If you’ve checked out Amy Schumer’s new Netflix standup special, The Leather Special, you may have noticed a less-than-enthusiastic response from users; as of now, the special has a rating of just two out of five stars. But, according to Splitsider , Schumer has an army of alt-right Redditors to thank for the lackluster ratings.
The Leather Special, the comedian’s first standup hour since 2015’s Live from the Apollo, premiered last week. Soon after, online outlets began reporting that hundreds of users were giving it unfavorable reviews. But, as The Wrap pointed out in a post from Tuesday, The Leather Special had received “more than 900 ratings since it premiered a week ago” — more than double the reviews for Trevor Noah’s special Afraid of the Dark, which was released on February 21.
Splitsider‘s Megh Wright did a quick Reddit search that confirmed her suspicions: Alt-right trolls were encourage users to flock to The Leather Special and bury it in one-star ratings. There are also calls to give Schumer’s 2016 book, The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo, unfavorable reviews on Amazon. (That effort seems to have been less successful; the book currently has a four-star rating, although there is a fairly high ratio of one-star reviews.)
Soon after Wright’s post went up, Schumer responded with a screenshot of the article and a statement on Instagram in which she writes, “I am embarrassed for the ‘journalists’ who report on trolls activities as if it’s news.” She also links the troll activity to the Trump administration, although she doesn’t mention the president’s name. “Anyone who reported that “viewers aren’t happy” with my special, it would have been cool if you did a moment of research before posting. The alt right organized trolls attack everything I do. Read the @splitsider article.” Here’s the full statement:
I am so proud of my special and grateful to all the people spreading love on line about it. I am the first female comic who is selling out arenas all over the world and so grateful for that. I am embarrassed for the “journalists” who report on trolls activities as if it’s news. It’s indicative of administration right now. Anyone who reported that “viewers aren’t happy” with my special, it would have been cool if you did a moment of research before posting. The alt right organized trolls attack everything I do. Read the @splitsider article. They organize to get my ratings down. Meeting in sub Reddit rooms. They tried on my book and movies and tv show And I want to thank them. It makes me feel so powerful and dangerous and brave. It reminds me what I’m saying is effective and bring more interest to my work and their obsession with me keeps me going. I am only alarmed by the people printing their organized trolling as “news” this is what the current administration wants. So this post has nothing against the trolls. I thank you trolls so much. It fills me with hope and power to see you all furiously posting so as always accuse me of whatever lies you want. Call me a whale. Call me a thief and I will continue to rise and fight and lead. I know who I am. I am strong and beautiful and will use my voice my whole time on this earth. Journalists do better it’s embarrassing. Trolls see you on the next one! 😘😘😘