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Tori Spelling has responded to the criticism she received after posting a photo of her seven-year-old son Beau giving her a full-body massage.
The 90210 actor spoke about the photo during an episode of her misSPELLING podcast on Monday. “So on my Stories recently, I posted what I thought was a very cute photo of my 7-year-old son Beau, pretending being the keyword, pretending to give me a massage,” she said.
At the time, the photo showed Spelling naked with a pink blanket covering her lower half while Beau appeared to be massaging her lower leg. “Beau said he wanted to do chores in exchange for an allowance… solid plan,” she wrote on top of the image.
Many people were quick to question how appropriate the massage was in various social media posts.
However, during the podcast, Spelling explained that the photo was taken during a professional massage and it was the massage therapist who had taken it.
“So [the massage therapist] took that one picture of Beau pretending to give me a massage,” she continued. “And I just think it’s wild. It’s wild the stuff that you can put out there that they change the narrative on so hardcore.”
After posting the photo, Spelling said one of her friends messaged her explaining that it could be viewed negatively.
“I mean, as soon as I put it up, one of my best guy friends, he DM’d me and he was like, ‘That’s not a good look.’ And I’m like, ‘I know. I like joking,’” Spelling said. “I’m like, ‘I know. He was getting all the wrong spots. Like, you should have started on the feet.’ But he said, he’s like, ‘Oh my god. People are gonna freak out.’
“I said, ‘Why? It’s a cute photo. Everyone knows it’s not real. Clearly, we are not at home. I’m not making him do chores,’” she continued. “Clearly, I’m at a massage parlor.”
Despite the backlash, Spelling said that another of her friends, who is also a mother, didn’t understand what was wrong with the photo.
“I think it’s interesting though, that, I don’t know, on social media, why is it like comedians can post anything?” Spelling asked. “Comedians that have families, kids, they can post anything and people are like, ‘They are kidding. That’s funny.’”
“But if an actor posts something like, oh my god. That must be true. She’s a horrible mom. And then I had another friend that was like, ‘Well, good news is you’re relevant. You’re in the press.’”
