In the Spring of 2013, before Jenny McCarthy landed her short-lived gig on The View, there were rumors that Jenny was begging her cousin, comedian Melissa McCarthy, to get her a job. Jenny had a lousy VH1 talkshow at the time that was going nowhere, and Melissa was allegedly reluctant to help out her cousin. Star claimed that Melissa wasn’t about to help Jenny because Jenny didn’t help Melissa out at the beginning of her career and told her to lose weight. Considering how much Jenny talks about her own weight loss, the story had the ring of truth to it.
Well now that a whole week has passed without Jenny McCarthy making headlines, she’s decided to refute that stale rumor. Jenny told People Magazine that she never told her cousin to lose weight, that she did help Melissa out at the beginning of her career, and that it’s not exactly true that Melissa was snubbed from Jenny’s upcoming wedding, it’s just that it’s going to be a small wedding.
“There is a crazy story going around that I once told my cousin, Melissa, that she would have to lose weight in order to get into show business. Nothing could be further from the truth,” Jenny tells PEOPLE exclusively.
Although Jenny is responsible for helping the actress get her foot in the door, Melissa’s success in the spotlight is a result of her own perseverance – and plenty of praise from the bride-to-be.
“When she was starting out, I was fortunate enough to be in a position to get her a job on a show I was doing, to learn the ropes and get some experience on a TV set in front of the camera and behind the scenes,” Jenny, 41, says.
She adds, “She has accomplished everything she has accomplished through hard work and her extraordinary talent, and I’ve only ever encouraged and supported and wished her the very best.”
As for her upcoming nuptials to Donnie Wahlberg, the Dirty Love star insists she wasn’t being a bridezilla with the guest list when she didn’t send the actress an invitation.
“‘They also say that I’ve ‘banned’ Melissa from my upcoming wedding, which is also ridiculous,” she says. “Donnie and I are planning a very intimate ceremony that will involve a very small group of our closest friends and that’s it – not a huge production with hundreds of friends and extended families.”
“It’s hurtful that people make up stories that pit not just families, but specifically women, against each other,” Jenny adds.
That story isn’t “going around” at all, it’s 14 months old. That’s not “going around,” that’s dead and buried in gossip years. This is Jenny’s M.O., wait until people aren’t talking about her anymore and then issue a rebuttal to an old rumor as if the story is still fresh.
Also, isn’t it telling that Jenny just isn’t saying how much she loves and respects Melissa and would never say such an awful thing to her cousin? She’s claiming that she did help Melissa out and she’s bragging about specifics. The fact that Melissa isn’t on the guest list for Jenny’s wedding sort-of suggests there is a rift. This is Jenny McCarthy, she’s going to have a medium-size wedding at least (she told Howard Stern that 80 people are invited) and ten to one the wedding will be shown on her fiance’s reality show. If she still talked to Melissa at all, she would have invited her.
Melissa McCarthy is shown at her hand and footprint ceremony on 7-2 and at premieres for Tammy on 6-30 and 7-1. Jenny McCarthy is shown on 6-21. Header images are from 2013. Credit: WENN.com and FameFlynet
She didn’t tell Melissa to lose weight because she would never do something like that. She’s just hauling the whole thing up again to put her cousin’s weight back in spotlight to let us know she would never … What a jerk.
Just like how she would NEVER say that her son didn’t have autism, and just like how she would NEVER say autism was caused by vaccines.
It’s always a lather rinse repeat situation for this woman. Say something stupid. Deny saying it. Say something stupid… etc etc.
She’s just such an insufferable woman.
Estimates on how long before we read….
Donnie and I have, after much soul searching, decided to go our separate ways. While we will no longer be married we will always be best of friends. I hope you will respect our privacy as we go through this very sad phase of our lives.
Love
Jenny
Two boring bitches blah, blah.
There’s a rift and I can understand why. You’re cousin who, by society’s standards, isn’t even supposed to be making it big in Hollywood, is making films alongside with Academy Award winners and you’re being punished by some force in the universe for not helping her when she was just starting out. Now, the tables have turned. Everybody loves her and everyone thinks you’re just plain annoying. Good day.
Poor Jenny. She’s been showing her boobs and shooting off at the mouth for years, but her smart, talented, funny, heavy cousin has completely surpassed and outclassed her. No one gives a sh*t about your venal little attempts to be in the spotlight, Jenny liar liar pants on fire.
Lol. Spot on!
Very true. Jenny’s rebuttal smacks of jealousy on her part. Yes Jenny, it’s true, we all like Melissa much better than you. Get over it and stop acting like you’re still in high school.
Yesssss! Can’t stand Jenny…..I don’t have faith this marriage will last. Donnie is a FOOL for not waiting longer to let their relationship play out before tying the knot. She needs his money because she’s not doing much these days. Jenny is big-mouthed, over-the-top, and should be avoided at all cost!!
I like how she’s taking credit for Melissa’s success, getting her foot in the door, Melissa is very talented and has been working hard for years to achieve her “overnight” success. When Jenny was having her moment did we hear about this relationship? No, only now, when. Melissa’s star is on the rise and when her career has completely eclipsed the bimbo, now the nitwit is publicly claiming kinship. Jenny is disgusting in so many ways.
Jenny, just stop talking. Thank you.
Yes, please.
Yes! She doesn’t know when to shut up
How dumb is this woman? Seriously.
Aw. You know what’s also hurtful? Perpetuating misinformation that affects the health and well being of children, and the population as a whole.
Kind of funny how the tables have turned and she has to namedrop Melissa for attention now.
It’s a wonder she didn’t name drop Jim Carrey is well.
Word!
Preach it sister! I can’t stand this woman!
Cut this sh*t, Jenny. Your ego has consumed your ability to be a decent family member, so now you’re grandstanding in an attempt to retain even a little bit of your original acerbic spark. Have a seat, Jenny. Let me pull a chair out for you. Ma’am, your seat’s in Row D. Did anyone save a seat for Jenny? SIT DOWN, MCCARTHY.
She’s as fake as they come
Don’t believe a word of it
Needs more make-up. /s
I’m sure it’s eating Jenny alive at all the success Melissa is having!!!! And all I can say is Hahahahahahahah! Can’t stand Jenny…love, love Melissa!!!
I have never read where Melissa McCarthy ever acknowledges that she and Jenny are related. Articles will point it out, but I have never read where Melissa says something along the lines of, “When I was starting out, my cousin, Jenny, gave me a gig so I could learn the ropes. I have always been so grateful she is my family.” But now that Melissa is the shizz, Jenny is all “MY COUSIN MELISSA.” Also, if Jenny McCarthy were my cousin, and she didn’t invite me to her wedding, I would be like, “Phew. Dodge a bullet there.”
Melissa was on Howad stern and never mentioned Jenny once. Jenny has been on Howard numerous times and never mentioned Melissa.
Whenever she was interviewed Jenny only spoke of herself and occasionally her son. Yes I know. She usually present herself as an intelligent,selfless,family oriented person. Said no one
My first thought, while reading this story, was “why the heck would a big star like Melissa want to the wedding of a bimbo relative?” Jenny’s just trying to use Melissa.
Melissa and Jenny didn’t answer Howard Stern directly about why they don’t speak. But Jenny did say she was going to invite Melissa to her wedding — fake, fake, fake…
Ummmmmm, so WHY bring an alleged lie up again? That is as hurtful as the initial rumor itself.
This woman just cannot keep her trap shut. I actually feel sorry for Donny Wahlburg at this point. He obviously has no idea what he is getting into OR he loves the idea of getting extra press attention himself from her constant antics in order to stay relevant.
Jenny, the MTV era is over. Time to accept it.
Donnie flies pretty low under the radar. Most people would be quite surprised at his net worth, actually – slightly north of $20M. Not bad considering the fact that we’ve never seen his underwear. He’s also a family guy and into LTRs. Methinks McCarthy got her hooks into someone who is probably devoted to her.
LOL – sorry, but Donnie is just as big a fame whore as Melissa. Even his devoted NKOTB fans will tell you what a reputation as a womanizer he has -he openly admitted to banging chicks in every city they toured (as adults, mind you). He may not be as high profile as his brother, but not because he likes to fly under the radar -it’s because he’s just not as famous. Considering that this couple has been in “People” practically every week since their engagement, I think it’s safe to say they’re both equally devoted to the idea of publicity.
BTW, I actually like Donnie – I think he’s a great performer (in his singing career) and a pretty good actor too, who just gets pigeonholed in the same role over and over again. But he is no better than Jenny when it comes to the fame game.
as a matter of fact, he was in his underwear in a scene from “The Sixth Sense”
My friend who works for an ad agency did a lot of work with him. He said he was an amazingly friendly and down-to-earth guy. Unlike Rachel Ray, who was a monster (according to him).
Part of it has to be thinking with the little head and I’m sure the other part is ego, he wants to be with someone as famous as he is and Jenny is in to it.
He’s in lust. Men (and women) sometimes lose their minds like that. The marriage will be over once he has to spend a significant amount of time listening to her prattle.
I think her weight is part of her appeal. It makes it easier for the average person to relate to her. Kinda like Roseanne.
Are you talking about Melissa? I’m sure her weight is part of her appeal for some of her fans. I love her comic timing, her talent with physical comedy, her willingness to look foolish to get the laugh. To me she has a natural charisma that is very appealing, and she has a sort of “Everyman” (everywoman?) relate-ability, she reminds me of friends I have known. And I love to laugh, so anyone that can tickle my funny bone appeals to me. I was also a fan of Roseanne, more for her wit and brains than for her form. I fell in love with John Goodman and Laurie Metcalf from her show, they are both amazing talents.
They’re just cousins, are they even close? They’re not even siblings.
I’m very close with some of my cousins and some I barely see or speak to. I think it depends on how much time they got to spend together as children and on whether they even like each other. One of my cousins I grew up with like a sister but I can’t stand her. If Jenny was my cousin I wouldn’t want anything to do with her either.
I see she’s name dropping the more successful family member now…
So glad she’s irrelevant.
I’m sure Melissa isn’t into schadenfreude, but…
Jenny isn’t too bright. That being said I don’t think there’s a huge rift because there’s no wedding invite.
80 people max with 2 well connected people fills up faster than you think. And you have to approach who you invite with some caution. You might want to invite 1 cousin and not the other. Or 1 aunt and not another. You can say theer was a limit to guests and you were closer to this relative, but the 1 not invited might be upset.
The count of 80 will go fast if all the Wahlberg siblings attend with their own spouses and kids. That family is huge. Though if a wedding is filmed for a reality show, does that negate some of the ‘it’s just small and intimate and family only’?
There have been whispers that Jenny wasn’t particularly nice about Melissa starting out, though I can’t remember what directly came from Melissa. I find it telling that the only thing she has to say is ‘Jenny helped me get a job in ’97 and I’m grateful’
I guess promoting kids not to get vaccinated ran stale. (She back pedaled on that too)
Maybe Melissa wasn’t invited because Jenny knew her A-List cousin wouldn’t show up to her D-List wedding
That was my comment above, too.
I had a VERY small wedding, I still invited my cousins….
Mine was very small but we didn’t invite my husband’s aunts, uncles or cousins because they aren’t close. It cut down numbers drastically because there are 8 or 9 aunts/uncles and god knows how many cousins. It didn’t cause a rift, though in the McCarthy situation I think it’s more existing rift than number concerns.
Maybe Melissa does not want to be on the reality show so that is why she is not invited to the wedding
Melissa is such a doll. Pretty, funny and genuinely entertaining. Obviously she has some class and good sense. Love that girl.
As for Jenny…the Wahlberg drama should be pretty fun when it starts. I give them 2-4 years. Hope his mom insists on a solid prenup.
Jenny gave her a leg up and without it she may have never made it. Most people never get that chance to show off their talents so if she helped her cousin out that’s very nice. And if she advised her cousin to lose weight that would make sense considering Hollywood standards. Hollywood is tough. Thankfully, Melissa found a way to embrace her natural self and that’s cooI too. I admire both women for being opinionated and sassy. I think there is too much haterade being sipped.