‘Sex and the City’ sequel blasted for offensive joke about Russian women

Russian viewers accuse ‘And Just Like That’ of “hypocrisy and selective inclusivity”

Russian users have flooded to the ‘And Just Like That’ Instagram page, leaving messages with the hashtag #metoorussian and accusing the show of hypocrisy and intolerance over an offensive joke about Russian prostitutes featured in the eighth episode of the series.

In the latest episode Carrie Bradshaw (played by Sarah Jessica Parker) discusses a new neighbor that has moved into the building, commenting that she seems too young to be able to afford a fancy apartment in an upscale New York City neighborhood. Bradshaw’s friend then suggests that the woman is probably a “Russian prostitute” and that it’s a common occurance among luxurious property owners.

Russian fans were left outraged and took to social media to voice their disapproval of the worn-out stereotype being perpetuated by the show. Users left the hashtag #metoorussian under several Instagram posts by the show, saying the showrunners have “forgotten about tolerance,” and demanding an apology from HBO, which streams the show.

However, no apology has been issued thus far, and instead HBO seems to be deleting some of the comments that feature the hashtag and complaints. Disappointed fans are now calling for a boycott of the show and criticizing the network’s apparent empty posturing regarding inclusivity and tolerance.

“Stop hiding comments about your failure! Better apologize for calling Russian women prostitutes. Trying to be a tolerant show … nonsense. Just trying to make a fuss about tolerance and nothing else. Disgusting,” wrote user ali_gash.

In late December 2021 the Netflix show ‘Emily in Paris’ faced similar accusations after it introduced a near-caricature-like Ukrainian woman, who was depicted as having a dreadful fashion sense and was eager to shoplift. Netflix responded to those criticisms by promising they will be more mindful of such depictions in future projects.