Francia Raisa, who donated her kidney to Selena Gomez, speaks out on ‘Saved by the Bell’ jokes

Peacock has issued an apology after Selena Gomez followers called out punchlines making light of the pop star’s kidney transplant within the new Saved by the Bell reboot. However Francia Raisa, the pal who donated her kidney to Gomez in 2017, says there’s extra work to be carried out.

The actress took to social media on Saturday to handle the controversy stemming from the sixth episode of the Peacock sitcom, wherein characters questioned the origins of Gomez’s donated kidney, whereas “Does Selena Gomez even have kidneys?” appears in graffiti in one other scene. Following complaints that Saved by the Bell had mocked Gomez and her well being points, which stem from her lengthy battle with lupus, the streaming service apologized and made a donation to Gomez’s charity supporting lupus analysis.

“We apologize,” Peacock mentioned in an announcement. “It was by no means our intention to make mild of Selena’s well being. We’ve got been in contact together with her workforce and will probably be making a donation to her charity, The Selena Gomez Fund for Lupus Analysis at USC.”

Whereas Gomez has not but publicly commented on the matter, Raisa says she’s obtained apologies from some producers and forged members, whom she didn’t title. However whereas she says she appreciates their mea culpas, she expressed concern that different organ donors “may have been offended by this.”

“It’s not about me, it’s about acknowledging the good function that donors play,” she defined in an Instagram Tales put up, tagging Peacock and guardian community NBC.

Raisa additionally spoke out on Twitter, the place she addressed the donors who may need felt “dismissed” by the episode.

“As a kidney donor I need to present love and let different donors know that you’re not alone,” she wrote. “You’re seen. You’re appreciated. You’re so courageous and your selfless act may be very a lot appreciated and valued!”

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