In the latest flare-up of cultural skirmishes, Netflix is grappling with a wave of subscriber cancellations, propelled by none other than Elon Musk. The Tesla CEO publicly ditched his account on October 1, 2025, citing discomfort with the streaming giant's ties to Hamish Steele, the director behind the animated series Dead End: Paranormal Park. Steele's recent social media posts, where he mocked the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk—calling him a "random Nazi" shortly after Kirk's assassination last month—have ignited fury among right-wing circles.
Indeed, the backlash isn't just about those biting words. Musk and his followers have zeroed in on the show's inclusion of a transgender character, arguing it pushes a "woke agenda" on young viewers. Posts on X, formerly Twitter, show hundreds of users screenshotting their cancellation confirmations, with #CancelNetflix trending fiercely. One former Department of Energy scientist, Matt Van Swol, kicked off the viral moment by announcing his own exit, blasting Netflix for employing Steele and promoting what he deemed harmful content for kids. Musk's simple "Same" reply snowballed into a broader call to action, as he urged parents to "cancel Netflix for the health of your kids."
However, the controversy cuts deeper. Steele, who is openly gay, has faced a torrent of homophobic and antisemitic harassment since the uproar began, according to his own updates on Bluesky. He clarified that his remarks on Kirk were not celebrations of violence but sharp critiques of the activist's views. Netflix, for its part, has stayed mum, neither defending nor distancing itself from the creator whose series wrapped up in 2022. Critics on the left see this as yet another manufactured outrage, while supporters of the boycott frame it as a stand against perceived indoctrination.
Moreover, this isn't Netflix's first rodeo with subscriber dips tied to content disputes. Yet the speed of this revolt—fueled by Musk's 226 million followers—marks a potent new front in the ongoing war over media influence. As cancellations mount, one can't help but wonder if this spat will reshape how platforms navigate the minefield of creator expression and audience demands.