Matt Rife has seemingly made a joke about the American Eagle-Sydney Sweeney controversy.
The renowned comedian took to X on July 30 to share a photo of himself, clad head-to-toe in what seems to be an American Eagle ensemble. He captioned it with a reference to the Euphoria actress' recent ad campaign for the company, which has since been going viral.
"Just signed an 85 year contract with American Eagle. @AEO"
As of this writing, there is no indication that Rife signed a contract with the company. The post seems to be a joke on Sweeney's campaign instead.
Everything we know about the controversy involving Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle ad:
Sydney Sweeney, 27, has been embroiled in controversy in the wake of her ad for American Eagle being released, with many even accusing her of perpetuating "tone deaf" "Nazi propaganda." The campaign dropped earlier this week, and it featured the following tagline:
"Sydney Sweeney has great jeans."
ABC News Australia has reported that the company saw a 10% increase in sales not long after, though it was also hit with a wave of criticism for its play on the words "genes" and "jeans." It was also touted as an initiative to raise money for domestic violence charities.
In the video, the actress can be seen sporting an all-denim ensemble as she discusses why her "jeans" are so great.
"Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality and even eye colour," she says in the now-deleted video. "My jeans are blue."
However, some critics were quick to accuse her of popularizing eugenics, which is a theory that suggests the human race would be better off by eliminating "less desirable traits." Users have since begun slamming Sydney Sweeney for seemingly portraying herself as the archetype of "good genes," i.e., a blonde, thin, white woman with blue eyes.
However, an insider recently told TMZ that about 70% of respondents in an independent poll had a positive reaction to the ad campaign.
"This is yet another example of how social media is just not reflective of real life. The absurd response from some corners of the internet is absolutely not reflective of how American Eagle's customers feel," they told the outlet.
"The bottom line is that this was about creating a great pair of jeans and supporting a very worthy cause through some of the proceeds going to domestic violence prevention. Anything beyond that is noise that is not registering with the average person,' the insiders added. "Regardless of how people feel about the ad, we hope they can agree we should be doing more to support and empower those who are experiencing domestic violence."
In a July 23 news release about her campaign, Sydney Sweeney said, per the Daily Mail:
"There is something so effortless about American Eagle." She continued, "It’s the perfect balance of being put-together but still feeling like yourself. Their commitment to creating pieces that make you feel confident and comfortable in your own skin is something that resonates with me. It’s rare to find a brand that grows with you, the way American Eagle has for generations." She concluded, "They have literally been there with me through every version of myself."
American Eagle Outfitters president Jennifer Foyle also issued a news release explaining why the company chose Sydney Sweeney for its promotions:
"With Sydney Sweeney front and center, she brings the allure, and we add the flawless wardrobe for the winning combo of ease, attitude, and a little mischief," Foyle said.
Stay tuned to SoapCentral for more.