‘Most disgusting thing I’ve witnessed’: Men hound Aubrey Plaza after her husband’s death, demand to know if she is single

Just days ago, Aubrey Plaza was left widowed when her husband of almost four years, Jeff Baena, died in what is currently believed to have been a suicide. Within hours of the news becoming known to the public, people took to social media to post condolences, well-wishes, and memories — along with a rather more unsavory offering from a certain segment of the population.

Plaza, who has starred in movies and long-running television series, has a devoted following and is perhaps most well known for her performance in Parks and Recreation. Most recently, she starred in Agatha All Along as Rio Vidal. A talented actress, Plaza has amassed a dedicated fandom over the course of her career, many of whom have reacted on social media. Much of the outpouring on social media platforms such as X has been supportive, with fans offering words of sympathy or sharing memories about Baena’s work, but there are those across social media platforms who are posting “jokes” about how Plaza is now “single” or “back on the market.”

People respond to tragedy in different ways, but it should be easy to see that joking around about someone being “single” because their spouse has just died in a public forum is not okay. Aubrey Plaza is not “single”: She has literally just lost her husband, a man she loved, and still loves. This is not a divorce, a breakup, or a separation — a man has died. The amplification of comments on X and other social media sites, and the highly public nature of celebrity life in the modern era, means that Plaza will be confronted by these comments at the worst possible time. There is a time and a place for “dark humor,” but right now and on X is neither.

Despite some men using the tragedy to make jokes or express their attraction to Aubrey Plaza, there has been a massive condemnation of such behavior from wide sections of her fanbase and the general public. Whether they’re jokes or not, people do not approve of the behavior or comments, and they’re making their voices heard — with one poster calling it the “most disgusting thing” they’d seen.

The death of a loved one, especially from suicide, is a scenario where absolutely no one wins. This is a deeply personal tragedy which, due to Plaza and Baena’s public profiles, has been broadcast all over the world. The very last thing anyone needs in this situation is a torrent of unfunny “jokes” about her being available for dating.

While Plaza is known for her unconventional approach to life — she and Baena reportedly married after 10 years together out of “boredom” during lockdown — and her occasional bouts of dark humor, she is more than just her public persona: She is a living, breathing woman with thoughts, feelings, and aspirations in the midst of what is likely to be the greatest personal tragedy she will ever or has ever experienced. If there is ever a time for joking, now is most certainly not it.