Melissa McCarthy’s Confrontation With Critic Over Sexist Comments

Melissa McCarthy was on Ellen and talked about confronting an unnamed film critic who said some rather sexist things about the comedic actress when reviewing her ill-received 2014 film, Tammy.

According to McCarthy, the critic opined that she is a good actress only when she “looks attractive.” McCarthy said her appearance in Tammy was a character choice and was offended by his comments, “He said, basically, I’m only a good actress when I look attractive and that my husband shouldn’t be allowed to direct me because he let me be, to look hideous in this movie. It was a lot of things, and just kind of, ‘How dare women not look beautiful, perfect and attractive in a movie?’”

When McCarthy learned in the midst of their conversation, that the critic had a daughter, she told him, “When I said, 'If she comes home and someone says you can’t have a job because you’re unattractive,’ are you gonna say, 'That’s right?’” And he took that in his heart and he was like, 'No, I would never want that to happen. I would never in a million years want that to happen.’ And I said, 'Just know that every time you write stuff, every young girl in this country reads that and they just get a little bit chipped away.“

McCarthy was quick to point out that she truly thinks that this unnamed critic is a kind person and loving father, but that his review spoke to a bigger problem we as a nation are facing, "I just think that we tear down women in this country for all these superficial reasons, and women are so great and strong.”