Everything That Upset the Internet This Week

by Meghan McKenna

What is the web-o-sphere up in arms about this week? A political television plot, a soap store window display and a former president trying to talk about #MeToo. Here’s everything you need to know:

Priyanka Chopra stars in a controversial episode of Quantico 

THE STORY: A recent episode of Priyanka Chopra’s ABC television series, Quantico, features a plot about Indian nationalists trying to carry out a nuclear attack in Manhattan.

In the episode, which aired June 1, FBI agent Alex Parrish (Chopra) derails a terror threat days before a summit is planned to be held in NYC between India and Pakistan. In her investigation, Parrish discovers a religious Hindu symbol on one of the suspects, leading her to believe that the plot was devised by Indian nationalists with the intention of framing Pakistan.

THE REACTION:

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RAGE: ABC has since apologized for the episode and defended Chopra’s role, saying in a statement: “ABC Studios and the executive producers of Quantico would like to extend an apology to our audience who were offended by the most recent episode, The Blood of Romeo. The episode has stirred a lot of emotion, much of which is unfairly aimed at Priyanka Chopra, who didn’t create the show, nor does she write or direct it. She has no involvement in the casting of the show or the storylines depicted in the series.”

That’s all well and true, but I’d like to think Chopra—an A-List actress who frequently voices her political opinions—wouldn’t shy away from speaking up if she was uncomfortable with a storyline on series she stars. The show may be fictional, but Hollywood needs to tread carefully when stepping into complex political issues. (Not that this has stopped them before. Like, ever.)

Chopra has since offered her own apology:

Lush launches their #SpyCops police campaign

THE STORY: Lush has teamed up with Police Spies Out of Lives, a U.K.-based organization that seeks to “end sexual and psychological abuse at the hands of undercover cops.” The month long campaign initiative features in-store signage, social media posts and a series of essays and videos on Lush UK’s site.

THE REACTION:

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RAGE:  Lush has the right to involve themselves in whichever political initiatives they so please. This is a noble cause with good intentions—no matter how anti-police it comes across in a shop window. Perhaps this brashness was part of the plan? We’re all talking about this corrupt undercover cop campaign now, aren’t we?

That said, shoppers have every right to boycott a retailer whose views don’t align with their own. Just buy your soap somewhere else, guy! (Though, TBH, I’d be surprised if these Twitter trolls were buying organic face masks in the first place.)

Bill Clinton made a tone deaf #MeToo comment

THE STORY: While promoting his new book on the Today Show this week, former President Bill Clinton was asked to comment on his affair with Monica Lewinsky. Clinton, clearly flustered and unprepared to be questioned on the topic, responded: “We have a right to change the rules but we don’t have a right to change the facts,” he said, suggesting that Craig Melvin, the interview, didn’t actually know the facts of the Lewinsky case.

“Nobody believes that I got out of that for free. I left the White House 16 million dollars in debt,” Clinton said, as though financial repercussions are enough to satisfy the #MeToo reckoning. Clinton then begins defending himself: “This was litigated 20 years ago … Two-thirds of the American people sided with me; I had a sexual-harassment policy when I was governor in the ’80s; I had two women chiefs of staff when I was the governor; women were overrepresented in the attorneys general office in the ’70s.”

THE REACTION:

RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE RAGE: What’s most notable here is not Clinton’s response (though his whole victim card thing is gross), but the fact that he was so clearly shocked to be asked this question in the era of #MeToo. Lewinsky has been asked to comment on this relationship for two decades. Why is it that women are always being questioned on their behaviour—and to react to the behaviour of men—while men so rarely are called out for their own actions? This was a consenting relationship, but nonetheless is an example of professional and sexual power dynamics. Time is finally up, and Bill Clinton should have been prepared to talk about it. No matter how much debt he left the White House with, he is not the victim here.

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