Debra Messing Is Sorry For Kim Kardashian 'SNL' Shade: 'She Was Amazing'

Cole Delbyck
·3 min read

If Debra Messing had to explain everysinglebadtweet she’s done, we’d be here for a while.

But earlier this week, she did make time to address one particular missive from her very active Twitter account that was directed at Kim Kardashian West ahead of the reality TV star’s “Saturday Night Live” hosting debut earlier this month.

The “Will & Grace” alum called Kardashian West’s credibility into question in a shady tweet in September, which some fans considered to be unnecessarily mean-spirited.

“Why Kim Kardashian?” Messing wrote. “I mean, I know she is a cultural icon, but SNL has hosts, generally, who are performers who are there to promote a film, TV show, or album launch. Am I missing something?”

During Monday’s episode of the “Tamron Hall Show,” Messing responded to the backlash over the tweet, explaining that she was simply “confused” over the hosting choice and never meant to diss Kardashian West.

“Well, I was not intending to troll her, and you know if anybody took it that way, I apologize. That was never my intention. She is this phenomenon. I mean, you know, she is a cultural icon,” Messing said.

“I am someone who grew up with ‘SNL.’ I love comedy, and they have had, for decades, this sort of formula,” she continued. “And I noticed that they changed the formula, and I was like, ‘Oh, does she have a new TV show coming out? Does she have a book coming out? Is she in a movie?’ And she didn’t have anything coming out. Actually, her TV show had just wrapped. So, I was just confused.”

Messing has long expressed her desire to appear on “SNL,” but has also publicly criticized the late-night sketch series for tapping public figures instead of comedians as hosts, including the controversial SpaceX founder Elon Musk.

The actor said that part of her confusion over Kardashian West’s hosting gig stemmed from Messing not having her “finger on the pulse of pop culture.”

“So, I was like, ‘OK. Has she been doing something on the side that I’m not aware of because I’ve been so focused on activism?’ And clearly, it was interpreted differently,” she said.

Kim Kardashian West during her opening
Kim Kardashian West during her opening

Ultimately, Messing said, Kardashian West’s Oct. 9 performance won her over.

“I watched her, and I thought she was amazing, and I was rooting for her,” she said. “If you know me, and you follow me, then you know that I consistently lift up women. I support women. So, you know, I hope that people understand that was never my intention.”

Kardashian West has yet to respond to Messing’s comments, but received rave reviews for her slyly brutal opening monologue, in which she poked fun at herself and her famous family. The episode also gave the NBC series a much-needed ratings bump after its record-low season premiere.

In an Instagram post following the episode, Kardashian West called her foray into comedy “one of the best experiences of my career” and praised the cast and crew for their hard work on the episode.

“SNL” alumnus Jason Sudeikis will host on Saturday, with musical guest Brandi Carlile.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

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