Comedian Samantha Bee found herself the butt of online jokes on Tuesday for a 2017 segment of her show that portrayed New York’s disgraced former Attorney General Eric Schneiderman as a “superhero.”

Last November the eponymous host of “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” was joking with Mr. Schneiderman — a staunch advocate of the #MeToo movement — about his “beautiful brown eyes” while likening him to “Schneider-Man.” This week, however, she started damage control after four women interviewed by New Yorker magazine accused him of physical abuse.

“We taped this segment before the allegations against Eric Schneiderman came to light, and we sincerely apologize for characterizing him as a hero when, to so many women, he was the vilest villain,” the comedian wrote on the channel’s official YouTube page. “We’re keeping this piece online in the interest of integrity. We encourage you to make a donation to an anti-domestic violence organization like The Battered Women’s Justice Project: http://www.bwjp.org/ Also, if you’re a f**king disgrace, please consider not coming on our show.”

Mr. Schneiderman issued a statement of resignation Monday evening while denying the “serious allegations” against him.

“While these allegations are unrelated to my professional conduct or the operations of the office, they will effectively prevent me from leading the office’s work at this critical time. I therefore resign my office, effective at the close of business on May 8, 2018,” he wrote.

“In the privacy of intimate relationships, I have engaged in role-playing and other consensual sexual activity.” he continued. “I have not assaulted anyone. I have never engaged in non-consensual sex, which is a line I would not cross.”

Ms. Bee’s November 2017 broadcast framed Mr. Schneiderman as a man of virtue who could thwart the president’s agenda with an “anti-Trump squad” of his peers.

“The big problem is that you are all ripping into the other side when your own house isn’t in order either. Bad people come in all political colors,” wrote one Twitter user.

“There are jerks in both parties, but only the @DNC constantly ‘morally’ condemns the Right knowing their own house is very dirty,” added another.

We didn’t. But Jack, since you’re such a fan, you probably know we’ll be discussing this on Wednesday.https://t.co/Vt3QeoLPtc — Full Frontal (@FullFrontalSamB) May 8, 2018

“I guess Bee has to say something under the circumstances, but the fact remains that she selected this guy as her anti-Trump superhero solely because he agrees with her politics,” writer John Sexton of the conservative blog Hot Air opined. “But it turns out being a progressive champion doesn’t actually make someone a hero. You can believe those things and still be an incredible creep, just like Harvey Weinstein or Bill Clinton.”

Ms. Bee added via the “Full Frontal” Twitter page that she would address the issue during Wednesday’s show.

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