Chris Pratt in hot water for 'insensitive' voting-related joke

Marvel star Chris Pratt has caused a social media controversy when he tried to make an ill-considered voting joke as the US edges closer to the 2020 presidential election.

Chris, who recently starred in the latest Pixar animated hit Onward, took to his Instagram to joke about people casting their ballots... for the 2020 People’s Choice Awards, not the looming US election.

Onward is among the eight nominees for the year’s best family movie. So naturally, Chris wanted his movie to come out on top and took to Instagram to drum up votes by poking fun at the many celebrity-endorsed voting PSAs that are already out there.

“With all that’s going on in the world it is more important than ever that you vote,” Chris wrote.

“Just ask any celebrity. They will tell you. Every day. Several times a day. To vote. But me? I will tell you EXACTLY who to vote for. #onward.”

Chris continued by tipping his hat to the sacrifices made by “the heroes before us,” and declaring to his followers that the 2020 People’s Choice Awards would be “the most consequential vote in the history of mankind times a million infinity.”

The actor may have intended his words to be amusing, but many of his followers online were not amused with some slamming the post as “privileged” and “tone deaf”.

“I get this is supposed to be a cute little joke but it comes off as really insensitive,” wrote one of his Instagram followers. And others registered their displeasure on Twitter.

“And Chris Pratt is tasteless yet again,” another said.

Not everyone was ready to declare Pratt to be Hollywood’s newest #WorstChris, though. A vocal contingent of fans claimed to be on Star Lord’s comic wavelength.

“What Chris Pratt said is legitimately funny, y’all are just easily angered,” one person defended the star.

“Chris Pratt must be protected! One of the only ones with common sense in Hollywood,” another said.

Voting in the 2020 People’s Choice Awards is open until Oct 23, when many states will still be in the swing of early voting for the presidential election.

Additional reporting by Ethan Alter.

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