The American comic has gone to war against her trolls
Amy Schumer has suggested she is the most successful comedian of all time after coming under fire for comments she has made around the on-going Israel and Palestine conflict.
The stand-up comic posted a series of text-based pictures on her Instagram account this week to clarify her position on the conflict that was ignited by Hamas launching an attack on Israel on 7 October, and Israel responding in a way that has raised significant concerns. At least 8,796 Palestinians been killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since Hamas launched its attack, and more than 1,400 people have been killed in Israel, according to a report Thursday by Al Jazeera.
Schumer has been vocal about her concern for Israelis since the Hamas offensive, posting regular updates on her social media accounts in support of the Jewish community, and against Hamas.
Her position has sparked a flood of outrage. Some people have little sympathy for Israel, given its historic treatment of Palestinians, and for the scope of its counter-attacks.
Rather than letting the debate rage, Schumer has attempted to quell the outrage and confirm her position of wanting “peace”.
Firstly, Schumer made clear she wants “every hostage back”, saying: “I want safety and freedom from Hamas for Palestinians and Israelis.”
The 42-year-old continued: “I want safety for Jewish people and Muslims as well. Everyone. Just like you. I want peace. You will never see me wishing harm on anyone.
“Saying I’m Islamophobic or that I like genocide is crazy. So here you go by popular demand. Comments on. Please keep the below in mind.”
And people obliged and let rip accusing her of making the conflict about her.
Schumer then jumped back in to defend some of inaccurate assertions about her career: “When you say I’m rich please add in ‘self made’. | come come being dirt poor,” she wrote.
“Senator Chuck Schumer is my dads 2nd cousin once removed. I didn’t meet him until | was 25.
“I have never been given any money to support a cause other than tampons.”
And to defend a long-standing claim that she was a joke thief, declaring: “I’ve never stolen a joke.”
Schumer continued: “People calling me a failed comic. I’m the most successful female comedian of all time.
“I’m ugly/fat okay Sorry you aren’t attracted to me. I found someone who is. I hope you find someone too.
“We are all in a lot of pain. What hurts the most is that we all actually love each other. You hate Jews. You don’t know why. I still love you.”
Her comment about being the most successful comedian of all time, has, not surprisingly, also sparked some debate.
According to a report in January 2022, looking at the wealth of female comedians, Ellen DeGeneres came out on top at $500m. Julia Louis-Dreyfus was second at $250m. Rosie O’Donnell was third at $120m; Melissa McCarthy, was next with $90m. Schumer was ninth with $45m.
She has, however, been nominated for a lot of awards: Thirteen Primetime Emmy Award nominations, winning in 2015 for Outstanding Variety Sketch Series for Inside Amy Schumer. She received a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical nomination for her performance in the Judd Apatow comedy Trainwreck (2015), and in 2017, she earned two Grammy Award nominations for Best Comedy Album for Amy Schumer: Live at the Apollo and for Best Spoken Word Album for The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo.
For her work on stage, Schumer earned a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play nomination for her role in Steve Martin’s comedic play Meteor Shower in 2018.
DeGeneres, by contrast, has won 33 Daytime Emmy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award, and received nominations for three Grammy Awards and a Golden Raspberry Award.
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