Aziz Ansari Faces Backlash For New Standup Comedy Calling Out ‘Extreme’ Political Correctness

Aziz Ansari is making a comeback and some people aren’t happy about it. It looks like the comedian, who was well known for his progressive political stance, has made an about turn and is now using his comedy to call out “aggressive wokeness,” according to a review of his new material in the New Yorker.

His new point of view may have been inspired by the incident that led him to bow out of the public eye for a while.

In 2017, Ansari’s date with a still-anonymous woman made headlines after she claimed that he sexually assaulted her. Her allegations were swept into coverage of the #MeToo Movement Soon his name was included in lists of other powerful men in the entertainment industry outed for reprehensible sexual behavior.

As the New Yorker notes, the woman said that Ansari tried to “pressure” her into having sex with him. She added that Ansari apologized after she sent him a text explaining her feelings about what happened.

In his new work, Ansari takes aim at hypervigilant “political correctness” on social media platforms.

“Everyone weighs in on everything. They don’t know anything. People don’t wanna just say, ‘I don’t know,'” he says in his new standup routine.

On Twitter, many took issue with Ansari’s new point of view on social issues.

“Aziz Ansari has learned all the wrong things,” tweeted @TEDTalks social media lead Ella Dawson. “After making his career about being a progressive ally, he’s pivoted to mocking outrage politics…. without acknowledging his own hypocrisy and disturbing behavior.”

Others echoed that sentiment.

“Aziz Ansari literally wrote a book about dating. he should be made fun of to his face for the rest of his short guy in a suit fake woke life,” Twitter user Carrie White wrote.

As CNN reports, months ago, as response to the woman’s story, Ansari maintained that their actions that night were consensual. He also voiced support for the #MeToo Movement.

“I continue to support the movement that is happening in our culture,” he added. “It is necessary and long overdue.”

Despite his return to the standup scene, Master Of None, his critically acclaimed series for Netflix, has not been renewed as yet.

CNN notes that since he’s returned from his hiatus, he has done shows in Nashville, South Carolina, New York, and Philadelphia. The New Yorker reviewed a performance of his in Connecticut.

According to a post on his Instagram, he plans on continuing his tour across the country with scheduled appearances in Houston, Cleveland, and New Orleans, among other locations.