The news that Twitter and Instagram personality Josh Ostrovsky, better known as The Fat Jew, had signed with CAA has unleashed a backlash that’s long in the making. The Fat Jew is known for aggregating jokes and images without credit, a practice better known as “stealing,” and responding either dismissively or not at all when called out.
After comedians–including prominent names like Patton Oswalt, Kumail Nanjiani, and Michael Ian Black—spoke out against Ostrovsky and the symbolic industry acceptance accorded by his signing to a major agency, however, it appears the Internet personality, who also has a Beats1 radio show and a book in the works, both titled Money Pizza Respect, may finally be facing some repercussions for his plagiarism.
Splitsider reports that Comedy Central, a network that employs Black, Nanjiani, and other vocal critics of Ostrovsky, is no longer moving forward with a pilot it had previously ordered from the entertainer. The project has been in development since last year, but it looks like Ostrovsky’s new representation will have to look elsewhere for his television debut. No word yet on whether Apple or Grand Central Publishing, which releases Money Pizza Respect this October, plan to continue their partnerships.
Update: Entertainment Weekly has confirmed that the network opted not to move forward with the pilot “several months ago,” predating the current controversy. Comedy Twitter’s schadenfreude continues apace.