Neil Patrick Harris sparked online backlash over comments he made about Nick Jonas on “The Wendy Williams Show” in 2015.
In a clip from the interview, the 49-year-old actor admitted that he now has a “crush” on the 30-year-old singer.
“And he looked really good before he showed up, which was a little bit annoying, you had to wait until he was 19 or 20, you know, and then you’re like, ‘What’s going on?'” Harris added.
Harris made the comment after Williams asked the “How I Met Your Mother” alum who her “celebrity crush” was besides her husband David Burtka during the show’s “Hot Seat” segment.
Neil Patrick Harris faced controversy on social media in 2015 over comments he made about Nick Jonas.
(Jamie McCarthy/WireImage)
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“David knows this, so I guess it’s not bad to say…Nick Jonas,” Harris responded.
The “Jealous” singer was 23 years old while the “Doogie Hauser, MD” actor was 42 when Harris appeared on Williams’ talk show.
Representatives for Harris did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Jonas was 12 years old when he and his brothers Kevin and Joe formed the boy band The Jonas Brothers in 2005. He initially gained popularity through his appearances on the Disney Channel and rose to fame after releasing his self-titled second studio album in 2007.
“How do celebs get away with comments like this? Here was a 42-year-old.”
“This is totally inappropriate,” wrote one social media user, while another quipped, “Neil is always doing something problematic.”
“I love his characters but him as a person…yikes,” added one reviewer.
“This is disgusting,” commented another with a disgusted smiley face emoji.
“Sometimes things just shouldn’t be said out loud,” wrote one user while another wrote, “Bro tried to save it with ’19 to 20′”.
Jonas was 12 years old when he and his brothers Kevin and Joe formed the boy band The Jonas Brothers in 2005.
(Getty Images)
Some critics took issue with the studio audience’s reaction to Harris’ comments.
“The crowd doesn’t laugh,” one user wrote, adding a smiley face emoji.
“Jesus. Another awkward laugh from the crowd. They finally stopped in a minute,” added another.
However, some of Harris’ fans came to his defense, with one user writing, “Why won’t they get away with it? Just saying it’s not a criminal offense,”
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“Nothing wrong with this comment,” said another fan.
This isn’t the first time Harris has been called out by fans. In May, the two-time Emmy Award winner apologized after making a crude joke about Amy Winehouse’s death.
Harris and Burtka displayed “The Corpse of Amy Winehouse” buffet plate at their Halloween party in 2011, months after her death.
“A photo recently surfaced of a Halloween-themed party my husband and I hosted 11 years ago,” Harris told Entertainment Weekly in a statement at the time. “It was regrettable then and it’s regrettable now. Amy Winehouse was once a generational talent and I’m sorry for hurting that image.”
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