Shaffir was referring to the fact that Bryant was accused of rape back in 2003 by a 19 year-old hotel employee from Colorado, according to Breitbart News. The charges were later dropped against Bryant when the victim declined to testify against him.
The backlash against Shaffir was swift, as his talent agency Aqua Talent Agency dropped him days later. He also had a show at the New York Comedy Club cancelled after the venue began receiving death threats for scheduling him. Despite this, Shaffir stood by his actions and defended himself on Instagram.
“Every time a beloved celebrity dies, I post some horrible shit about them,” he wrote. “I’ve been doing it for years now. I like destroying gods. And right when a famous person dies, they’re at their most worshipped. So as a response to all the outpouring of sympathy on social media, I post something vile. It’s just a joke. I don’t really hate any of the people.”
He went on to admit that the helicopter crash actually was terrible.
“Kids dying like that, it’s horrible,” he wrote. “All the other people dying, that [sic] horrible too. It’s horrible he died. Really really sad. What a terrible thing that was that happened.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/B73EHlTFrBy/?utm_source=ig_embed
If your schtick as a comedian is celebrating the deaths of celebrities who are far more famous than you are, it might be time for you to find a new career. Freedom of speech is a beautiful thing, but there are also consequences when one says something that crosses the line. It’s safe to say that Shaffir is learning this lesson the hard way.
This piece was originally featured on LifeZette and is being used with permission.
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