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Michael Rapaport recently spoke out against the criticism directed at Sydney Sweeney following the actress’ American Eagle jeans ad, stating that the backlash has gone “too far.”
The comedian expressed his frustration with those who have been “bullying and harassing” Sweeney after her ad for “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans” garnered negative attention.
“I don’t personally know Sydney Sweeney, I’ve never met her, and I haven’t watched ‘Euphoria.’ Despite that, I am aware of her popularity, the controversy surrounding the commercial, and now her political affiliation as a registered Republican,” Rapaport shared on Instagram. “But really, who cares about someone’s political registration? This situation has spiraled out of control. Why does it matter who anyone votes for, whether Republican, Democrat, Independent, or otherwise?”
He continued, “This is a young 27-year-old woman who is facing bullying and harassment. Do you really think that her team of professional agents and lawyers didn’t thoroughly review every aspect of that American Eagle jeans campaign? And now suddenly she’s being labeled as a Nazi and accused of promoting white supremacy? Just leave her alone.”
Rapaport also criticized the tendency to bully female celebrities in general.
“People seem to enjoy targeting celebrities, especially female ones,” he remarked. “But why does it matter who she voted for or is registered to vote for? Why does anyone care about another person’s political preferences? Find something else to focus on. You want to build someone up just to tear them down. Let Sydney Sweeney be.”
Sweeney made her first public appearance since the American Eagle ad controversy at a screening of her film “Americana” on Sunday. Despite the ongoing discussions about her political views, she remained composed as she encountered a heckler upon arrival at the event.
“Stop the ad, it’s racist!” a bystander shouted, referring to the American Eagle ad, as Sweeney walked into the theater, according to TMZ.
Sweeney’s collaboration with American Eagle for their fall campaign, “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans,” elicited a range of reactions. While some criticized the campaign as “tone-deaf” due to perceived racial undertones, others commended the actress for challenging conventional advertising.
According to Salon, the phrase “great genes” has historically been associated with celebrating characteristics such as whiteness, thinness, and attractiveness.
American Eagle defended Sweeney amid the backlash but opted to remove the controversial video from their social media platforms.
“‘Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans’ is and always has been about the jeans,” the statement clarified. “Her Jeans. Her Story. We will continue to celebrate how everyone wears their AE jeans confidently, in their own way.”
Sweeney has not publicly addressed the criticism herself.
Contributions to this report were made by Fox News Digital’s Christina Dugan Ramirez.
