All the current troubles before Fashion Police began just immediately after the commencement of the new season in January, which had comedian and celebrity Griffin filling in as Rivers’ replacement and Brad Goreski, a celebrity stylist, filling the seat of fellow stylist George Kotsiopoulos...and despite bringing back the panelists Kelly Osbourne...fashion icon and Giuliana Rancic, a TV host, the new cast failed to produce the same chemistry that the original one had.
With many calling out Griffin as lacking both the wit and fashion knowledge of Rivers, the season seriously took a turn for the worse following comments made by Rancic on Feb. 23 broadcast regarding Zendaya’s red carpet look at the Academy Awards. Rancic commented that Zendaya, a Disney Star, who wore dreadlocks, probably “smell(ed) like patchouli oil” or “weed.”
The joke-gone-wrong evoked heated reactions on the social media followed by manycalled Rancic racist and superficial. Zendaya herself responded through her twitter and Instagram handles by referring to the comments as “ignorant slurs and pure disrespect”.
Kelly Osbourne also responded to the heating comment despite defending her colleague’s apology, Osbourne agreed that the comments were racist and admitted that they caused her to question remaining on the show...but days later, the network announced Osbourne would be leaving the show to “chase other opportunities,” and despite never directly connecting the Zendaya incident with her departure, the speculation has been widespread.
The show which is on hiatus until March 30 had not yet announced Osbourne’s replacement --- when Griffin announced her own exit. The comedian cited similar reasons for her departure to those that led to Osbourne’s questioning of the program.
On her twitter handle, Griffin wrote, saying that her “style does not fit with the creative direction of the show,” specifically the “culture of unattainable perfection or intolerance toward difference.” She added that though her brand of humor can be “unrepentant and unafraid,” she also wants “to help women, gay kids, people of color and anyone who feels underrepresented to have a voice and a laugh.”
As the fire keeps burning, Kelly Osbourne also supported Griffin’s decision last night by writing: “I could not be more proud of you,” Osbourne wrote in what seems to be her agreement with Griffin’s criticism.
As this by no means reflects a complete turning of the tide in Hollywood --- where women’s bodies are constantly put on display and held to near-impossible standards by commentators and tabloids, it show a slow movement towards a culture that is more accepting of women’s differences and more appreciative of their creative and mental capacities, rather than their appearances.
