By Kristy Puchko | Celebrity | February 25, 2015 |
By Kristy Puchko | Celebrity | February 25, 2015 |
Fashion Police is a show built on shitty comments and condescending snark. But co-host Giuliana Rancic crossed a line post-Oscars when she said of Zendaya’s long, lustrous locs (pictured below), “I feel like she smells like patchouli oil and weed.”
In case you missed it, here’s Zendaya next to her Oscar look’s hairspiration (and one of my earliest idols) the endlessly cool Lisa Bonet.Rancic’s comment was outright offensive, and it spoke to an insidious beauty standard in this country that pushes women—of all ethnicities but arguably especially black women—to have long, straight hair. Today Show cohost Tamron Hall has previously shared that some viewers complain she looks “unprofessional” when she doesn’t straighten her hair. Similarly, Solange Knowles has repeatedly been criticized for refusing to align with this convention by embracing her natural texture. Solange offered her support to Zendaya on Twitter:
Yeah @fashionpolice been bashing my fro for years, @intouchweekly compared it to a dog…and u know what I say? pic.twitter.com/OBvkpw4Vdn
— solange knowles (@solangeknowles) February 25, 2015
As for the Disney Kid, the 18-year-old Zendaya proved mature beyond her years (and most people, frankly), responding :
Rancic has since offered an apology, saying “This incident has taught me to be a lot more aware of cliches and stereotypes, how much damage they can do…And that I am responsible, as we all are, to not perpetuate them further.” But the grander point here is that Rancic felt the need to respond because the public was outraged on Zendaya’s behalf. This shit doesn’t slide anymore. And that may be the slimmest of silver lining’s we’ll find here.
As for Zendaya, she’s made no further response. She doesn’t need to. She won this battle without issuing a single blow. Brava, lady. You’re as smart as your look is flawless.
#Oscars Red Carpet: @Zendaya slays in Vivienne Westwood pic.twitter.com/alKlPI778i
— Karεn Ciѵil (@KarenCivil) February 23, 2015
Kristy Puchko considers writing in the third person her own personal hell.