Aldi UK is copping some social media backlash over a post that featured a meme from Netflix’s viral series Baby Reindeer.
In case your home is situated under a giant rock and you’re therefore not privy to social media or pop culture in general, Baby Reindeer is the TV show of the moment.
It’s about a woman who becomes obsessed with a guy and I won’t give too much away in case you plan on watching it (you really should!), but it’s a wild — and very disturbing — ride.
The UK branch of the supermarket giant attempted to tap into the series’ popularity by sharing the following meme:
The controversial tweet. (Credit: Twitter)
Like clockwork, the tweet became inundated with folks calling out the fact that the grocery giant is using a show with such dark and heavy themes as an attempt at humour.
“Hate to be that boring person but it doesn’t sit right with me that people, especially brands, are making memes about this show that’s main theme is stalking and sexual abuse,” one person wrote.
“C’mon, enough with the Baby Reindeer quips. It’s a show about stalking and sexual assault. Feels like a disservice to the programme and some what dismissive of the subjects it tackles. Meanwhile it makes Aldi look tone deaf and actually quite creepy,” a second person wrote.
“Yeah because a show depicting the true story of a woman who stalked, physically and sexually assault someone is a big meme,” wrote another.
“Not funny Aldi, delete this mate come on,” another viewer added.
Meanwhile, the woman who is rumoured to have inspired Baby Reindeer has come forward and said she is considering taking legal action against the show and its creator Richard Gadd, who also plays the lead in the series.
“Richard Gadd has got ‘main character syndrome’,” the woman — who hasn’t been publicly identified — shared,” she told the Daily Mail.
“He always thinks he’s at the centre of things. I’m not writing shows about him or promoting them in the media, am I?
“If he wanted me to be properly anonymous, he could have done so. Gadd should leave me alone.”
During the woman’s chat with Daily Mail, she also accused the comedian of using Baby Reindeer to “stalk” her.
“I’m the victim. He’s written a bloody show about me,” she continued.
Prior to the alleged real-life Martha speaking out, Gadd shared an Instagram Story urging viewers to stop speculating on the characters in the Netflix series.
“Hi everyone. People I love, have worked with, and admire (including Sean Foley) are unfairly getting caught up in speculation,” the comedian wrote.
“Please don’t speculate on who any of the real-life people could be, that’s not the point of our show.”
He also acknowledged that the character of Martha was a “victim” back in 2019 in an interview with The Independent.
“I can’t emphasise enough how much of a victim she is in all this,” Gadd said.
“Stalking and harassment is a form of mental illness. It would have been wrong to paint her as a monster, because she’s unwell, and the system’s failed her.”
The series has sparked conversations about the severity of stalking, hence why the meme was found to be in poor taste.
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