It was only a matter of time before someone said something that made our skin crawl at the 2017 AMAs, but I didn't expect it to happen before the show even started. The cringe-worthy moment went down when E! News' Jason Kennedy began a conversation with model Corinne Foxx, who's also the daughter of actor Jamie Foxx, by saying, "You are growin' up."
This is one of those "no shit" statements that you can maybe get away with saying to someone who is, say, your seven-year-old nephew who grew three inches since the last time you saw him; but, to say to a 23-year-old woman is straight-up weird. For being put on the spot, Foxx handled the situation — and embarrassed the hell out of Kennedy — like a pro by looking him in the eyes and replying, "I know."
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I feel like I would have gone with a harsher approach, but I truly admire Foxx's restraint.
But, seriously, what was Kennedy thinking? During a time when men are getting called out on sexual harassment and generally creepy comments, it is baffling that a grown man would think telling a grown woman that she is "growin' up" is in any way acceptable. The remark, at best, reads, "I noticed that you have breasts now."
Of course, Foxx isn't a stranger to uncomfortable encounters. As the daughter of one of Hollywood's hottest celebrities and as a rising model and entrepreneur, it's inevitable that she's received comments on her appearance throughout her life.
While she shouldn't have to grin and bear it, that's exactly what she did. Shortly after the bizarre interview, Foxx took the stage at the AMAs next to her father as he delivered a moving speech about the power of music in the face of countless tragedies, including mass shootings and devastating hurricanes.
"This year, more than perhaps any other in recent history, we needed the power of music to help us escape the news of the day," he said. "We needed that power to help us heal from hurricanes, wild fires, hate, and hatred-fueled violence. 2017 was a year that tested our faith."
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