BuzzFeed is officially in the hot seat after social media was not here for the company’s recent ‘Love Island’ breakfast post.
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Buzzfeed Issues Statement to Chelley & Fans
On Wednesday, BuzzFeedTasty posted a carousel on Instagram imagining what kind of breakfast they’d serve to the girlies in the Love Island USA villa. But when viewers got to Chelley’s slide, things took a turn; it featured a bowl of fruit, a “knuckle sandwich,” and goldfish crackers, “in case Ace gets fussy.” Many were taken aback by the post, calling it completely unprovoked and unnecessarily aggressive.
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Following the backlash, BuzzFeedTasty took the post down and uploaded a new version, this time replacing the “knuckle sandwich” with pancakes. In the updated caption, they admitted the original joke missed the mark, saying it had racial undertones they “should’ve seen coming.”
Still, the edited caption didn’t land well with everyone. Many felt it lacked real accountability. As a result, the entire post was removed. BuzzFeed later addressed the situation on its official account.
“We recently published a post that was offensive and did not meet Tasty’s and BuzzFeed’s high level of editorial standards. The post has been removed and we are taking steps to ensure this does not happen again.”
Chelly’s Team Steps In
Chelley’s team called out BuzzFeedTasty’s post, describing it as completely out of line and rooted in harmful biases like anti-Blackness, misogyny, and prejudice. They also criticized the follow-up message, calling it condescending and lacking real accountability. In their response, they made it clear that they won’t stand for any narrative that suggests Chelley or any of the islanders deserves violence.
As they put it, “Team Chelley will not tolerate this level of disrespect, anti-Blackness, prejudice, and misogyny. We will not accept a narrative in which Chelley deserves violence. No person deserves that. Not Chelley or any of the islanders.”
Social Media Reacts
Many fans who’ve been keeping up with Love Island this year gathered under The Shade Room Teens’ post to share their thoughts on BuzzFeed’s controversial joke. While many were shocked but not surprised, others felt people were overreacting or being too sensitive about the post. Still, many were stepping behind Chelley and calling the post disrespectful.
Instagram user @oooh_angie_ wrote, “Pleeeeaaase don’t pmo!!!!! We do not play about chelly!!!”
Instagram user @coolvibeskae added, “a knuckle sandwich is only funny if it’s coming from your friends or someone close….not from a million dollar company especially when ur dealing with harassment”
While Instagram user @jayrrene wrote, “why huda not getting this energy? no shade….”
Instagram user @jsi.________ wrote, “It took it as a threat…and she should too and sue play their game”
Instagram user @bxllabrili added, “Not to be THAT person but this doesn’t give apology, it’s more so like “we took it down because yall couldn’t see it as a joke”
While Instagram user @konceited kiaa wrote, “This generation is too soft y’all tripping over a knuckle sandwich loll”
Instagram user @tatyanaa.ssimone wrote, “All of you saying that “it’s not that serious” please put into perspective that joking about violence against a black women that hasn’t ever called anyone out their name, handled every situation with grace, and genuinely playing the game fair. That was absolutely disgusting of them to “joke” about that.”
Instagram user @justjassitup added, “Black women can never catch a break. I had to stop watching this season early on, because the show is going back to treating BW like crap”
While Instagram user @essentiallyerica324 wrote, “I like that they took accountability and addressed the racial undertones at least they ain’t deny it and act like they ain’t see”
