Emily Ratajkowski has recently voiced her discomfort over comedian Celeste Barber's Instagram parodies of her photos, leading to a digital divide between the two renowned personalities.
Australian comic Celeste Barber, 41, enjoys a substantial social media following thanks to her hilarious re-enactments of over-the-top celebrity Instagram snapshots.
However, her humor doesn't seem to strike a chord with everyone, especially those on the receiving end of the parody, such as Ratajkowski.
Ratajkowski, 32, candidly expressed her desire for Barber to stop using her photos for parody content. This followed a 2021 incident where the comedian satirized one of the model's swimwear campaigns with a disparaging caption that Ratajkowski found less than amusing.
The caption read: "We are sick of you objectifying our bodies! Also, here’s my a**."
During a November interview on Australia's Nova radio station with Fitzy and Wippa, Barber admitted, "I don’t think Emily is a fan. That’s OK, she’s allowed to not love it. But she blocked me."
Barber's post had previously sparked debate amongst her followers, with some accusing it of perpetuating "internalized misogyny," suggesting women who flaunt their bodies invite objectification.
What Barber has to say on the matter:Ratajkowski recently opened up about the matter on her High Low podcast, responding to a fan's query about the ongoing 'drama' with Barber.
She said: "This whole drama with Celeste has been blown out of proportion. In general, I find her to be really funny. But, [the] message I was trying to send to her was, 'I just don’t want you to do this to me anymore.'"
She further elaborated on her need to balance her varied roles, such as advocating for women's rights in the industry and running a swimwear line.
At the time of Barber's controversial post, Ratajkowski had penned an article in The Cut, titled Buying Myself Back, which tackled the issue of unauthorized use of her image.
Ratajkowski made it clear she harbors no personal resentment toward Barber. However, she believes Barber's comedic style often projects an unfair, misogynistic perspective on women who freely exhibit their bodies - a significant aspect of Ratajkowski's professional sphere.
She expanded on the matter, "We really love to pick on female influencers. Like they are considered the trash, lamest, most cringe, most embarrassing people on the planet."
Ratajkowski highlighted what she believes is underlying sexism in this stance, arguing that women's endeavors as influencers represent a form of entrepreneurial success. "They’re hustling," she emphasized.