‘The View’ Hosts Slam Giuliana Rancic For Trying To Channel Joan Rivers As Zendaya Defends Dreadlocks [Video]

Is Giuliana Rancic failing in her attempt to channel Joan Rivers? Rancic, the co-host of Fashion Police, is getting slammed in social media and now on The View for what some contend were racist comments about Zendaya Coleman’s dreadlocks, reported Us Weekly.

In their discussion, The View co-hosts contrasted Rancic to Joan Rivers, who founded Fashion Police. In particular, Whoopi Goldberg questioned whether a show that was funny when hosted by Joan had migrated into a show that was cruel without mitigating humor.

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“Maybe it’s time for the show to turn into something else,” suggested Whoopi. “Joan was a one of a kind. There’s nobody like her, there’s nobody as funny, there’s nobody who can do what she did.”

Just what did Rancic say that earned such a backlash? Giuliana made a comment that she associated Zendaya’s dreadlocks with a distinct odor.

“I feel like she smells like patchouli oil … or maybe weed,” said the E! News star to the sound of laughter from her co-hosts.

But Whoopi emphasized that she found nothing humorous about that statement, defending her own dreadlocks.

“I have had dreads for 40 years, and never have I smelled like patchouli,” she asserted. “But it is a stereotype! It’s a stereotype that she put on.”

In particular, Goldberg accused Giuliana of propagating an association of dreadlocks with those who use marijuana.

“If I was in the military, I would have to cut my hair because they don’t like dreads. They associate dreads with something else, which many people have done,” said Whoopi indignantly. “This is what Giuliana did, and that’s why she’s getting a lot of poop.”

Among The View co-hosts’ comments on the Rancic controversy, Nicolle Wallace focused on contrasting Joan Rivers’ style of fashion commentary on the show with Rancic’s attitude.

“Joan Rivers was irreverent… she was in her own category. I think if you have to carry on a show in her absence, in her tragic absence, you have to understand that you are not Joan. You don’t get to say this stuff and get away with it.”

In particular, Nicolle said candidly, Rancic is not a comedienne.

“When you are an established comedian, you have a reservoir, you have a reputation, you have a life of deeds, and you say what you say as a comedian,” argued Wallace. “I think when you’re Giuliana Rancic… she’s not Joan Rivers! She doesn’t get to say this stuff and not pay a price.”

And, as the Inquisitr reported, part of that “price” may be the loss of Fashion Police co-host Kelly Osbourne, who was irate at Rancic’s comments and the guilt-by-association that Osbourne contended she felt.

Osbourne took to Twitter to defend herself.

“I DID NOT MAKE THE WEED COMENT. I DO NOT CONDONE RACISM SO AS A RSULT OF THIS IM SEREIOULSY QUESTIONONIG STAYING ON THE SHOW! I WILL NOT BE DRAGED INTO THIS! (sic) The situation is being rectified like ADULTS by both parties. I hope you can leave it to them & do the same!”

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As for Zendaya, the 18-year-old actress responded with a long commentary on how she viewed Rancic’s comments as well as why she chose to wear dreadlocks to the Oscars. She also accepted Giuliana’s apology on social media.

“Giuliana, I appreciate your apology and I’m glad it was a learning experience for you and for the network. I hope that others negatively affected by her words can also find it in their hearts to accept her apology as well. From a quote we all know by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., ‘Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.’ Let’s be that light and spread that love.”

But could Rancic lose her job over the remarks? The Fashion Police cast wants her to be fired, an insider told Radar Online.

“The entire cast of ‘Fashion Police’ is done with Giuliana and they are hoping that she will be not only kicked off the show, but also off of the network,” said a source at the network. “The network does not condone racism in any way, shape or form and they know that their reputation is now at stake.”

What do you think? Should Giuliana be fired due to those remarks? Post your comments below.

[Photo By Jason Merritt/Getty Images]