‘Joker’ ignites social media uproar for using song by convicted pedophile Gary Glitter

Joaquin Phoenix in shown in a scene from “Joker.” | Warner Bros. Pictures, via AP

The dark comic-book movie ”Joker” made a ton of money over the weekend, and social media is irked that some of it might be going to a convicted pedophile.

One crucial scene features a transformed and fully face-painted Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) dancing down stairs to the tune of British glam rocker Gary Glitter’s “Rock and Roll (Part 2),” a 1970s hit on both sides of the ocean. The song has found its way into many sports arenas as a stadium anthem and occasionally into movies such as “The Replacements” and “Meet the Fockers.”

Glam rock star Gary Glitter talks to the media in London on January 11, 2000.

But Glitter (real name Paul Gadd) was sentenced in 2015 to 16 years in jail after being convicted of sexually abusing three young girls. He was found guilty of one count of attempted rape, four counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 13.

USA TODAY has reached out to Warner Bros. for comment.