Dear White People creator Justin Simien has "complicated" feelings over the surge in the show's demand amid George Floyd protests

The Hollywood Reporter

Parrot Analytics found that Dear White People has seen a 329% surge in demand amid global support for the Black Lives Matter movement that has prompted people of all races to delve into pop-culture featuring racial topics. "Man, it’s complicated," Simien says of the newfound interest in his show and movie. "I have been grateful to fight tooth and nail for Dear White People since 2013 when we first started raising money for the movie. It continues to be a show I have to fight for — for the proper budget, advertising, promotion. It’s a conversation that me and my village of creatives think we really deserve to keep having. We are pouring our whole hearts into these issues to make something that not only is pop culture entertainment but also feels urgent and relevant. These are tragic events that have led to this uptick of viewership, and that’s really devastating. It’s also nice to feel that (we) have contributed something that can be meaningful in this time. These issues have been on our minds and in our hearts for a very long time, and the show we've made speaks directly to what is happening. It's nice to know people are listening." Simien is currently prepping to film Dear White People's final season.  Simien says he hopes Dear White People will see increased promotion since it's become relevant to this moment. "I would love to hear from Netflix about how to further promote the show," he says. "The Netflix team really does care about the show and they fight for it. I’ve had many conversations with Ted Sarandos and the marketing team to say it needs more attention."