'Off Campus' Production Warns Against Cast Harassment, Threatens Account Removal
The official accounts for Amazon Prime Video's 'Off Campus' issued a public statement warning fans who engage in targeted harassment of cast members and their loved ones will be blocked. The warning follows the viral resurfacing of a podcast clip involving Season 2 lead Mika Abdalla and her now-former fiancé Jake Short, which sparked online harassment. The statement highlights a broader pattern of streaming platforms having to intervene when fan communities direct harmful behavior toward real people associated with popular shows.
The team behind Amazon Prime Video's hit YA hockey romance series 'Off Campus' posted a statement on social media Thursday calling out fans who have engaged in targeted harassment of cast members and people in their personal lives, warning that offending accounts will be removed from following official pages. The statement was prompted in part by the viral resurfacing of a podcast clip featuring Season 2 lead Mika Abdalla and her former fiancé Jake Short, in which Short jokingly referred to Abdalla in a derogatory way; the couple, who have since announced their split, issued a joint statement clarifying the clip was taken out of context and did not reflect their five-year relationship. 'Off Campus,' based on Elle Kennedy's book series beginning with 'The Deal,' has become a major streaming success, reaching 36 million viewers worldwide in its first 12 days and ranking as Prime Video's third-largest series debut, behind 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' and 'Fallout.' Season 2 will shift focus to fan-favorite characters Allie Hayes (Mika Abdalla) and Dean Di Laurentis (Stephen Kalyn), whose romance was introduced in Season 1. The incident is part of a recurring trend in which streaming platforms — including Amazon with 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' and the producers of 'Love Island' — have had to publicly remind audiences to treat cast members with respect.
What's missing
None of the sources specify the platform or platforms on which the harassment primarily occurred, nor do they detail the volume or nature of the harassment beyond the viral podcast clip incident.
How coverage differed
Variety provided the most expansive framing, situating the 'Off Campus' statement within a broader pattern of fan harassment across multiple streaming properties and including detail about the Abdalla-Short podcast clip and their joint response. The Hollywood Reporter focused more heavily on the show's commercial success and plot details, while Rolling Stone kept its coverage tightly focused on the harassment warning itself and Season 2 context, with less attention to the specific incident that prompted it.
What different sources said
- The Hollywood ReporterCenter
‘Off Campus’ Team Warns Those Harassing Cast and Their Loved Ones “Will Be Removed” From Official Accounts
- VarietyCenter
‘Off Campus’ Team Calls Out Fans Who ‘Engage in Targeted Harassment’ of Cast and Threatens to Block Accounts
- Rolling StoneLeft
‘Off Campus’ Team Warns Anyone Harassing Cast ‘Will Be Removed’ From Social Media Accounts
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