Barbra Streisand issues response after asking Melissa McCarthy if she’s on Ozempic

Streisand was branded ‘rude’ for asking McCarthy if she’s taking Ozempic

Barbra Streisand has issued a response after she asked actor Melissa McCarthy if she was taking Ozempic.

The legendary singer, 82, took to her Instagram Story on 30 April shortly after she was branded “rude” for inquiring about McCarthy’s appearance under her social media post.

“OMG - I went on Instagram to see the photos we’d posted of the beautiful flowers I’d received for my birthday!” Streisand wrote over a black screen. “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!”

The Funny Girl star’s response comes after McCarthy, 53, posted a picture of herself with A Walk to Remember director Adam Shankman, as the pair attended a charity gala to support musical director Matthew Bourne.

“Pastels only to honour the incredible @matthewbourne13 at the @ctgla gala last night with this fella @adamshankman!!” McCarthy captioned the post, which featured a photo of the Bridesmaids star wearing a green dress with ruffles. “Thiiiiis much closer to my dream of dancing on stage.”

Barbra Streisand clarifies ‘Ozempic’ comment under Melissa McCarthy’s post (Instagram / Barbra Streisand)

Streisand then wrote in a since-deleted comment: “Give him my regards did you take Ozempic?” Her comment was quickly met with criticism, as one Instagram user wrote back: “Shame on you.”

“Rude, Barbra,” another added, while someone else said: “Babs. No, honey. Just no.”

Some fans wondered whether the A Star Is Born actor intended to send the message privately, while others noted that the Hollywood pair may have a close relationship after working together on a song for Streisand’s 2016 album Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway.

“As an octogenarian, I think Babs probably thought she was DMing her,” wrote one person. “They are good friends and have even worked together in the past. Once it was discovered by Barbra or her team, it was taken down.”

“Babs giving major boomer energy here,” joked another user.

Ozempic, which is the brand name for semaglutide, is a once-weekly injection that works by mimicking a hormone to regulate appetite and create the feeling of fullness. The FDA-approved medication is used for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes, though it has become widely popular for its “off-label” weight loss side effects, as celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Kelly Osbourne have admitted to taking prescription weight loss drugs.