Selena Gomez is denouncing The Good Fightafter a 'tasteless joke' downplayed the severity of her health condition that involved a kidney transplant.
On Tuesday, the former Disney star took to her Twitter and Instagram accounts to weigh in on not appreciating her reference in the show after fans brought it to her attention:
"I am not sure how writing jokes about organ transplants for television shows has become a thing but sadly it has apparently," Gomez wrote. "I hope in the next writer's room when one of these tasteless jokes are presented it's called out immediately and doesn't make it on air."
I am not sure how writing jokes about organ transplants for television shows has become a thing but sadly it has apparently. I hope in the next writer\u2019s room when one of these tasteless jokes are presented it\u2019s called out immediately and doesn\u2019t make it on air.— Selena Gomez (@Selena Gomez) 1628033236
Gomez concluded her message expressing her love for her fans who have her back along with a link to be become an Organ donor, "My fans always have my back. LOVE YOU. If you are able to please sign up to be an organ donor."
My fans always have my back. LOVE YOU. If you are able to please sign up to be an organ donor https://www.organdonor.gov/sign-up?gclid=CjwKCAjw0qOIBhBhEiwAyvVcf1WyHSKsuXd8M1YKxLbLYngULjmBpkkm8kxBOWHW1XeGOMnvIhDb0RoChjYQAvD_BwE\u00a0\u2026— Selena Gomez (@Selena Gomez) 1628033236
During the episode that aired on July 17 characters Jay (Nyambi Nyambi), Jim (Ifádansi Rashad) and Marissa (Sarah Steele) brainstorm "joke ideas" appropriate for TV. Jay says that comedians "need a permission slip to tell a joke" these days and the group decides topics off-limit are necrophilia, autism, and "Selena Gomez's kidney transplant." Ironically enough, Marissa asks if it is possible "to get canceled by even joking about being canceled.
An official statement was later put out from a source close to the production saying the joke was being taken out of context: If you watch the episode in full, the reference to Selena Gomez is part of a discussion the characters are having about topics that are not okay to make fun of and the idea of cancel culture and being canceled for telling a bad joke. The reference is that Selena Gomez's transplant is not something you can joke about."
Unfortunately, this isn't the first time Gomez's kidney transplant was the punchline for a joke that didn't land well. In a 2020 episode of Peacock'sSaved By The Bell, a reference made about the organ transplant by two students was eventually edited out of the episode.
At the time the executive producers of the show released a statement displaying feelings of guilt:"We apologize. It was never our intention to make light of Selena's health," the statement read."We have been in touch with her team and will be making a donation to her charity, the Selena Gomez Fund for Lupus Research at USC."
The singer and actress underwent a kidney transplant back in 2017 to treat her lupus. Gomez's fellow friend and actress Francia Raísa was Gomez's donor after they were notified about the years-long wait list for receiving the organ.
"[Francia] gave me the ultimate gift and sacrifice by donating her kidney to me. I am incredibly blessed. I love you so much sis," Gomez posted on social media during her operation.
