John Mulaney is standing by his wife Olivia Munn after a comment she made about a children’s YouTube channel spiraled into unexpected backlash. The comedian took to Instagram Stories on June 11 to address the controversy that followed a recent interview Munn gave, during which she mentioned that she doesn’t let their kids—three-year-old Malcolm and eight-month-old Méi—watch Ms. Rachel’s videos.
“An innocent comment my wife Olivia Munn made about what children’s programs we like,” Mulaney wrote, “has somehow unbelievably been conflated with not caring about the deaths of children in Gaza.”
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The 42-year-old said the reaction quickly escalated, leading to violent and threatening direct messages aimed at Munn and their children.
“The people doing this are so wildly out of line and so unhelpful to any conversation,” he continued. “You took a nothing comment to a dark and dangerous place. This kind of behavior isn’t activism.”
The initial comment came from an interview published by PEOPLE on June 8, in which Munn explained why Ms. Rachel—whose real name is Rachel Griffin Accurso—is not a regular feature in their household.
“I know kids love [Ms. Rachel],” she said at the time.
“But the thing is, if I can’t watch it, I’m not going to spend the rest of my life going crazy. These kid shows drive me crazy.” The article has since been removed from PEOPLE, though no reason was provided.
Ms. Rachel, who has publicly advocated for humanitarian aid for children in Gaza, addressed the headlines that followed the interview.
In an Instagram comment shared on June 9, she wrote, “I’d rather you cover my advocacy for kids in Gaza.” She made it clear that her words were not meant to target Munn, adding, “I don’t care that she doesn’t want to watch the show,” and offered “all my love to her and her family.”
Munn also shared her own message on June 10, expressing that she never expected her comment to be misinterpreted in such a way.
“My comments were never meant to diminish the joy, comfort and impact she brings to so many families,” she wrote on Instagram Stories. “I don’t want something taken out of context to be a moment that steals even a minute of joy for anyone.”
What began as a simple remark about personal parenting preferences quickly turned into a heated online debate. But both Mulaney and Munn have made it clear they hope to refocus the conversation on understanding and support, not division.
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