Has Hollywood Turned Its Back on Amy Schumer? The Real Story
After two decades of unapologetic ascent, Amy Schumer’s signature bravado now meets a colder Hollywood, where casting buzz has cooled and controversies keep heating up. The comedian who once dominated stand-up and big-screen comedies is suddenly a question mark.
Amy Schumer has never been shy, which is part of how she broke out in stand-up and then movies. But the longer she has stayed in the spotlight, the messier the conversation around her has gotten. If you have wondered why online chatter about the 44-year-old New York native is so heated lately, here is the rundown of what keeps following her around — the hits, the misses, and the stuff that makes people go, wait, what?
-
Netflix special faceplant
Her 2023 Netflix hour, 'Amy Schumer: Emergency Contact,' did not land with viewers. User reviews on IMDb skewed negative, with a lot of complaints that the material felt flat and not particularly funny. The special sits at a 5.2/10 there, which tells you the vibe.
-
The same joke bucket, over and over
One recurring critique from fans online (Reddit threads are full of this) is that Schumer leans too hard on anatomy-based punchlines — especially about women — to the point it feels like her default setting. Even when the delivery is sharp, the repetition can wear people out.
-
Feminist brand vs. shots at other women
Schumer positions herself as a feminist, but she has also taken public swipes at other women. In her 2023 Netflix special she mocked Hilaria Baldwin for leaning into a Spanish persona, and during a 2015 Saturday Night Live monologue she said the Kardashians are not exactly role-model material. The disconnect rubs some viewers the wrong way.
-
Stories that sounded like admissions
This is the one that still stops people mid-scroll. At the 2014 Gloria Awards, Schumer told a story about taking advantage of a male friend while he was drunk back in college. On a separate appearance on the Opie & Anthony Show, she described moving a cab driver's hand toward her crotch. The way she told those stories led many to hear them as admissions of crossing serious lines.
-
Joke theft allegations from fellow comics
Comedians Wendy Liebman, Tammy Pescatelli, and Kathleen Madigan have all accused Schumer of lifting material. Schumer has denied stealing jokes, telling Jim Norton on SiriusXM that the bits were her own. Liebman's now-deleted tweet captured the frustration:
"Between Amy Schumer doing 1 of my best jokes on her HBO special and this meme of my joke, I'm done with social media."
-
The Beyoncé 'Formation' parody backlash
Schumer posted a video with her 'Snatched' co-star Goldie Hawn riffing on Beyoncé's 'Formation.' The response was swift: critics said the parody co-opted a song tied to Black female empowerment. Schumer later wrote an essay saying the intent was not to undercut the song's meaning, but the damage was done.
-
Mixed messages on body image
She has been candid about body image, calling herself 'fat' in 2017's 'The Leather Special.' But she also publicly called out Glamour for including her on a 'Chic at Any Size' page, objecting to being lumped in as a plus-size figure. For some fans, that contradiction was confusing.
-
Her Israel-Palestine posts poured gasoline on everything
Schumer drew heavy criticism after an Instagram story about the Israel-Palestine war accused news outlets of platforming propaganda and fueling antisemitism. One of the lines that circulated widely:
"Putting terrorist lies on their homepages... lies that stoke anti-Jewish hatred worldwide."
She demanded accountability from the media, and the backlash on social media was immediate.
Put together, it is a lot — and it has definitely colored how people talk about her comedy and her place in Hollywood. Do you think her star has dimmed, or is this just the internet doing its favorite thing? Drop your take in the comments.