Amy Schumer Insists Her 'Formation' Tribute Was Never a Parody1:02
Amy Schumer insists that her adaptation of Beyonce's "Formation" video was never a parody, but instead was created to help empower women and celebrate bringing all women together. Haters believed it was racist and insensitive, but Schumer defends her video.
Schumer says the video was a tribute to Beyoncé, not a parody
FOR those thinking Amy Schumer’s imitation of Beyoncé’s ‘Formation’ video was a parody, she’d be the first to tell you you’re wrong.
In a recent essay the comedian wrote for Medium, she defends the video, calling it “a tribute” and that it was “just us women celebrating each other.”
Schumer was quickly accused of racism and appropriation for her remake of the video which premiered on Tidal, a music streaming service owned by Beyonce’s husband, Jay-Z.
“It was NEVER a parody,” Schumer insists.
The original video alludes to America’s problems with police brutality with scenes of Beyoncé sitting on a submerged police car in New Orleans.
There are also scenes of a young African-American boy facing police in front of a graffitied wall that reads “Stop shooting us.”
Schumer emphasised “I am of course horrified and sickened by the events that are addressed throughout that video and didn’t see this as minimising that and still don’t. It was a way to celebrate bringing us all together. To fight for what we all want. And to do it together.”
Schumer’s version of the video was shot in Hawaii while on location for a new film with Goldie Hawn.
The video features the Overboard star as well as Wanda Sykes, Joan Cusack and crew from Schumer and Hawn’s upcoming movie.
The comedian insisted she had Beyonce and Jay-Z’s approval before releasing the video and that “the video Beyoncé made was so moving and I wouldn’t ever make fun of that. There is absolutely no way to. I make fun of myself a few times in the video as I do in everything I am a part of.”
The video, now on Youtube, has over 14,000 dislikes.
Originally published as Schumer hits back at ‘Formation’ parody critics