A wave of Netflix cancellations is sweeping social media, propelled by billionaire Elon Musk's public call to ditch the streaming service. The uproar centers on Hamish Steele, the director behind the animated series Dead End: Paranormal Park, whose recent online comments about the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk have ignited fierce backlash. Kirk, a prominent figure in right-wing circles and close ally to Donald Trump, was assassinated last month, and Steele's alleged mockery of his death—calling him a "random Nazi" in posts—has drawn accusations of insensitivity and worse.
Indeed, the controversy didn't start there. Steele's show, which aired in 2022 but remains available on Netflix, features a transgender character in what critics decry as an attempt to push "woke" ideology on children. Right-wing influencers, amplified by Musk's platform X, have seized on clips from the series showing the teen protagonist discussing their identity. Musk himself announced his subscription cancellation on October 1, 2025, replying "Same" to a user's post and later urging others to cancel Netflix "for the health of your kids." By midday, the #CancelNetflix hashtag had trended globally, with users sharing screenshots of their account terminations.
However, the response has been polarized. While some praise Musk for highlighting what they see as harmful content—pointing to the show's inclusion of LGBTQ+ themes in a kids' program—others defend Steele, noting the series was canceled after one season and accusing the boycott of homophobic undertones. Reports indicate Netflix has seen a surge in cancellations, though exact figures remain unconfirmed as of October 2. Steele, in turn, addressed the hate on Bluesky, describing incoming emails as "nasty, weird, homophobic, and antisemitic," while clarifying he didn't celebrate Kirk's death.
Moreover, this isn't Musk's first foray into cultural skirmishes; his criticism of transgender issues ties back to personal family matters. The boycott echoes past streaming wars, but with Musk's 226 million followers, its reach feels amplified, almost engineered. As subscriptions dwindle amid the noise, one wonders if this fleeting outrage will reshape Netflix's content choices or fade like so many online storms.