Amy Poehler is getting backlash on social media after an episode of her new show “Difficult People” included a joke about R. Kelly urinating on Blue Ivy, the 3-year-old daughter of Jay Z and Beyoncé.
In the scene, comedian Julie Klausner, who plays an aspiring comedy writer named Julie, laments that she is receiving negative backlash after tweeting an offensive joke: “I can’t wait for Blue Ivy to be old enough for R. Kelly to (urinate) on her.”
Later in the show, the fictional Julie tries to explain the joke to a group of shocked partygoers and calls R. Kelly “basically a sex offender. And depending on, you know, whether charges are true, allegedly a pedophile. Allegedly,” according to the Washington Post.
R. Kelly, a Chicago native, was acquitted of child pornography charges by a Cook County jury in 2008. He was accused of making a sex tape with an underage girl.
Social media users said the joke promotes rape culture.
“Difficult People” premiered earlier this month on Hulu. Poehler serves as executive producer.
A representative for Hulu did not immediately return a Tribune request for comment.
A Blue Ivy R. Kelly joke is really too far. Got my blood pressure up.
— Diamond Sharp (@diamonde) August 17, 2015
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Thank you #AmyPoehler for showing the world that a black little girl isn't protected from #rapeculture even if she has famous parents.
— Yukio Strachan (@boldandworthy) August 17, 2015
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
"Is Blue Ivy old enough for R. Kelly?"
@smrtgrls, how do you have a site dedicated to girls, and OK that line?
— Cynthia F. (@cynfinite) August 17, 2015
