Kim Kardashian Responds to Debra Messing's Criticism of Her Hosting 'SNL'

04/14/2022 09:41 pm EDT

Kim Kardashian has finally responded to Debra Messing's criticism of the Keeping Up With the Kardashians alum hosting Saturday Night Live in October. While the reality personality didn't respond to the Will & Grace star's controversial tweet at the time, she did make mention of it during Thursday's series premiere of The Kardashians on Hulu.

"A girl from Will & Grace came out and said she has no idea why I would be chosen as a host, but it's like, why do you care?" Kardashian said. "I don't comment to tear people down, especially another female. If that's what you think, dude, then cool, tune in." Messing initially sparked backlash in September, when she tweeted, "Why Kim Kardashian? 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?" 

Messing would later address her comments on Tamron Hall the next month, saying she didn't intend to "troll" Kardashian, simply to clarify the circumstances surrounding the Skims founder's hosting gig. "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," the actress said at the time.

The Starter Wife star continued that she didn't understand if SNL had changed its methods of selecting a host, explaining, "I noticed that [SNL] 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 continued she has "been living under a rock" when it came to 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?'" she said. "And clearly, it was interpreted differently. ... 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." The Kardashians is streaming now on Hulu.

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