Entertainment

People Are Freaking Out Because Jeremy Renner Called A Fictional Character A Slut

Actor/Producer Jeremy Renner
Kaitlan Collins Contributor
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“Avengers” actor Jeremy Renner called a fictional character from the film a “slut” during an interview two weeks ago. Though he initially apologized, Renner told Conan O’Brien that he stands by what he said, and now the Internet is losing its collective mind over the matter.

“Maybe Jeremy Renner Should Just Stop Talking About Black Widow,” TIME’s headline reads.

“Dear Jeremy Renner. Calling Black Widow a ‘slut’ is not OK,” says another.

“Jeremy Renner Throws Black Widow Under the Quinjet on ‘Conan,'” is on Yahoo right now.

Renner plays Clint Barton in the “Avengers” alongside Scarlett Johansson, who plays Black Widow, the “slut.”

Two weeks ago, Renner and his co-star Chris Evans were being interviewed when they were questioned about what they thought about fans who are rooting for Black Widow (reminder: a fictional character) to hook up with Captain America or Hawkeye.

“She’s a slut,” Renner said.

A laughing Evans adding, “She’s a complete whore.”

Though Renner originally apologized kind of (“I am sorry that this tasteless joke about a fictional character offended anyone”), he stood by what he said on “Conan” Monday night.

(Photo: YouTube screen grab)

(Photo: YouTube screen grab)

When Conan brought up the incident, Renner said he had gotten in “Internet trouble.”

“Conan, if you slept with four of the six Avengers, no matter how much fun you had — you’d be a slut. Just saying. I’d be a slut,” Renner told the host.

And now, because he failed to offer a mushy, empty apology, Renner is being called a “sexist” who is “slut-shaming.”

From TIME: “Sure, ‘fictional characters’ may not be personally offended by Renner’s crude jokes, but Renner should want people to care about how people talk about them. He is an actor, after all.”

From News.com.au: “You’ve offended me. And I’m real. You’ve offended my friends, and they’re real. And you’re harming real girls and women by doing it. You’ve called us sluts. We’ve slept with 4 or 5 guys, all of us. Most of us have hooked up with even more. Some of us have also slept with women.”

Kaitlan Collins