Idina Menzel is apologizing for a "thoughtless comment" she made about suicide.
While promoting the remake of Beaches earlier this week, Menzel was asked about the songs that make her cry. "You’d think because I’m a singer I listen to a lot of music, which I do," she said. "But there’s certain music that I think is so devastatingly beautiful that it’s too painful to listen to sometimes.”
Menzel then said Meshell Ndegeocello's 1999 album Bitter was so good but so sad that she has trouble listening to it. "It makes me just want to slit my wrists," she said. The comment sparked angry reactions online.
In a statement to People Menzel said she regretted her choice of words. “I recently made a thoughtless comment during an interview and quickly realized how wrong it was,” she said. “The National Alliance on Mental Illness was right; it is not an appropriate metaphor. I was wrong and truly apologize. Depression, self-harm, and suicide are serious issues and deserve our utmost concern and sensitivity.”
Shortly after Menzel's comment the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) criticized the actress for downplaying the seriousness of suicide. "It shows a lack of education around the pain families and individuals go through and further stigmatizes mental health," NAMI said in a statement.
Menzel agreed, telling People she thanked the organization, which looks to combat the stigma of mental illness, for pointing out her insensitivity. She ended her apology by saying she welcomes the "opportunity to raise awareness, or just give love and support to anyone I offended.”
Beaches premieres January 28 on Lifetime.
If you are thinking about suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or the Suicide Crisis Line at 1-800-784-2433.
Beaches premieres January 28 on Lifetime.
If you are thinking about suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or the Suicide Crisis Line at 1-800-784-2433.