Giuliana Rancic issues on-air apology to Zendaya for dreadlocks comment: 'I didn't intend to hurt anybody'

VIDEO - Giuliana Rancic issues emotional apology to Zendaya for harsh remarks she made about her dreadlocks...

Giuliana Rancic made an emotional on-air apology Tuesday night to Zendaya Coleman after harsh remarks she made about the 18-year-old singer’s hair went viral.

Monday night on E!’s Fashion Police, Rancic commented on Zendaya’s choice to wear her hair in dreadlocks while attending the Oscars, saying, “I feel like she smells like patchouli oil or maybe weed.”

The response from black Twitter was fast and furious, slamming Rancic for what many deemed as racist commentary.

Zendaya took to Twitter and Instagram shaming Rancic for her “outrageously offensive” remarks.

Rancic made the below apology to Zendaya and anyone else offended by her comments during the E! News broadcast tonight. 

I’d really like to address something that is weighing very heavy on my heart. I want to apologize for a comment that I made on last night’s Fashion Police about Zendaya’s hair. Now, as you know, Fashion Police is a show that pokes fun at celebrities in good spirit, but I do understand that something I said last night did cross the line. I just want everyone to know, I didn’t intend to hurt anybody, but I’ve learned it is not my intent that matters — it’s the result, and the result is that people are offended, including Zendaya, and that is not OK. Therefore, I want to say to Zendaya, and anyone else out there that I have hurt, that I am so, so sincerely sorry. This really has been a learning experience for me — I’ve learned a lot today — and this incident has taught me to be a lot more aware of cliches and stereotypes, how much damage they can do. And that I am responsible, as we all are, to not perpetuate them further. Thank you for listening.

Follow theGrio.com’s Entertainment Editor Chris Witherspoon on Twitter @WitherspoonC.

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