Calls for Amy Schumer film boycott over past Gaza war comments

Scores of activists and social media users online have called for the boycott of a new film starring Amy Schumer, citing past comments by the comedian and actor on the war in Gaza.

The boycott calls came after a trailer was released for Kinda Pregnant on 7 January, a film about a woman pretending to be pregnant which will be released next month.

Social media sites were awash with comments criticising Schumer, who previously came under fire for sharing a comic on Instagram which featured a sign that read "Gazans rape Jewish girls only in self defence".

Despite later deleting the tweet, Schumer hit back at people who called her out for her post.

Israel is continuing its military assault on Gaza with thei death toll passing 46,000 this week and the enclave plunged into a humanitarian crisis.

In addition to thousands of Palestinians killed and injured since October 2023 much of the enclave’s infrastructure has been destroyed will millions lacking shelter, food, medical supplies, and clean water.

Many Palestinians and pro-Palestine supporters have boycott products, services, and artists who are viewed as supportive of Israel.

"Nobody defines nepotism in Hollywood quite like Amy Schumer. Unfunny, not talented, arrogant, entitled and a raging Zionist…yet still gets lead roles," one person claimed on social media platform X.

Schumer has said she does not support Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's actions and has spoken out against conditions in Gaza.

"I don’t agree with anything that Netanyahu is doing, and neither do the Israelis I know. Of course what’s going on in Gaza is sickening, horrifying and unthinkable," she told Variety.

"And, I don’t think it’s OK to hate anyone because they were born Jewish. It's gotten to this place, where you can't speak up for other Jews without people feeling like it's a slight to the conditions in Gaza."

But she also faced criticism for telling the magazine that "the focus is so razor-sharp on Jewish people but not on Hamas… it’s very strange" due to the extreme inbalance in suffering currently in the conflict.

Israel’s war has plunged Gaza into a deep humanitarian crisis, with a growing hunger crisis and fuel shortages putting thousands of peoples’ lives at risk.

Several rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have carried out studies and investigations which have found Israel’s actions in Gaza amounting to genocide.

Hamas and many Israelis have repeatedly accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of intentionally obstructing a ceasefire and captive exchange deal in order to sustain his political career and prolong the war on Gaza.

The New Arab reached out to Amy Schumer's publicist for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication