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Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle Controversy Has Celebrities Reacting In The Craziest Ways — as Actor Loses His Mind Over Backlash And Slams 'Sweaty Angry People'

Photo of Sydney Sweeney
Source: AMERICAN EAGLE

American Eagle and Sydney Sweeney have been feeling the heat.

Aug. 19 2025, Published 9:00 p.m. ET

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Ben Shapiro

Photo of Ben Shapiro
Source: MEGA

Sweeney's ad for the American Eagle fall campaign sparked backlash.

In a YouTube video, Ben Shapiro addressed the controversy surrounding Sydney Sweeney and the American Eagle denim campaign.

"This ad can both be a rejection of the sort of post gender insanity pushed by the left, and also it can just be a piece of very softcore pornography," he commented. "I say very softcore because of course it's not pornography quite but it is certainly more in that arena than it is in the arena of art."

Shapiro added: "Clearly, it is attempting to use sex to sell jeans. That is literally the purpose of the commercial. And so, being a moral traditionalist, I do not actually believe that commercials like this are amazing for America."

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Bill Maher

Photo of Bill Maher
Source: MEGA

The denim campaign was announced on July 23.

Bill Maher took the Euphoria star's side and slammed "online social justice girls" for attacking Sweeney and the controversial ad.

"In other uncomfortable racial news, sad news, we found out that Sydney Sweeney is a Nazi," he said on Real Time with Bill Maher.

"I don't think they did it on purpose, but I also think it's pretty funny that all the online social justice girls are like, 'It's racist. There's no such thing as good genes, right?' And then you go on Tinder and swipe left on every bald guy," Maher added, aiming at the critics.

He continued: "She talks about the fact that she has blue eyes, and then she says, 'I have great jeans,' you know, cause she's wearing jeans. But according to the woke people, this means that she's a White supremacist."

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Courtney Stodden

Photo of Courtney Stodden
Source: MEGA

In the sultry snaps, Sweeney nearly exposed her chest as she modeled the brand's pieces.

Responding to the questions she has been receiving about the ad, Courtney Stodden wrote a lengthy Instagram statement in which she blasted American Eagle for pushing "this hypersexualized 'All-American girl' image to sell JEANS."

"All I can think is… here we go again," Stodden, who revealed she was "sexualized by the system" growing up, said. "Another billionaire-backed fantasy being sold to us like it's harmless nostalgia. But it's not… it is rooted in racism. It's also a recycled idea of womanhood created for the silly male gaze and mass consumption."

In the same post, Stodden ripped into the 1980 Calvin Klein jeans campaign that featured Brooke Shields when she was 15.

She concluded her post: "We deserve better. We are better. And ladies, our genes are ours and ours alone, and we are powerful – old billionaires are 2,000 and late."

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Danica Patrick

Photo of Danica Patrick
Source: MEGA

Sweeney shared the campaign alongside the text, 'I have great jeans… now you can too.'

Danica Patrick also gave her take on the ad drama.

"Can anyone tell me what's wrong with the new AE ads? Very confused," she wrote on her Instagram Story.

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Desi Lydic

Photo of Desi Lydic
Source: MEGA

Several celebrities shared their opinions on the ad drama.

Daily Show guest host Desi Lydic bashed right-wing media figures, saying the "racist dog whistle" needs to "calm down."

"This is such bull----. Blond women have had constant representation, OK? In entertainment, in fashion, in letter-turning," she said, adding, "It's not that they want to see more white women, it's that they want to see none of anyone else. For a story about b----, it sure has a h--- of a lot of a-------."

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Doja Cat

Photo of Doja Cat
Source: MEGA

American Eagle said the campaign 'is and always was about the jeans.'

Doja Cat brutally mocked Sweeney in a parody video she recorded after the jeans campaign went viral.

"Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue," she repeated The White Lotus star's line in the parodic clip.

She also captioned the post, "My jeans are blee."

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Donald Trump Jr.

Photo of Donald Trump Jr.
Source: MEGA

Sweeney's line in the campaign sparked debate.

Even Donald Trump Jr. joined the growing list of celebrities and figures who have shared their takes on the viral ad.

On Instagram, he uploaded an AI-generated image of his father, Donald Trump, wearing a jean jumpsuit while copying Sweeney's pose.

"That Hanse.... Um, Donald is so hot right now!!!" Don Jr. wrote.

After the bizarre post took social media by storm, Stephen Colbert called out Don Jr. for comparing the U.S. president to Sweeney.

"Let me get this straight, Don Jr..You look at Sydney Sweeney, and your first thought is, 'She's hot like my dad?'" Colbert pointed out. "Reminds me of Shakespeare's love sonnet, 'Shall I compare thee to a 79-year-old f--- machine?'"

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Gabby Windey

Photo of Gabby Windey
Source: @gabbywindey/TikTok

Some pointed out that the 'great jeans' line was a playful pun on 'great genes.'

Former Bachelorette star Gabby Windey spoke candidly about Sweeny's ad in a TikTok video, saying the commentary was "terrifying."

"But also in the ad, they do a close-up a-- shot, and she's not filling out the jeans. She doesn't have that good of jeans," said Windey. "These jeans are doing nothing for her a--. G-E-N-E or J-E-A-N, either one. So I beg to differ [on] the whole thing."

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J.D. Vance

Phoo of J.D. Vance
Source: MEGA

Internet users claimed the ad was a subtle nod to Nazi propaganda.

In an episode of the Ruthless podcast, J.D. Vance also rallied behind Sweeney as he explained that American Eagle is simply "trying to sell jeans to kids in America."

"And they have managed to so unhinge themselves over this thing," said the U.S. vice president. "It's like, you guys, did you learn nothing from the November 2024 election? Like, I actually thought that one of the lessons they might take is we're going to be less crazy. The lesson they have apparently taken is we're going to attack people as Nazis for thinking Sydney Sweeney is beautiful. Great strategy, guys."

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Jeremy London

Photo of Jeremy London
Source: MEGA

The controversial ad divided the industry.

"Nobody… And I repeat, nobody… Gives a f--- about what Sydney Sweeney is wearing in a stupid commercial," actor Jeremy London wrote on X.

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Joe DeVito

Photo of Joe DeVito
Source: AMERICAN EAGLE

Sweeney has not responded to the issue.

Comedian Joe DeVito entered the conversation surrounding the American Eagle jeans ad controversy in a post on X.

"We're so starved for ads with hot women we're losing it over Sydney Sweeney dressed like she's Jay Leno," he wrote.

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Lizzo

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Photo of Lizzo
Source: MEGA

Sweeney called off her engagement to Jonathan Davino months before shooting the ad campaign.

"My jeans are black," Lizzo captioned a fake meme that showed her wearing a denim outfit similar to what Sweeney wore in the ad.

The post also had the text: "If the Democrats won the election."

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Megyn Kelly

Photo of Megyn Kelly
Source: MEGA

Sweeney is currently single.

Megyn Kelly pushed back and called the backlash over Sweeney's photoshoot as something "absurd."

"There's nothing wrong with being white," she said. "It's fine, she can be white, too. It's like, now, we're going to see an ad with a Black woman and the reference to genes, too, and that won't satisfy them."

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Michael Rapaport

Photo of Michael Rapaport
Source: MEGA

Sydney Sweeney has consistently shared comments about body positivity.

As talks about the American Eagle campaign and the Nazi comparisons intensified, Michael Rapaport had an on-camera blow-up to question why everything "always goes back to the Nazis."

"Why are all these people that are angry with Sydney Sweeney… they all have nose rings with little crust around your nose ring: Stop worrying about Sydney Sweeney," he said, while pointing at the camera. "Stop worrying about Sydney Sweeney's genes. Stop worrying about American Eagle."

Rapaport continued: "Worry about the crust on your nose ring. BRO. LADY. GUYS AND GIRLS. Every single person that is angry at Sydney Sweeney is screaming and yelling. Also, get yourself some powder. Dab yourself. All you people that are angry about Sydney Sweeney, these are the same people that are angry… are all generic things that nobody else is angry. But they all, they all look sweaty."

"Get yourself some powder before you go on TikTok. You're screaming, yelling. You're sweating, and you got your nose ring with crust. Wipe the crust off your nose ring. Don't worry about Sydney Sweeney's jeans and her genes," he concluded.

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Ted Cruz

Photo of Ted Cruz
Source: MEGA

Sydney Sweeney gained over 30 pounds to play Christy Martin's role in a biopic.

Ted Cruz complimented Sweeney's good looks while also defending her jeans ad.

"Wow. Now the crazy Left has come out against beautiful women. I'm sure that will poll well…." he wrote on X.

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