Chris Lilley says his controversial comedy shows like Angry Boys were never cancelled by Netflix

Chris Lilley breaks his silence claiming his controversial comedy shows like Summer Heights High and Angry Boys were never cancelled by Netflix over blackface portrayals

Comedian Chris Lilley has hit back at his critics.

The 48-year-old funnyman was responding to claims that he has been ‘cancelled’ after Netflix removed four of his shows in 2020 over blackface portrayals. 

Lilley said his relationship with the streaming giant is ‘great’, and his show Lunatics is currently available on the streaming giant.

Talking to Unilad on Friday, Lilley said: ‘I feel like whatever was talked about was more of a media take on the situation rather than reality.’

Meanwhile, Summer Heights High, Angry Boys and We Can Be Heroes are still available to viewers on local platforms including Apple TV+.

Comedian Chris Lilley has hit back at his critics in a new interview with Unilad. The 48-year-old funnyman (pictured) was responding to claims that he has been ‘cancelled’ after Netflix removed four of his shows in 2020 in response to blackface portrayals

‘All of my shows have been and always are available,’ he continued. ‘They never disappeared – skim through some headlines, you might think otherwise.’

Claiming his shows were ‘still popular’, Lilley blamed the controversy on a media beat-up.

‘So there’s no issue – it just seems to be more of a fake take,’ he said.

Lilley said his relationship with Netflix is 'great' and his show Lunatics is currently available on the streaming giant. Pictured: Lilley in a scene from Lunatics

Lilley said his relationship with Netflix is ‘great’ and his show Lunatics is currently available on the streaming giant. Pictured: Lilley in a scene from Lunatics

Pictured: Lilley as his popular Ja'mie King character - 'she' now has a podcast

Pictured: Lilley as his popular Ja’mie King character – ‘she’ now has a podcast

In June 2020 it was announced that Lilley's shows Jonah from Tonga, Angry Boys, Summer Heights High and We Can Be Heroes would be removed from Netflix in Australia and New Zealand. Pictured: Lilley (front) in an episode of his hit series Summer Heights High

In June 2020 it was announced that Lilley’s shows Jonah from Tonga, Angry Boys, Summer Heights High and We Can Be Heroes would be removed from Netflix in Australia and New Zealand. Pictured: Lilley (front) in an episode of his hit series Summer Heights High

Elsewhere in the chat, Lilley revealed he writing new material and teased fans that his popular Mr.G character – an obnoxious teacher from the Summer Heights High series – may get a spin-off.

Meanwhile, Lilley launched his comeback project Ja’miezing, a podcast based on his iconic schoolgirl character Ja’mie King, in 2021 after four of his TV shows were axed from Netflix over blackface portrayals.

In June 2020, it was announced that comedy shows Jonah from Tonga, Angry Boys, Summer Heights High and We Can Be Heroes would be removed from  Netflix in Australia and New Zealand. 

The programs raised questions about racial discrimination as several of the characters were portrayed with Lilley in blackface and brownface.

On Angry Boys, he portrayed African-American rapper S.mouse and performed a song called Squashed N****.

In Jonah from Tonga, he painted his face brown and wore a curly wig to portray troubled teen Jonah Takalua.

Lilley's programs raised questions about racial discrimination as several of the characters were portrayed with Lilley in blackface and brownface Pictured: Lilley in Angry Boys

Lilley’s programs raised questions about racial discrimination as several of the characters were portrayed with Lilley in blackface and brownface Pictured: Lilley in Angry Boys

In We Can Be Heroes, Lilley played Chinese physics student Ricky Wong. 

Chris has defended his style of comedy, telling The Weekend Australian last year: ‘I’m not trying to do the thing that is trendy at the moment.’

The award-winning comedian went on to say he would continue making ‘clever, layered’ characters.

Defending his controversial portrayals, he added: ‘When you meet them, you think ‘I know that type of person’, but then there is a twist, something crazy.

‘[In] the end you think, ”Actually, I kind of relate to this, she just did that thing that I do every day.”

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