Kelly Osbourne has praised Ozempic in a new interview months after her mother, Sharon Osbourne, publicly urged people to stay away from the drug.
The English reality TV star referred to Ozempic as “amazing” and said those who criticized it were “pissed off” they couldn’t bear the cost of getting the medication.
"There are a million ways to lose weight — why not do it through something that isn't as boring as working out?" Kelly said while speaking to E! Online.
Highlights
- Kelly Osbourne referred to Ozempic as "amazing", sparking backlash online.
- Social media criticized Kelly's "classist" take on Ozempic's accessibility.
- Kelly's mother, Sharon Osbourne, had been vocal about her negative experience with the medication.
"People hate on it because they want to do it," she added. "And the people who hate on it the most are the people who are secretly doing it or pissed off that they can't afford it."
Image credits: kellyosbourne
"Unfortunately, right now, it's something that is very expensive, but it eventually won't be because it actually works."
Ozempic is an FDA-approved prescription medication for people with type 2 diabetes. It's one of the brand names for semaglutide - also known as Wegovy and Mounjaro - which works in the brain to impact satiety, and it is the latest weight loss trend among celebrities, as per People.
Among the stars who have used the medication are Amy Schumer and Chelsea Handler. While Amy said she quit after feeling "sick" and not being able to play with her son, Chelsea stopped taking the drug after feeling "nauseous."
Over the years, Kelly has been candid about her struggles with her weight, especially after giving birth to her son Sidney in 2022.
Originally developed to help people with Type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels, Ozempic is being used for weight loss by many celebrities
Image credits: E! News
"I'm going to be honest, I felt the pressure after having the baby to lose the baby weight," she told E! News last fall. "It became my mission. I was obsessed with it because I didn't even want to get brought into the conversation. I just wanted to be left alone."
The Osbourne alum said that losing weight was “miserable” and “a lot of work,” but ultimately, she became “really happy with the results.”
In 2020, Kelly opened up about losing 85 lbs (approximately 38 kilos) due to gastric sleeve surgery.
“I had surgery; I don’t give a f--- what anyone has to say,” the 39-year-old mom told hosts Dax Holt and Adam Glyn on their Hollywood Raw podcast in response to rumors about plastic surgery.
“I will never ever ever lie about it ever. It is the best thing I have ever done.”
“I will never ever ever lie about it ever. It is the best thing I have ever done.”
Image credits: kellyosbourne
But her mom, Sharon, has had a different experience dealing with her body image issues. Last year, the 71-year-old matriarch admitted that she had been using the drug for weight loss, but her high hopes turned into concern after she lost a lot more weight than she intended to.
“I know I look gaunt, and I know everything that goes along with it,” Sharon told the Daily Mail at the time.
“I’m too gaunt, and I can’t put any weight on. I want to because I feel I’m too skinny. [...] Be careful what you wish for.”
Kelly's mother, Sharon Osbourne, has been a vocal critic of the drug, saying it affected her health and made her lose more weight than she had intended to
Image credits: kellyosbourne
The process of watching the number go down on the scale as the months progressed became addictive to Sharon. “I couldn’t stop losing weight, and I can’t afford to lose anymore,” she added.
Additionally, the former X-Factor judge said that the drug shouldn’t be available to young people for weight loss because people need to be able to “totally understand” the “side effects” that come with taking it.
The side effects of Ozempic include severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and gastroparesis, according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
“I’m too gaunt, and I can’t put any weight on,” the Osbourne matriarch shared last year
Image credits: loosewomen
Sharon recently told The Guardian that she has stopped injecting herself with the drug and has “finally become more accepting” of her body.
People have taken to social media to voice their opinions on Kelly’s comments, pointing to the ethical and health-related issues of taking medication originally developed to help people with Type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels.
“Rich ppl have easy access to healthy food options, personal trainers, and chefs, but they choose to take Ozempic that’s not meant for them and causing shortages for those who truly need them,” someone wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).
Another person said: “She’s so out of touch and ignorant it’s beyond comical and it’s just embarrassing.”
“Yes, Kelly, that's why people are complaining, because we're jealous poor. Not at all because the weight loss craze has caused medical shortages for diabetics or anything like that,” a Redditor wrote.
Watch Kelly's interview addressing Ozempic critics below
Image credits: E! News
Some critics spoke from personal experience, writing, “Sure my mom who is diabetic had to switch medications because people who don’t actually need it are using it and she could never get it refilled but we’re all just haters!!!”
Another person agreed: “Yeah, when many of my diabetic patients can't get their prescription because these celebs keep pushing it on backorder, I'm going to be a hater.”
Another person agreed: “Yeah, when many of my diabetic patients can't get their prescription because these celebs keep pushing it on backorder, I'm going to be a hater.”
Meanwhile, others chose to focus on the dangers of promoting a drug with unpleasant side effects.
“My dad has been on a variety of these weekly shots for his diabetes and has lost weight, but it is because his appetite is super suppressed. He hates it because though it manages his sugar, he has no interest in eating,” someone shared.
“Several of my friends are taking this. I know it's anecdotal, but the vomiting is something that all of them have experienced,” another user added.
People described Kelly's response as "inconsiderate"
Kelly's defense of Ozempic puts her in rare company. Most celebrities won't touch the subject. See who has and who hasn't in our full celebrity Ozempic roundup.