UPDATED March 15 at 1:13 p.m. PT: According to Splitsider, Schumer’s special was the target of an “alt-right” Reddit campaign calling on users to overwhelm the special with negative reviews. Schumer has since responded on Instagram.
PREVIOUSLY: Amy Schumer’s new Netflix stand-up special is not being received well by the majority of users who left reviews on the streaming platform.
The comedian’s hour-long special, titled “Amy Schumer: The Leather Special,” has received more than 900 ratings since it premiered a week ago. That’s more than double the number of reviews for Trevor Noah’s special “Afraid of the Dark,” which premiered on Feb. 21.
Other recent stand-up specials, including Katherine Ryan’s “In Trouble,” Mike Birbiglia’s “Thank God for Jokes” and Cristela Alonzo’s “Lower Classy,” have received between 100 and 200 reviews.
The majority of the reviews users found “most helpful” are negative, one-star reviews panning the special as “uncomfortable,” “forced” and “boring.”
“Love raunchy stand up, I have nothing against female comics, and have enjoyed Amy’s material in the past,” reads one review, which 348 out of 372 users called “helpful.” “I made it 10 minutes into this and shut it off. I was tired of waiting for an actual joke to be told. Instead she made noises, faces and simply referenced her ‘cat’ smelling and tasting bad. Super edgy stuff right there. Groundbreaking.”
“So disappointing,” wrote another user. “I’ve always rooted for her, but she’s lost herself, it seems. Or maybe she was always faking it? Not sure but this is a terrible waste of time.”
Schumer’s special has seen a more favorable reception by critics. “The Leather Special” has a 72 out of 100 rating on Metacritic, indicating “generally favorable” reviews.
The special was taped Saturday, November 5 at Denver, Colorado’s Bellco Theater, and served as Schumer’s first follow-up to “Amy Schumer Live at the Apollo” for HBO, which earned three Emmy nominations, including “Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special,” “Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special” and “Outstanding Variety Special.”