Actor Melissa McCarthy made it clear there's no bad blood between herself and legendary performer Barbra Streisand after drama surrounding Streisand's comment on an Instagram photo asking if McCarthy is using the popular drug Ozempic to lose weight.
On Monday, McCarthy attended the Center Theatre Group's 2024 Gala in Los Angeles, where her friend Matthew Bourne was honored as an artistic recipient. She shared a photo on Instagram with director Adam Shankman from the event, receiving praise from fans for her pastel green outfit.
Streisand made a surprising comment in response to the photo, questioning McCarthy's weight loss and asking:
"Give him my regards did you take Ozempic?"
The comment was later deleted, but it initially shocked fans due to its directness (highlighted on the Instagram account @commentsbycelebs) and because McCarthy's post was unrelated to weight loss.
You can see the remark below.
Ozempic is a weekly injection approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2017 for adults with type 2 diabetes. It helps lower blood sugar by assisting the pancreas in making more insulin and is known to cause weight loss as a side effect. Despite its potential benefits, experts caution against using Ozempic for weight loss unless necessary for managing diabetes.
When asked by TMZ about the situation, McCarthy—who once said she lost 75 pounds due to a combination of exercise and dietary changes—clarified that she was not offended by Streisand's remark and even expressed admiration for the legendary singer:
"Oh, I think Barbra is a treasure, and I love her."
McCarthy later posted a video on Instagram playfully acknowledging Streisand's comment and sharing a magazine cover featuring the singer. She celebrated that Streisand reached out to her and complimented her appearance, saying:
"The takeaway: Barbra Streisand knows I exist. She reached out to me, and she thought I looked good! I win the day."
You can see her post below.
People appreciated the actor's classy response.
@thisbarbieisazionist/Instagram
@magda_szubanski/Instagram
@kirbiejohnson/Instagram
@matthewscotthurwitz/Instagram
Streisand also responded to the controversy, issuing the following statement on X, formerly Twitter:
"OMG - I went on Instagram to see the photos we'd posted of the beautiful flowers I'd received for my birthday! Below them was a photo of my friend Melissa McCarthy who I sang with on my Encore album."
"She looked fantastic! I just wanted to pay her a compliment. I forgot the world is reading!"
You can see her post below.
Many also gave Streisand some grace.
Because Ozempic can aid in weight loss, it can help lower the risk of serious health issues such as heart disease. Semaglutide treatments can serve as an alternative to bariatric surgery for some obese patients. While Ozempic itself is not specifically approved for weight loss, semaglutide in higher doses is authorized for this purpose under the brand name Wegovy.
Wegovy, a once-weekly injection approved by the FDA in 2021 for chronic weight management, is the first drug approved for weight loss since 2014.
Both Ozempic and Wegovy are produced by the same pharmaceutical company and contain the active ingredient semaglutide. However, Wegovy is specifically designed for weight loss, featuring a higher dosage of semaglutide, while Ozempic is intended for treating type 2 diabetes and contains a lower dosage.
As of July 2023, there have been reports of drug shortages affecting both Ozempic and Wegovy. When people use Ozempic off-label for weight loss, it may cause shortages and make it difficult for patients with type 2 diabetes who rely on Ozempic to access the medication.