Some later took to Twitter to point out

Amy Schumer has been accused of stealing a joke from the late comedian Patrice O'Neal, it has been reported.

The 34-year-old used a short routine about sex positions at the end of a sold-out show at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York City.

But after the performance was broadcast on HBO on Saturday night, Twitter users pointed out the similarities with a joke used by O'Neal in his 2007 Nasty Show.

Amy Schumer (left) has been accused of stealing a joke from the late comedian Patrice O'Neal (right)

Responding to a review by Decider contributor Sean L. McCarthy, who referenced O'Neal, Schumer tweeted: 'Thanks man. I have never seen that Patrice bit but I will watch today. I love and miss him'

Schumer used a short routine about sex positions at the end of a sold-out show at the Apollo Theater (pictured)

O'Neal, who died in November 2011 at the age of 41 after suffering a stroke, described unsavoury sex acts as part of his live performances.

Schumer was accused of describing similar X-rated positions, but gave them different names - the 'Abraham Lincoln', and the 'Houdini'.

The Trainwreck actress has not officially responded to the claims, but retweeted comedian Jim Norton who addressed the 'idiotic accusations' in a Facebook post.

Responding to a review by Decider contributor Sean L. McCarthy, who referenced O'Neal, Schumer tweeted: 'Thanks man. I have never seen that Patrice bit but I will watch today. I love and miss him.'

One Twitter user called Zencik tweeted Schumer to say: 'So it's just a total coincidence you told both jokes in the exact same order?'

However, Jim Norton jumped to her defense, writing in his Facebook post: 'I think these fans are acting in what they feel is Patrice's defense because they love him, and I can appreciate them feeling protective about anything involving him.

Schumer (pictured during her Live at the Apollo show, which was broadcast on Saturday) was accused of describing similar X-rated positions but gave them different names - the 'Abraham Lincoln', and the 'Houdini'

The actress and writer has yet to respond to the claims, but retweeted comedian Jim Norton who addressed the 'idiotic accusations' in a Facebook post

Some Twitter users pointed out the similarities between the jokes used by Schumer and O'Neal

'But they don't love Patrice more than I do, and I am telling you, without reservation, that she did not steal those jokes from him.

'Even comedic geniuses like Patrice would do silly things sometimes onstage. Those terms have been in the Urban Dictionary for years, Patrice did not come up with them (I'm not saying he didn't change any of them to make them original, but they have been around for as long as I can remember).

'To think that Amy would watch Patrice do something onstage and then decide to close with it on her HBO special is simply ludicrous.'

Norton went on to say that O'Neal had 'a lot of respect for Amy' adding that the first time he had heard her name was when the comedian 'was talking about how funny she was'.

'There are very few things more repulsive to a comic than joke thief. Which is why accusations of joke stealing should be made with caution, because it's such an ugly thing to accuse a comedian of.