On Dec. 8, Olivia Jade Giannulli broke her silence on the college admissions scandal that landed her parents, Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli, in prison. The YouTube influencer has been mum on the topic, having not been able to discuss the case over the past year due to legalities. But recently, the 21 year old decided that she was ready to lay it all out by doing an interview with Red Table Talk, hosted by Jada Pinkett Smith; her daughter, Willow Smith; and her mother, Adrienne Banfield-Jones. The interview covered a wide range of elements of the college admissions scandal, but Olivia Jade also revealed that at the time of taping, she hadn't spoken to her parents, who had just gone to prison.
In May 2020, Loughlin and Giannulli admitted they paid $500,000 to Rick Singer and Key Worldwide foundation to falsely designate Olivia Jade and her sister, Isabella Rose Giannulli, as recruits to the University of Southern California crew team, although neither of their daughters were rowers, according to NBC News. Loughlin was sentenced to two months in prison, 100 hours of community service, and fined $150,000, while her husband received five months in prison, 250 hours of community service, and a $250,000 fine. According to Red Table Talk, more than 50 people were charged in the college admissions scandal, and 22 parents were sentenced to up to nine months in prison. Loughlin's sentence began on Oct. 30, and Giannulli's started on Nov. 19. To see why Olivia Jade didn't speak to her mom and dad when they first went to prison, read on, and for more recent celebrity news, check out Stranger Things Star Shares Heartbreaking Video, Deletes Social Media.
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Olivia Jade didn't speak to her parents for weeks when they first went to prison.
Red Table Talk / FacebookDuring the interview, Willow asked Olivia Jade if she can talk to her parents while they're in prison. "I actually haven't spoken to either of them," she responded. "There's a quarantine phase just because of COVID, so I think that is the reason, but I'm not too sure. I just haven't heard anything, so I'm just waiting." It's unclear exactly when the Red Table Talk interview took place.
Olivia Jade said she's never gone so long without talking to them. "I'm super close with my parents, especially my mom, she's like my best friend. So it's definitely been really hard not being able to talk to her, but I know she's strong," the influencer said. And for more up-to-date celebrity news delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
She thinks prison time is "necessary" for her parents and will be a good "reflection period."
Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.comOlivia Jade seems to think two months in prison will do her mom some good. "It’s a good reflection period. She gets to really rethink everything that happened, kind of figure out, you know, when she comes out what she wants to do with what she’s learned through all of this," she said of her mom. "I think that hopefully will be a blessing in the end."
While Olivia Jade admitted that "no one wants to see their parents go to prison," she does acknowledge that given the circumstances, it's important that her parents answer for their actions. "I think it’s necessary for us to move on and move forward," she said.
She agrees that she doesn't "deserve pity" and has finally come to terms with her privilege.
Red Table Talk / FacebookBanfield-Jones was honest that she was struggling to sympathize with Olivia Jade, who admitted she's the "poster child" for privilege—she's white, young, rich, and beautiful. Although some might assume the young YouTube star went on the Red Table Talk seeking sympathy, she says that's not the case. "I’m not trying to victimize myself. I don’t want pity. I don’t deserve pity," Olivia Jade said. She claims her intention in coming on the show was to own up to the mistakes her family made.
The influencer admitted to being unaware of her privilege when the college admissions scandal first came to light. "I feel like a huge part of having privilege is not knowing you have privilege, and so when it was happening, it didn’t feel wrong," Olivia Jade said. At first, she said she felt confused about how what her family did was wrong, which she notes is now embarrassing to admit. "That’s embarrassing within itself that I walked around my whole 20 years of life not realizing like, you have insane privilege. You’re like the poster child of white privilege, and you had no idea," she said of herself. And for more reckonings in Hollywood, here are some Celebrities Who Were Fired After Being Accused of Racism.
Olivia Jade said she never went back to college.
Red Table Talk / FacebookThe scandal unraveled while she was on spring break, and Olivia Jade said was too embarrassed to return to the University of Southern California and also knew it wouldn't be appropriate. "I shouldn’t have been there in the first place clearly, so there’s no point in me trying to go back,” she said.
Once she learned of what her parents did, she said she felt so ashamed that she hid out at home for three to four months, and she doesn't plan on returning to the school at all.
And she responded to the online hate she's received.
Red Table Talk / FacebookThe fall-out from the college admissions scandal resulted in a lot of online hate directed towards Olivia Jade, but she said she's tried to learn from the experience. "I understand why people are angry, and I understand why people say hurtful things, and I would too if I wasn’t in my boat," she said. She acknowledged that when she read the backlash, she realized "there’s some truth in it."
"I understood that people were upset and angry, and maybe it took me a little bit longer to understand what for, but man, am I glad I did realize," Olivia Jade said. And for more lighthearted fare on famous offspring, here are 25 Celebrity Kids Who Look Just Like Their Parents.
