Vanessa Lachey defends her response to awkward Jessica Simpson moment
Vanessa Lachey is speaking out after an awkward interview moment. In a series of tweets on Wednesday, the 39-year-old TV personality defended her recent Today show interview, which became uncomfortable after Hoda Kotb brought up Nick Lachey's ex-wife, Jessica Simpson.
Nick and Jessica were married from 2002 to 2006, before Nick wed Vanessa in 2011 and Jessica tied the knot with Eric Johnson in 2014.
During the interview, Hoda, who recently sat down with Jessica ahead of the release of her tell-all memoir, Open Book, said that the singer told her that "they sent me something beautiful when we had our children."
"I feel bad, I’m sorry, you said somebody sent her cause… it wasn’t us, but thank you, whoever sent it," Vanessa said in response, clearly confused by the comment.
Later, after one fan accused her of "tossing shade" at Jessica, Vanessa responded with a tweet of her own.
"Ohhh shade! That would be fun and scandalous! No shade though, haha," she wrote. "Just wanting to clear the incorrect statement up. That’s all."
Ohhh shade! That would be fun and scandalous! No shade though, haha. Just wanting to clear the incorrect statement up. That’s all. 😘😘😘 Hope you Love the show on NETFLIX! #LoveIsBlind
— Vanessa Lachey (@VanessaLachey) February 5, 2020
Another Twitter user called Vanessa out, writing, "U dont call out the host on live TV 2 look or feel important. @NickLachey embarrassed👍🏼 "
"Totally hear you. But also, you make sure you do your research and state facts and ask appropriate questions as the host... don’t you think," she replied. "The statement wasn’t true, so I was simply clearing that up. But definitely a beautiful sentiment if it was."
Hey Derek. Totally hear you. But also, you make sure you do your research and state facts and ask appropriate questions as the host... don’t you think. The statement wasn’t true, so I was simply clearing that up. But definitely a beautiful sentiment if it was.
— Vanessa Lachey (@VanessaLachey) February 5, 2020
A third social media user called the interaction "10000% not necessary... and super awkward."
"Should I have pretended to give it? Dang," Lachey wrote. "Can we get a do over and I will tell them it was big beautiful basket. ;-). Kidding, sorry you think that, just wanted to be truthful. That’s all. But the gift sounds lovely!"
Should I have pretended to give it? Dang. Can we get a do over and I will tell them it was big beautiful basket. ;-). Kidding, sorry you think that, just wanted to be truthful. That’s all. But the gift sounds lovely!
— Vanessa Lachey (@VanessaLachey) February 5, 2020
Several other tweets expressed similar sentiments, to which Vanessa responded that she was "correcting a statement" and "making sure we are always being honest."
Yikes. Sorry, just would feel like an “ass” as you put it if I pretend to have sent something. Just correcting a statement. That’s all. 😘
— Vanessa Lachey (@VanessaLachey) February 5, 2020
Hmmm, very interesting. Would you let it go? If you didn’t do something? Just making sure we were always being honest. 😘
— Vanessa Lachey (@VanessaLachey) February 5, 2020
Yikes, thanks Julie, sorry you feel that way. I just wanna make sure things are correct. That’s all. ;-)
— Vanessa Lachey (@VanessaLachey) February 5, 2020
Sorry you think that, just didn’t want to take credit for something we didn’t do. That’s all. Seems weird to ignore sending a big beautiful gift basket and taking that credit. Either way... hope you have a Beautiful day! ❤️
— Vanessa Lachey (@VanessaLachey) February 5, 2020
Well shucks! Just lost a fan! Hope you see the truth in this. Asked about something that wasn’t true. My heart had to make sure I was honest. Would you just let it go? ;-) Always be true to you! ❤️
— Vanessa Lachey (@VanessaLachey) February 5, 2020
How. I’d love to know. Truly... I think it’s weird accepting credit for something you didn’t do or give. Even weirder to bring up something so random. Just giving facts. Wanted to make sure we were truthful. 🥰
— Vanessa Lachey (@VanessaLachey) February 5, 2020
Not everyone was against Vanessa's response, though. In fact, one person wrote, "Why the heck should @VanessaLachey have to sit there and let false info pass by though?! It wasn’t exactly in a private conversation if she had said nothing it would have been printed everywhere that they had sent something and maybe given the history she isn’t ok with that!"
"Ahhh hah! Smart!" Vanessa replied. "And yes! We just wanted to clear the air. That’s all. Trust me! If I sent something, I’d take credit! 🥰"
Ahhh hah! Smart! And yes! We just wanted to clear the air. That’s all. Trust me! If I sent something, I’d take credit! 🥰
— Vanessa Lachey (@VanessaLachey) February 5, 2020
When ET's Brooke Anderson spoke to Jessica about her memoir, the singer expressed happiness for Vanessa and Nick's happy marriage and three kids.
"I mean, we just grew apart in so many ways and you know, we both were at fault in a lot of things, but I mean, I'm happy for him now," she said. "He's married with three beautiful children and you know, that was his purpose, and he took heartbreak and made it into something beautiful and that's what I did as well. But you know, it took me longer to get there."