Giuliana Rancic somehow made herself the most controversial part of E!'s Fashion Police
a grand feat, considering the show was basically a vehicle for the late insult comic Joan Rivers.
And Rancic's career was nearly destroyed as a result of a now infamous flub.
Here's how it all went down.
"Trust me, when the time comes, I will not hesitate to go there"
Zendaya called Rancic out for her remark almost immediately.
In a lengthy Instagram post, the Spider-Man actress took the high road, writing:
"There is a fine line between what is funny and disrespectful.
Someone said something about my hair at the Oscars that left me in awe.
[…] 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."
"It's crazy really.
Honestly, truly, it's crazy"
Zendaya added that her aim in wearing dreadlocks to the 2015 Academy Awards was to promote
the beauty of natural hair.
After receiving backlash from Zendaya and almost the entire Internet Rancic finally
apologized, tweeting:
"Dear Zendaya, I'm sorry I offended you and others.
I was referring to a bohemian chic look.
Had NOTHING to do with race and NEVER would!!!"
Rancic also made a statement on E!, admitting that her comments crossed the line.
"I didn't intend to hurt anybody, but, I have learned, it is not my intent that matters,
it's the result."
She acknowledged that many people were indeed offended Zendaya included and added,
"I want to say to Zendaya, and anyone else out there that I have hurt, that I am so,
so sincerely sorry."
Rancic also promised to not "perpetuate" stereotypes.
Zendaya graciously accepted the apology, posting to Insta,
"Giuliana, I appreciate your apology.
I hope that others negatively affected by her words can also find it in their hearts
to also accept her apology as well."
But not everyone was so quick to forgive.
One of Rancic's biggest critics was her own Fashion Police co-host, Kelly Osbourne.
Initially, Osbourne tweeted that she didn't want to get involved with the drama, but that
didn't last long.
"I can't even put that into words"
Kelly tweeted:
"I DID NOT MAKE THE WEED COMMENT.
I DO NOT CONDONE RACISM SO AS A RESULT OF THIS I'M SERIOUSLY QUESTIONING STAYING ON
THE SHOW!"
Osbourne quit Fashion Police soon after the incident.
Rancic later claimed she wasn't entirely at fault for how her comment came across, telling
Today in 2015,
"I made a reference to the hippie culture.
I talked about patchouli oil, which is a hippie perfume."
But she claims what she really said, isn't what viewers saw on the show.
"In the editing process, some of the gestures I made, some of the things I said were taken
out for time."
The Wrap obtained a full transcript of the unedited footage, in which Rancic reportedly
made peace sign gestures and said,
"She has such a tiny frame that this hair to me overwhelms her, it's really heavy.
[…] Zendaya is more high fashion.
The hair to me, on her, is making her a little boho.
Like, I feel like she smells like patchouli oil and weed."
However, Rancic's former Fashion Police co-host George Kotsiopoulous told People magazine
of Rancic,
"To not own up to what you said and to blame it on others is just a little messed up."
"It seems a little bit disrespectful"
The fallout for Rancic continued months after her segment about Zendaya aired on Fashion
Police.
Rancic revealed to People in April 2015 that she'd received death threats after Zendaya's
statement on the comment went viral.
By July 2015, Rancic announced that she was parting ways with E! News, but would remain
co-host of Fashion Police and Live from the Red Carpet.
She told People that dramatic career move was unrelated to the blow-up at Fashion Police,
and that her exit which she allegedly planned three years prior was entirely her decision,
in order to spend m ore time in Chicago with her husband Bill Rancic and their son.
Still, she hinted to Access Hollywood in 2015 that there was some issue with certain individuals
in her life, explaining of the Zendaya incident,
"I definitely learned a lot from this entire experience.
One of those things that I've learned is when someone shows you their true colors, believe
them.
And I've definitely seen exactly who certain people are in my life."
Check out one of our newest videos right here!
Plus, even more Nicki Swift videos about your favorite celebs are coming soon.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss a single one.