Amy Poehler's 'Tone Deaf' Podcast: Fans Demand Accountability for Aziz Ansari

Amy Poehler's Pod-Fiasco: Fans Boycott Episode Featuring Aziz Ansari Amid Saudi Arabia Scandal

Comedy queen Amy Poehler has been left red-faced after her Good Hang podcast episode with friend and former Parks And Recreation co-star Aziz Ansari sparked outrage among fans. The 54-year-old SNL star, who has gained a legion of new followers since launching the series in March, found herself at the center of controversy when she failed to address Ansari's recent Saudi Arabia scandal during their light-hearted chat.

Ansari, 42, has been making headlines for his decision to perform at the Riyadh Comedy Festival, which featured performances from high-profile comics like Pete Davidson, Dave Chappelle, and Kevin Hart. The comedians have been accused of taking "blood money" from the Saudi regime, given its track record of human rights abuses and repression of dissidents.

But Ansari's involvement goes beyond just the comedy festival. He has also faced criticism for his past behavior, including a 2018 sexual misconduct allegation made by an anonymous woman in an article published on Babe.net. Ansari acknowledged the encounter but claimed it was consensual. The incident sparked a heated debate about what constitutes acceptable behavior in the #MeToo era.

Despite the scandal surrounding Ansari's appearance at the Riyadh Comedy Festival, Poehler chose to steer clear of the topic during their podcast conversation. Instead, the pair reminisced about their time working on Parks And Rec and discussed Ansari's love of staying off-grid without email or social media.

But fans were quick to call out Poehler for not addressing the elephant in the room. "Not watching this because Aziz went to Saudi Arabia. Gross," one fan wrote on the comments section. "I'm going to assume this was recorded months ago, but you should've at least done a quick insert at the start of the pod stating how you felt about it... I understand that he's your friend, but friends should still be held accountable for their f**k-ups."

Another fan added: "Booooo. Love you Amy, but having guests willing to take money from that Saudi butcher is incredibly tone-deaf. Not watching this garbage." The outrage was palpable, with many fans vowing to unsubscribe from the podcast.

However, not everyone was outraged. Some fans defended Poehler and Ansari, arguing that they should be given a chance to explain themselves. "I'm still glad Aziz came on the pod," one fan wrote. "Nobody knows what the truth is, maybe shouldn't judge if you don't know."

But for those who were outraged by Ansari's decision to perform in Saudi Arabia, Poehler's failure to address the issue only added fuel to the fire. As one fan pointed out: "What a bad time to post this episode. I was really looking forward to this week's episode after the great one last week. Real bummer..."

The controversy surrounding Ansari's appearance at the Riyadh Comedy Festival has been ongoing, with many comedians speaking out against his decision to perform in Saudi Arabia. But it seems that Poehler's podcast episode may have just ignited a new wave of outrage.

In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel Live! last week, Ansari attempted to defend his decision to perform in Saudi Arabia. "It's a pretty brutal regime," Kimmel reminded Ansari. "They've done a lot of horrible, horrible things." But Ansari insisted that he had given his performance "a lot of thought" and ultimately decided that it was worth taking the risk.

"I believe that comedy can be a powerful tool for change," Ansari said. "And I think that by performing in Saudi Arabia, we can push boundaries and challenge people's perspectives."

But critics argue that Ansari's decision to perform in Saudi Arabia is tone-deaf, especially given the country's human rights abuses. And it seems that Poehler's failure to address the issue on her podcast has only added fuel to the fire.

Human Rights Watch Slams Ansari's Donation

In a bizarre twist, Human Rights Watch announced last week that they cannot accept donations from comedians who performed at the Riyadh Comedy Festival, including Ansari. The organization released a statement saying: "While we appreciate the generosity of these individuals, their decision to perform in Saudi Arabia sends the wrong message about human rights."

Joey Shea, a researcher with Human Rights Watch, added: "Human Rights Watch didn't call for comedians to boycott the Riyadh Comedy Festival, but simply asked them to express their support for free speech by urging the release of detained Saudi activists unjustly imprisoned."

Ansari has not commented on the controversy surrounding his donation. But it seems that the damage is already done.

The MeToo Moment: Ansari's Past Behavior

Ansari's decision to perform in Saudi Arabia may have sparked outrage, but it's not the only controversy surrounding the comedian. In 2018, a then-23-year-old Brooklyn photographer accused Ansari of sexual misconduct after they went on a date together. The woman claimed that Ansari repeatedly tried to pressure her into having sex over the course of the night.

Ansari acknowledged the encounter but did not admit to misconduct. "I was surprised and concerned" when I heard about the allegations, he said in a statement at the time. "I took her words to heart and responded privately after taking the time to process what she had said."

The incident sparked a heated debate about what constitutes acceptable behavior in the #MeToo era. While some argued that Ansari's actions were not illegal, others claimed that they were still problematic.

Ansari's Return to Spotlight with Good Fortune

Despite the controversy surrounding his past behavior and decision to perform in Saudi Arabia, Ansari is now returning to the spotlight with his feature directorial debut Good Fortune, a supernatural comedy film. The movie follows a "well-meaning but inept" angel who tries to show a struggling gig worker that money doesn't solve one's problems.

But fans are still reeling from the controversy surrounding Ansari's appearance on Poehler's podcast. And it seems that the comedian may have just faced his biggest challenge yet: winning back the trust of his fans.

As one fan put it: "I was really looking forward to this week's episode, but now I'm not watching. Big mistake on this one."

Only time will tell if Ansari can bounce back from the controversy surrounding his appearance in Saudi Arabia and decision to perform at the Riyadh Comedy Festival. But for now, it seems that Poehler's podcast may have just ignited a new wave of outrage.

In an effort to clarify, we have reached out to Amy Poehler's representatives for comment.