Tuesday, 16 April

'Saved by the Bell' issues apology after mocking Selena Gomez's kidney transplant

Entertainment
Selena Gomez

Peacock is facing backlash after a recent episode of the Saved by the Bell reboot mocked Selena Gomez’s lupus diagnosis and subsequent kidney transplant. A clip began circulating on social media of the "joke" that appeared on the show. Peacock, Universal Television, and executive producers of the show have since issued a statement to Today after the public outrage.

“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.”

You can watch the controversial scene below:


Since the reboot's episode aired, Selena fans or "Selenators" have flooded social media with criticism and Francia Raisa, who was the actual kidney donor, has also spoken out. "Appreciate the apology but let’s not forget about the donors that potentially felt offended and dismissed from the spray paint written on the wall," she tweeted.


Fans are rallying behind Selena and Francia.




Selena Gomez has not commented on the situation, but she has been open in the past about how her transplant affected her self-confidence. "When I got my kidney transplant, I remember it being very difficult at first showing my scar," she wrote in an Instagram post. "I didn’t want it to be in photos, so I wore things that would cover it up. Now, more than ever, I feel confident in who I am and what I went through...and I’m proud of that."

Love you, Sel.

Source: Cosmopolitan.com