If you’re a regular Instagram user, you’re probably familiar with the account run by Josh Ostrovsky, otherwise known as the Fat Jew.
Ostrovsky has amassed nearly six million followers by posting memes and humorous photos that have been appropriated from various social media sites.
His popularity is such that he recently signed with exclusive talent agency CAA and began talks with Comedy Central to launch a series centered around his online persona.
Unfortunately for Ostrovsky, this meteoric rise to fame has been accompanied by intense scrutiny from comedians and fellow web celebs, many of whom claim the 30-year-old New Yorker illegally profited from their material.
Indeed, several instances in which Ostrovsky stole jokes without asking permission or offering credit have been well documented.
Now, the backlash (led by such well-known comedians as Patton Oswalt and Michael Ian Black) has set off a chain of events that may lead to the end of the Fat Jew’s career…such as it is.
First, it was reported that Comedy Central has ended its negotiations with Ostrovsky as a result of the controversy.
Now, dozens of entertainers are calling for CAA to end its partnership with Ostrovsky out of respect for its clients who produce their own material.
Look, we all know that everything on social media is not what it seems (See the absurd BS factory that is Dan Bilzerian‘s account for further evidence.), but there’s a difference between presenting a certain version of yourself of sharing something amusing with your family and friends, and building a career entirely on the strength of other people’s work.
So stand up for creativity and unfollow IG pages that steal content. After all, there are plenty of hilarious accounts that churn out all original material. Like this one:
Also, we recommend OfficialSeanPenn. Don’t worry; she’s in no way affiliated with the craggly douche actor … but she is awesome.