Former Fox News senior correspondent Rick Leventhal is standing by his and wife Kelly Dodd’s controversial Halloween costumes. Leventhal is facing backlash for his portrayal of actor Alec Baldwin following the tragic accidental shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust earlier this month, while the Real Housewives of Orange County alum is facing criticism for dressing up in a Native American headdress.ย
“Kelly celebrated her Native American heritage & I celebrated the great American film actor Alec Baldwin #happyhalloween,” Leventhal captioned photos he posted to Instagram Sunday. In the photos, Leventhal is posing with a fake gun in his hand, referencing the prop gun that investigators say turned out to be loaded with live rounds when Baldwin fired it during filming, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza.
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The costume was not popular among his followers. “I am a conservative and usually support you and Kelly but this is poor taste… I’m sure you wouldn’t be dressing up like that if it were your daughter that had been shot,” one person commented, as another wrote, “Sorry but bad taste. Come on someone lost their life.” Yet another follower added, “Soooo messed up on so many levels #notfunny.”
Leventhal defended his costume to TMZ, saying, “In no way was I trying to offend anyone, except Alec Baldwin. He’s a jerk and deserves all the heat he’s getting.” The former Fox News staffer argued that Halloween couldn’t exist if people dissected every costume in terms of who it might offend, adding that while he feels bad for Hutchins’ family, “If Baldwin is anti-gun why is he waving them around in movies and pointing them at people and pulling the trigger? Focus your anger at him and the hypocrisy of that industry.”
Dodd didn’t post the same photos on her own profile, instead sharing group photos Monday. “2021 Halloween party highlights! For you haters, I embrace my Native American heritage. I think the fashion is beautiful & this was a tribute & celebration,” she wrote with a heart emoji. Her followers weren’t buying it: “So why don’t you wear that on a random day as your outfit? A culture really isn’t a costume,” one person wrote, as another added, “A headdress isn’t a piece of fashion. And if you knew anything about Indigenous culture and traditions you’d know this! #ourcultureisnotacostume.”
Dodd revealed on the Season 16 reunion of RHOC she considered herself a woman of color after undergoing an at-home DNA test. “My point was I’m Black, Asian, Mexican, Spanish, I’m 30 percent Native American and I’m one percent Jewish. And I’m all races,” she said.ย
