Credit: Faye’s Vision/Cover Images, Alex Cropper/Cover Images
Gina Kirschenheiter came to the defense of Kelly Osbourne on Monday after her appearance at the BRIT Awards last week led to body shaming.
In a video shared to her Instagram page, the 41-year-old Real Housewives of Orange County star reacted to the backlash Kelly, 41, received after honoring her late father, rocker Ozzy Osbourne, who died in July at 76, slamming those who have been harsh and suggesting they should instead be extending compassion.
“Let’s talk about Kelly Osbourne. It was not actually her most recent appearance that I found shocking. What got me was her statement that she just recently put out, where she said, like, ‘I’m going through the worst time of my life. I should not have to defend myself,’” Gina explained on March 2. “That actually hit me so hard, and I felt that so hard. This is where we’re at: Everybody looks at her, and they just automatically wanna judge her and talk sh*t and say horrible things instead of looking at this woman and saying, ‘Do you need help? Like, what you’re going through?’”
Continuing on, Gina reflected on the hardships she faced publicly years ago, which included a messy split from ex-husband Matt Kirschenheiter and a DUI.
“Shortly after I got on television and became a public figure, I went through the worst time of my life, and I physically looked that way, and I got destroyed on the internet for that,” she recalled. “You’re not allowed to be in crisis and look like you’re in crisis. That’s a huge problem. I feel like we need to get back to that place where we look at someone and something looks wrong, and we come from a place of compassion and concern, not judgment.”
WARNING: The video below contains profanity.
View this post on Instagram
After stepping out at the BRIT Awards last Friday and being flooded with criticism over her appearance and speculation about her potential overuse of Ozempic or another weight loss drug, Kelly took to her Instagram Story, where she fired back.
“There is a special kind of cruelty in harming someone who is clearly going through something. Kicking me while I’m down, doubting my pain, spreading my struggles as gossip, and turning your back when I need support and love most. None of it proves strength; it only reveals a profound absence of compassion and character,” she shared. “I’m currently going through the hardest time in my life. I should not even have to defend myself. But I won’t sit here and allow myself to be dehumanized in such a way!”
View this post on Instagram
After watching Gina’s video, several of her fans and followers weighed in, many of whom applauded her for speaking out, and others who expressed growing concern for Kelly.
“Exactly, all of this. Clearly she’s in crisis, there should be no judgment. Just love and compassion!” one person said.
“I totally agree with you and you [are] by far my favorite Housewife! We live in a world right [now] that compassion, sympathy, and kindness does not exist for the mass majority,” wrote another.
Meanwhile, a third said that people were “genuinely concerned” about Kelly and noted that her appearance was “alarming.”
“I hope she gets the help she needs,” they noted.
“Everything you’re saying is so kind and empathetic to her incredibly heartbreaking situation but Kelly has looked concerningly unwell for quite some time,” someone else agreed. “And to your point, it’s a true concern to her wellbeing not just the physical weight loss but how she must be doing mentally and emotionally to find herself like this for an [extended] period of time is very scary.”
There were more mixed reactions in the comments of Gina’s post.
The Real Housewives of Orange County season 20 is currently in production.