Comedian Hannah Berner has addressed backlash over a joke she made about Blake Lively in Netflix’s Torching 2024: A Roast of the Year. The joke, which referenced Lively, caught viewers’ attention following the actress’ recent legal complaint against her It Ends With Us director and co-star, Justin Baldoni.
In the comedy special, which began streaming on Dec. 27, Berner quipped, “The word ‘c–t’ was trending this year. I don’t think Blake Lively was that bad.” However, the timing of the joke led to online criticism due to Lively’s ongoing legal battle.
Responding to the controversy, Berner took to Instagram to clarify. “My joke in the Netflix roast was filmed before news of the [complaint]. To be 100 percent clear, I support Blake xoxo,” she wrote in a story shared on Dec. 27.
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Netflix has confirmed that the Jeff Ross-hosted roast was filmed on Dec. 17, three days before Lively filed her complaint with the California Civil Rights Department. The complaint accuses Baldoni of sexual harassment and orchestrating a smear campaign after Lively raised concerns about his behavior on set.
The filing alleges that Baldoni, alongside his production company Wayfarer Studios and producer Jamey Heath, failed to address harassment concerns and instead coordinated a “sophisticated, coordinated, and well-financed retaliation plan” aimed at discrediting Lively.
I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.
Lively said in a statement to The New York Times.
Baldoni and his attorney Bryan Freedman have categorically denied the allegations. Freedman called the claims “false, outrageous, and intentionally salacious,” asserting they were designed to damage Baldoni’s reputation.
Berner isn’t the only celebrity to publicly support Lively. Stars such as America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, Amber Tamblyn, Colleen Hoover, and Jenny Slate have voiced their solidarity with the actress.
This ongoing saga has sparked widespread conversation about workplace harassment in Hollywood, with Berner emphasizing that her remarks predate the legal revelations.
Source: Entertainment Weekly