Kelly Osbourne has been the colorful, fun and quirky member of E!’s “Fashion Police” and had a hard time returning to the show following the host of Fashion Police, Joan Rivers’ passing. But somehow, with the addition of Brad Goreski and Kathy Griffin as well as Giuliana Rancic returning, they have been able to make it work – until the 2015 Academy Awards fashion round-up that aired Monday evening. I watched the episode live, as it aired and I can say that with every degree of certainty that comments made about singer/actress Zendaya were not racist.
Zendaya arrived at the Grammy Awards on February 8th with a cute little pixie but walked the red carpet at the Oscars with long dread locks/braids. To that, Rancic said: “I feel like she smells like pachouli oil…Or weed!” Everyone, including co-host Kelly Osbourne laughed because Zendaya, 18 did have the essence of a sweet sixties hippie. At least, that was how I interpreted it. Apparently, that’s not how Zendaya saw it as she felt that it was a racist comment. She went on to put a long letter up on social media that, in summation, said: “There is a fine line between what is funny and disrespectful. To say that an 18 year old young woman with locs must smell of patchouli oil or ‘weed’ is not only a large stereotype but outrageously offensive.”
This caused Kerry Washington, Khloe Kardashian and more to chime in in favor of Zendaya taking a stand – but the most unlikely celebrity to chime in was Kelly Osbourne herself. She took to social media to declare that she is friends with Zendaya and tweeted: “Im giving everyone involved 24 hours to make it right or the world will hear how I really feel. contactually Im not allowed to speak!” I believe she was trying to say something about her contract. She also had tweets that read: “I DID NOT MAKE THE WEED COMENT. I DO NOT CONDONE RACISM SO AS A RSULT OF THIS IM SEREIOULSY QUESTIONONIG STAYING ON THE SHOW!”
So, as a result of this comment by Rancic, Kelly Osbourne is talking/speaking in code about leaving the show. Wendy Williams commented that she had fired Osbourne mentally this morning on “The Wendy Williams Show.” There has also been talk of hypocrisy on Rancic’s side as she praised a similar hairstyle a Kardashian wore sometime back. They are both in the E! family so maybe the Kardashian/Jenner clan are off limits; ever think of that?
Since Kelly Osbourne is so ready to up and leave, we decided to select a few possible options to fill her spot: Rita Ora, Miss J Alexander from “America’s Next Top Model,” NeNe Leakes from “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” as well as her occasional co-stars Derek J and Miss Lawrence. Nothing like African-American outspoken gay men to fill the spot of a purple-haired British child from a family built on eating bats.
Rancic owned up to a comment that I personally believe was taken out of context. On top of that, Joan Rivers would have said something way worse and everyone would have been laughing for days and there would never have to be an apology. Clearly, Zendaya does not understand that this is commentary/criticism based show and at this point, I do not even know if I would want to see Kelly Osbourne on the show again. If she was so offended by what Rancic said, she should have said something right then and there. That would have made the show even more explosive. Why did Kelly choose to wait to say something?
This is just an opinion. Please feel free to comment or tweet us @haveuheard1 as everyone is entitled to their beliefs!