The Straits Times has picked up on a Jezebel piece that essentially accuses the Orange is the New Black marketing gimmick Litchfield Penitentiary Cafeteria pop-up of being a bad idea. The Jezebel writer even reached out via Twitter to Piper Kerman, whose wrote the memoir the Netflix show is based on, for her comments. Kerman’s Twitter response – “This is repulsive. I am not aware of this being Netflix, but you should ask them.”
On their part, Netflix ensured that their entire event was chill. I was at the Litchfield Penitentiary Cafeteria last night, and at no time did I feel the experience was meant to mock prison life or cheapen it. Yes, it was a risky and potentially controversial move on the part of Netflix, but I have to give them credit for knowing and respecting their boundaries.
Now, if the event was poorly and tastelessly (pun intended) executed? If it showed any insensitivity at the subject matter? Then there would be grounds for protest. But the fact that the Jezebel (and by extension The Straits Times) response is based solely on a description of the event on Chope suggests to me that any accusations are as sound as a scathing review of Ghostbusters. The one opening next month, that is.
As far as I know, Netflix has opted not to respond to either Jezebel or The Straits Times.
Still, the bad press doesn’t seem to have affected its popularity, as this photo taken earlier today shows:
Anyway, on a lighter note, Season 4 of Orange is the New Black premieres worldwide on Netflix, and the pioneers of binge-watching have come up with this handy infographic. It doesn’t just apply to OITNB, of course. With Netflix the home of several of Marvel’s superhero series, Daredevil, Jessica Jones along with the upcoming Luke Cage, Iron Fist and Marvel’s The Defenders, you can be sure we’ll be binge-watching for months to come. Especially when Voltron: Legendary Defender finally shows up on our shores.
