-up routine. The comedian retorted by claiming in a now-deleted Twitter post: “It is a joke and it is funny. I know that because people laugh at it. Trust me. I am not a racist.”
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Then, Schumer seemed to have some difficulties understanding what and what not to make light of. Society’s unrealistic standards for women? That’s the perfect stuff for a comedy routine. The tragic shooting that occurred on the set of Alec Baldwin’s Rust? Not so much.
Most recently, the performer was in hot water for her comments about the Israel-Hamas war. In one controversial remark, she referred to Gazans as “rapists,” launching a wave of backlash and condemnation against her.
So when Alex Cooper decided to have her on Call Her Daddy, it’s no surprise many netizens took issue and expressed it in the comments section.
“We love you Alex, but this ep[isode] ain’t it,” one person commented. “She’s not funny. Not even a little,” another one said. Someone else responded: “Hard pass! The things she has said about Palestinian people cannot be forgotten. She has said such cruel heartless things. Not a good person.”
Another user simply claimed: “This is the end of CHD.” Hardly so.
Of course, this is not the end of Call Her Daddy as both Schumer and Cooper are used to this kind of backlash. The podcaster received a lot of criticism for political bias last year when she decided to interview Vice President Kamala Harris ahead of the US presidential election.
Cooper’s online presence in general is prone to attract all kinds of trolls, yet her growing empire has sustained beef with her former co-host Sofia Franklyn, backlash about guests, and even critique CHD’s controversial new ownership–the podcast was formerly owned and distributed by Barstool Sports, whose head is Dave Portnoy. He is frequently dubbed as an archetypical frat boy with a history of making misogynistic and racist remarks.
Likewise, Amy Schumer’s 2024 ended with her being honoured on Variety’s ‘Power of Women’ spread alongside Shonda Rhimes and Anitta.
Amy Schumer for Variety’s Power of Women, photographed by Victoria Stevens pic.twitter.com/uW4JLyGZiQ
— Variety (@Variety) April 29, 2024
Perhaps it’s a sign of progress that a woman’s accomplishments are no longer so easily undone by a handful of controversial missteps. Schumer herself acknowledged during the interview that being disliked is something she’s grown used to, as criticism of her work and persona often veers into deep attacks about her appearance.
The comments “Does she get Botox to look fat?” and “She needs an Ozempic sponsorship” are probably emblematic of that.
While this dynamic doesn’t absolve her of valid criticism, it does highlight some upsides to her growing immunity from it.