Selena Gomez Kidney Transplant Joke: NBCUniversal, Peacock Apologize After Intense Backlash

By Madelaine D. Nov 30 2020, 01:29 AM EST

NBCUniversal and Peacock, a streaming platform, apologized to Selena Gomez for the "Saved by the Bell" episode that referenced the singer's kidney transplant.

Selena Gomez Kidney Transplant Joke: NBCUniversal, Peacock Apologize After Intense Backlash — 2020 Hollywood Beauty Awards LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 06: Selena Gomez attends the 2020 Hollywood Beauty Awards at The Taglyan Complex on February 06, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images

Selena Gomez's fans were unhappy by the several scenes in the "Saved by the Bell" reboot that mocked the singer's 2017 kidney transplant. NBCUniversal and Peacock received intense backlash, and the scenes became controversial. The issue became trending on Twitter on Saturday.

Meanwhile, NBCUniversal and Peacock issued an apology and ensured to donate to Gomez's lupus charity, as per the IB Times.

In a statement to Variety, NBCUniversal and its streaming service Peacock said, "We apologize. It is never our intention to make light of Selena's health. We have been in touch with her team and we will be making a donation to her charity, The Selena Gomez Fund for Lupus Research at USC."

Gomez's fans are outraged at the new "Saved by the Bell" reboot that made fun of the "Rare" singer's kidney transplant several times. "Selenator," Gomez's fan group immediately got "respect Selena Gomez" trending on Twitter following the unjust scene that prompted the fanbase to demand a public apology from NBC.

"Saved by the Bell" is the remake of the 1990's teen classic, starring Mario Lopez in both the original and reboot series to launch this week on NBC's streaming platform.

According to The Sun, in an episode of the new series, two Bayside high School students are arguing regarding who donated Selena Gomez's organ during her serious transplant surgery.

During the hallway gossip scene, one girl says, "I know for a fact that Selena Gomez's kidney donor was Justin Bieber's mom."

The series also mentioned Selena's sensitive life experience during a scene taking place inside the school. The scene shows words written on the wall behind two football players arguing, saying, "Does Selena Gomez even have a kidney?"

for anyone confused, in the new saved by the bell show there is a wall that says “does selena gomez even have kidneys?” in one of the scenes pic.twitter.com/oiU7eA94xC — sony (@MDNIGHTSOUVENIR) November 28, 2020

Fans slammed the show's move that took the serious matter into a "joke," saying that the move was "disgusting."

In 2017, Selena needed a kidney transplant after the pop star contracted lupus, an autoimmune disease causing the body to attack healthy parts. Francia Raisa, Selena's good friend, donated a kidney to her. However, Selena had complications that required her to do another emergency procedure to keep her new kidney in place.

Weeks after the procedure, Francia told WMagazine, "A few hours after our surgery, I woke up and had a text from her that said, 'I'm really scared.' My kidney was very active, and when it turned I broke an artery."

Francia added that Selena went to emergency surgery to build a new artery from her leg to keep her kidney in place, which is a fatal situation.