Heidi Montag seems to have an interesting definition of diversity. The Hills alum, who is set to star on the upcoming reboot of the MTV reality show, recently told Vogue that she feels the cast of The Hills : New Beginnings can be considered diverse, despite the lack of people of color on the show. The reality star pointed to the female leads’ hair color when asked if she wished there was “a little more diversity represented” on her MTV show.
“We don’t all look the same… I mean, Audrina [Patridge] has darker hair. I feel like Mischa has darker hair.”
Montag, who was seated in front of supersized portraits of her blonde self and her husband Spencer Pratt, did admit that the rest of the original cast of The Hills, which also included Lauren Conrad, Lo Bosworth, Whitney Port, and Kristin Cavallari, was a group of blonde California girls who just happened to be friends at the time.
“We’re California girls and it’s a group of friends and that just happens to be the group that came together, that’s just the way the show was,” Montag added. “I have other very diverse friends that are not featured on the show.”
It’s no surprise that Heidi Montag was dragged on social media for her comments about The Hills and diversity. Some Twitter fans compared Montag to the clueless Ron Burgundy, Will Ferrell’s character from the film Anchorman , who thought the word diversity meant “an old, old wooden ship that was used during the Civil War era.”
You can see some of the reaction to Heidi Montag’s comments below.
Much like Ron Burgundy, I’m not sure Heidi Montag knows what diversity means. https://t.co/XC8NemzAQR
— Courtney Howard (@Lulamaybelle) March 7, 2019
Heidi was like “Diversity!??! You ain’t see the girl w/ the dark hair”
Girl, what!?!?! I can’t even be upset! She responsed exactly how I expected her to! Race simply does not matter in her world & if you think any of those girls have “diverse friends” you’re bugging! ??
— Tiffington B. (@TiffLizB) March 6, 2019
To be fair Heidi has looked like 3 different people in the past decade. That’s what I call diversity. https://t.co/jE4S36Ql08
— Hail Mary Full of Grace (@AshSean) March 7, 2019
“I have other very diverse friends” is a new level of weird racism, and a perfect summation of what rich white west coast racism looks like.
Yes, it’s racism, especially in the context of being asked about the lack of diversity in a television show. https://t.co/uf2BrEKC4d
— Anastasia Selby (@anastasiaselby) March 7, 2019
Heidi Montag isn’t the only Hills: New Beginnings star who chimed in on the cast’s diversity–or lack thereof. Mischa Barton also feels the cast represents different types of people.
“I think the interesting thing about this show is you have people from all different walks of life. It’s definitely interesting,” The O.C. alum told Vogue .
The Hills: New Beginnings will air on MTV this summer, according to Cosmopolitan . The series will reunite many of the original Hills cast members and will feature their spouses, children, and new friends while following their personal and professional lives in Los Angeles.
In addition to Montag, Pratt, Port, Patridge and Barton, The Hills: New Beginnings will star Brody Jenner, Stephanie Pratt, Frankie Delgado, Justin Bobby Brescia, Jason Wahler, and newcomer Brandon Lee, the son of Pamela Anderson and Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee.