Benny Blanco is facing backlash online after viewers were distracted by an unexpected detail during the debut of his new podcast.
The 37-year-old music producer launched Friends Keep Secrets on Tuesday, but instead of focusing on the show’s content, some fans zeroed in on his appearance — specifically, his visibly dirty bare feet, which he had propped up on a sofa during the recording.
Clips from the episode quickly circulated on X (formerly Twitter), where critics branded him “disgusting” and urged him to “take a shower.” Others questioned the cleanliness of his home, wondering whether he had been walking outside barefoot before filming. Comments ranged from “I am horrified” to “This should be considered public indecency,” while some viewers admitted they couldn’t even continue watching after noticing the detail.
A number of social media users even brought his wife, Selena Gomez, into the conversation, expressing disbelief and sympathy. Some harsh critics went as far as suggesting she “deserves better,” while others said they were experiencing “second-hand embarrassment.”
The podcast sees Blanco teaming up with Dave Burd — better known as Lil Dicky — and his wife Kristin Batalucco. The trio host A-list guests including Ed Sheeran, Gwyneth Paltrow and Paul Rudd. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Blanco described the project as something that blurs formats: “Is it streaming? Is it a podcast? Is it an interview series? Is it a TV show? Is it NPR’s Tiny Desk? You see Ed come on and we’re making a song from scratch.”
This isn’t the first time Blanco has sparked chatter online. Back in December, a video of him and Gomez attending a Los Angeles Lakers game against the New Orleans Pelicans went viral. In the clip, Gomez appeared to reach for his hand as they walked to their seats, but Blanco — seemingly distracted by the crowd — kept his hands in his pockets and didn’t notice. Social media users quickly dissected the moment, with some accusing him of ignoring her.
The couple married last September in a lavish ceremony at Sea Crest Nursery in Santa Barbara, California. Their star-studded guest list included Taylor Swift, Paris Hilton, Steve Martin, Martin Short, Sheeran, Rudd, SZA, Zoe Saldana, Cara Delevingne, Ashley Park and Nina Dobrev, as well as several of Gomez’s former Disney Channel co-stars.
While the online criticism has been loud, neither Blanco nor Gomez has publicly responded to the recent comments.
