Actor Ryan Reynolds is facing renewed backlash after a joke about his children during an appearance on "Late Night with Seth Meyers" prompted widespread criticism on social media and in comment sections across news sites.

Reynolds, 48, was promoting a John Candy documentary when he discussed life with his four children — daughters James, 10; Inez, 9; Betty, 6; and son Olin, 2 — and made remarks that many viewers described as insensitive and sexist. He said he and his wife, actress Blake Lively, "would never" have had four children if their son had been born first, describing Olin as coming into the world with "three things on his mind" — "violence, breasts and engines."

"If I had like three boys at first, I would never... there's no way. I would give myself a punching vasectomy," Reynolds said on the late-night program, drawing immediate online condemnation from people who called the comments "disgusting" and inappropriate.

The actor has built a public persona that leans on self-deprecating humor and flamboyant banter, but this episode struck many as a miscalculation. Critics argued the offhand line, even if intended as a joke, disparaged boys and risked being hurtful to his daughters if they later read or hear about the remark.

"'I don't like him anymore. He is not funny at all,'" one commenter wrote on a Daily Mail story about the segment. Others worried about long-term implications: "One day your girls will read that," another user said.

A smaller number of commenters defended Reynolds, noting that boys can be energetic and that the entertainer was likely exaggerating for comedic effect. "Boys can be wild. Some of you do not have boys or did not have brothers growing up. LOL," one reader wrote.

According to Atlanta BlackStar, this is the latest moment of controversy for Reynolds, who was criticized in September after a brief interaction with a child reporter at the Toronto International Film Festival was labeled by some as curt.

The List also reported that celebrity neighbor Martha Stewart also recently commented that Reynolds "isn't funny" in real life, though she later softened her remarks.

Reynolds and Lively, who married in 2012, have publicly emphasized their commitment to family. Reynolds has spoken fondly in interviews about watching films with his children and about their dual Canadian-American citizenship. But public figures who joke about their own children occasionally face scrutiny when audiences perceive the comments as belittling or mean-spirited.

Experts in child development say public remarks by parents can affect children differently depending on their age and their understanding of humor and context. "What is framed as a joke by adults can be internalized by children, especially if they later learn the comment gained traction online," said a psychology professor who studies media effects. "Parents who are public figures may want to take extra care about how they discuss family matters in public."

Reynolds has not issued a public apology as of publication. Representatives for the actor and for Lively did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Tags
Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively