Beloved Chicago Pizzeria Wasn’t Impressed With Slight From ‘Emily In Paris’ Amid COVID-19 Hardship
Emily in Paris has been getting a lot of attention, and not all of it is positive. The show from the creator of Sex and the City and Younger, Darren Star, aired October 2nd on Netflix. It revolves around Emily, a Chicago native, ‘fish out of water,’ in Paris. She is working in Paris after her marketing company acquires a French location.
The show took some heat after the premiere for the hurtful stereotypes depicted of Americans and the French. Now, the show has insulted a Chicago pizza chain, Lou Malnati’s.
Why Did Emily In Paris Mention The Pizza Joint?
Emily in Paris had a character speck of a Chicago pizza they had and described it as, “quiche made of cement.” The main character, played by Lily Collins, said, “oh no you must have gone to Lou Malnati’s.” Rather than make up a fictional pizza place, they went for the real name.
The pizza company, which has over sixty locations, in Chicago, Arizona, Indiana, and Wisconsin took offense. According to People, the pizza place thought it was in bad taste. They released the following statement. “We’ve been serving Chicago’s favorite Deep Dish since 1971. When Netflix’ Emily in Paris writers chose to take a shot at Chicagoans and our pizza to try to get a laugh, it felt heartless and not humorous in the midst of Covid-19.” This statement was directly from the owner.
In a press release from the chain, they said they are, “always the first to participate in good-natured banter with pizza lovers from New York or California.” They went on to say the remark felt unkind because a lot of restaurants are struggling because of the pandemic.
The French Aren’t Loving Their Portrayal
According to Hollywood Reporter, French reviewer RTL said, “rarely had we seen so many clichés on the French capital since the Parisian episodes of Gossip Girl or the end of The Devil Wears Prada.” They weren’t singing the praises of the show.
Sens Critique wrote a viewer would, “have to strongly love science fiction to watch this series. One would believe the French, “speak irreproachable English, make love for hours and that going to work remains an option.”
The review went on to say they maybe hesitated before sticking a baguette under each French character.
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Lily Collins Fought Hard For The Lead Role
Lily Collins says Emily in Paris is a dream job for her. She said she, “was so willing to do whatever it took” to land the lead part on the popular series. The show still has a lot of fans despite some of the missteps along the way.
While a representative for Netflix didn’t respond to the comments, here’s hoping they’ll at least say something about supporting restaurants during this difficult time.
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