Janelle James was the target of critics on Thursday amid a resurfaced bit from her 2021 Netflix comedy special The Standups in which she joked about the size of her son’s penis.
A number of social media users condemned the routine from comic-actress in the comedy showcase, which hit the streamer in December of 2021.
In the routine, James said, ‘My youngest son got a d*** now. I didn’t know that. I didn’t know he had a d***. They say you blink and you miss it. It’s true. I didn’t know he had a d***.’
She continued: ‘I was sitting on the edge of my bed and he ran by from the bathroom to … I guess he forgot his towel or whatever, and I was like, “What the f*** was that?”‘
The Emmy-nominated entertainer said onstage that her son’s growth blew her mind.
Janelle James was the target of critics on Thursday amid a resurfaced bit from her 2021 Netflix comedy special The Standups in which she joked about the size of her son’s penis. Pictured in LA this past June
A number of social media users condemned the routine from comic-actress in the comedy showcase, which hit the streamer in December of 2021
‘I said, “That’s a d*** – what?”‘ she said. ‘That d*** needs to get a job. Can’t be walking around with all that d*** and no income. That’s disrespectful.
‘He used to have a pee-pee. You know? The last time I saw that was a pee-pee. You change the diaper, you play rhythm guitar on the pee-pee. No other parents in here? That’s the best part of having a baby boy.’
The Abbott Elementary star, who plays Principal Ava Coleman on the ABC comedy, told Variety earlier this year that she is mother to two sons, one of whom is in his early 20s, another whose age she did not say.
One user took to Twitter, saying, ‘Janelle James sexualizing her son & describing molestation. Ma’am, WTF!? And of course she’s in the proximity of kids as a principal on Abbott Elementary. She gotsta go.
‘”You play rhythm guitar on the pee-pee. That’s the best part about having a baby boy.” Like hello?! Sick.’
One user called James ‘trifling and weird as hell,’ adding that she ‘really thought it was cool to get up on that stage and joke and talk about her son’s genitalia.’
Another user said that the joked triggered unpleasant childhood memories.
‘What Janelle James said in her stand up just reminds me of the wildly inappropriate things adults said about us as children with us present,’ the user said. ‘How our bodies developed, how attractive we’d be, things that made me hella uncomfortable. I never got over that.’
The special was initially streamed on Netflix in December of 2021
James plays Principal Ava Coleman on the ABC comedy Abbott Elementary
Numerous people took to Twitter to criticize the comedy bit from James in the Netflix special
One user said that the joked triggered unpleasant childhood memories
One user defended James amid the outrage over the 2021 joke, saying it was an example of why no one ‘takes internet criticism seriously’
Another user said that ‘it’s sad that it’s so normalized in our society to be quiet where there should be outrage,’ as ‘that entire room should’ve been empty after that.’
One user said that jokes of that nature ‘ARE NEVER FUNNY.’
One user defended James amid the outrage over the 2021 joke, saying it was an example of why no one ‘takes internet criticism seriously.
‘Do I think that Janelle James joke was distasteful, yes,’ said the user. ‘Do I think she’s a child predator, no. Its all or nothing with you people like take s*** for what it is sometimes.’
Dailymail.com has reached out to reps for James for comment on the story.
