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In case you’ve seen the phrase “cancel Netflix” in your social media feeds at present, you’re definitely not alone.
The streaming big is on the middle of a brand new controversy involving a little-known animation sequence, which lately got here underneath hearth from Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
The present, Lifeless Finish: Paranormal Park, was canceled by Netflix in 2023, however Musk lately joined the marketing campaign to punish the service for ever carrying it in any respect.
Musk’s criticism stems from the truth that the sequence featured a personality named Barry Guttman, who, at one level, comes out as transgender.
Elon Musk lashes out at canceled Netflix sequence
“This isn’t okay,” Musk tweeted, together with a clip from the present. “Cancel Netflix for the well being of your youngsters,” he added.
The billionaire X proprietor then posted a screenshot to show that he had canceled his personal Netflix account.
He later stored up his assault on the service, tweeting scenes from different exhibits that featured storylines that includes trans characters and repeating his requires a boycott.
Not surprisingly, “cancel Netflix” rapidly turned the highest trending matter on X, and the scenario led to harassment directed at Lifeless Finish: Paranormal Park showrunner, Hamish Steele.
Steele initially took the scenario in stride, joking that Netflix is under no circumstances selling his canceled sequence.
“It’s all lies and slander! Netflix is NOT selling in the meanwhile!” he wrote (through Deadline).
Simply hours later, Steele reported that the scenario had escalated to a daunting diploma.
“I’ve principally been very okay at present and located all of it fairly humorous, whereas actually appreciating everybody who has reached out, however the extraordinarily nasty bizarre homophobic and antisemitic emails have began rolling in and it’s getting somewhat scary so I apologize if I take longer to reply to stuff,” he wrote.
“I’ll simply say at present is way a lot worse and I’m going to principally be on the down low for the foreseeable,” Steele continued, including, “My apologies.”
Musk has an extended historical past of opposing trans rights, seemingly stemming from his fractured relationship with daughter Vivian Wilson.
Wilson says she is now not on talking phrases together with her father after popping out as trans.
Whereas it’s unattainable to say how a lot of an affect Musk’s boycott has had when it comes to subscribers, Netflix’s inventory slid roughly two % within the day since he launched his battle towards the model.
