A video showing Amazon founder Jeff Bezos being heckled by a couple in the street has gone viral online, but their choice of comments has divided users on Reddit.
The clip first appeared on TikTok, after being posted by user @bat_rat_cat, before it was taken down twice for allegedly violating its policy on bullying.
In the footage, the billionaire can be seen walking on the pavement before the pair sitting at a table address him.
“Hey Jeff, do you feel bad when your Amazon workers die in the warehouse sometimes,” asked a man behind the camera, to which Bezos gave him eye contact before looking away and walking towards his car.
A woman on camera added: “Hey Jeff, nice lazy eye. I wish money could fix that!”
Jeff Bezos getting heckled pic.twitter.com/prhaTjJoYr
— vic vinegar, m.s. (@aquajunning) June 18, 2021
As the world’s richest man - according to Forbes’ real-time billionaire's list – Bezos continues to face public scrutiny over his finances and Amazon’s working conditions. Last month the website ProPublica reported that Bezos allegedly paid nothing in federal income taxes in 2007.
In April, Amazon had to issue an apology to US Democrat Mark Pocan after they denied his claims that workers have been forced to urinate in bottles during their shifts.
1/2 You don’t really believe the peeing in bottles thing, do you? If that were true, nobody would work for us. The truth is that we have over a million incredible employees around the world who are proud of what they do, and have great wages and health care from day one.
— Amazon News (@amazonnews) March 25, 2021
“This was an own goal, we’re unhappy about it, and we owe an apology to Representative Pocan … The tweet was incorrect,” it reads.
Elsewhere, the BBC said in May that Amazon planned to introduce “wellness chambers” into its warehouse to benefit the mental health of stressed-out workers. A month later, ITV News revealed that the online retailer trashes millions of unsold stock in one UK warehouse every year.
So naturally, if you wanted to criticise Bezos, then there’s plenty of ammunition available – though Reddit users are torn on whether this particular American couple chose wisely.
“Eh, that woman’s comment is sh**ty. F**k her for saying that instead of saying something meaningful about his greed,” wrote one.
Another commented: “Ok, cmon… If you’re going to criticize someone criticize their views or actions, not their bodies.”
“Wow… making fun of a disability is the hallmark of a horrible person,” said a third.
Others, meanwhile, have argued that the comment on Bezos’ appearance is justified.
“Nah, it’s really not. F**k Jeff. I’m so tired of this attitude that we need to be nice to bad people. He is a horrible person and deserves to be made fun of,” said one.
A different commenter wrote: “It is in bad taste to make fun of appearance, but the man lets THOUSANDS of workers suffer through company policies, so, by all means, make fun of his lazy eye, baldness, height, anything really. It’s not an a-hole move if it’s a greedy billionaire.”
The video, now on the /WorldNewsVideo and /PublicFreakout subreddits, both have more than 3,000 upvotes at the time of writing.
