Giuliana Rancic: Zendaya Joke 'Not Edited in the Proper Way'
We've heard her apologize — more than once — but now Giuliana Rancic is speaking out about what really happened behind the scenes at Fashion Police. Rancic came under fire earlier this year when she made comments about Zendaya's Oscar look — in particular, her waist-length locs — that were perceived by many to be racist.
"I feel like she smells like patchouli oil," Rancic said on the program, as the cameras cut away to a photo of Zendaya on the red carpet at the Academy Awards. "Or weed!"
Rancic spoke out about the incident to Savannah Guthrie on the Today show Monday. "I'll tell you Savannah, because it's something I want to be really clear about that happened," she said. "I made a reference to the hippie culture... and in the editing process, some of the gestures I made, some of the things I said were taken out for time. So I made peace signs, I said bohemian twice. Those were taken out for time, so when the joke aired, some people were offended by it."
Rancic added emphatically, "I find racism reprehensible. I don't tolerate it at all. Nor have I ever. And I think that's really important for me to get that out there, because that's been the hardest part of this, that someone could believe that I actually would have racial undertones in the things I do." Still, Rancic said she could see "why people took offense," although it was never intended to be presented in that manner.
"I thought the joke was not edited in the proper way. That's just something I have to live with," she noted. "It's very important for me to get out there and tell the real story."
Both Kathy Griffin and Kelly Osbourne quit Fashion Police following the scandal. E! has since announced that the program will go on hiatus until September. Giuliana's future on the show is still unsure. When asked whether she would be returning to the show, she responded, "We'll see."
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(Photo: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
