Singer and actress Zendaya Coleman has a bone to pick with Giuliana Rancic, a host on E! Fashion Police, after she was the subject of disparaging remarks for her appearance at the Oscars.

During on episode that aired on Monday (Feb. 23), Rancic had a few negative words to say about the 19-year-old K.C. Undercover star’s dreadlocks, which she wore to the Academy Awards Sunday (Feb. 22). “I feel that she smells like patchouli oil… or weed,” Rancic said as a picture of Zendaya came across the screen. “Yeah, maybe weed.

The predominantly Caucasian panel of judges, including Kelly Osbourne, seemed to have no problem with the remark as evidenced by their amused reactions to the stereotypical joke. Social media quickly chimed in, defending Zendaya and calling out Rancic and Fashion Police for their inappropriate comments.

Zendaya also responded herself, releasing a statement via her Instagram account directed toward Rancic, although she didn’t call her out by name. In the Instagram post, she listed a slew of successful African-Americans in various fields with locs, which don’t smell like marijuana.

She informs the host that she wore the dreads to put the often stigmatized hairstyle in a positive light, but obviously Rancic missed that point. “There is a fine line between what is funny and disrespectful,” Zendaya wrote, pulling no punches while addressing the issue. The singer, who was originally set to play the part of Aaliyah in the Lifetime biopic last year, presented herself with class and maturity in the statement.

Rancic issued an apology via Twitter, claiming her words had “nothing to do with race and never would.” While people make mistakes, we’ll say it’s a little too late to try and clean up the spilled milk at this point.

Read Zendaya’s full statement and Rancic’s apology below.

A photo posted by Zendaya (@zendaya) onFeb 23, 2015 at 8:20pm PST

 

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