Kimora Lee Simmons’ new family reality show stirred up controversy about weight that many viewers felt was over the line just weeks after its premiere.
The backlash erupted following a tense exchange in Episode 3 between Kimora’s daughters, Aoki Lee Simmons, 23, and Ming Lee Simmons, 25. What began as a casual comment between sisters quickly escalated into an argument that viewers found triggering and uncomfortable.
The confrontation kicked off when Ming commented to Aoki, “You look good, you look healthy,” but Aoki didn’t perceive it as a compliment. Her response was sharp: “Fuck you. ‘You look healthy?'”
Ming attempted to soften her remark with, “You look good,” but the smirk on her face didn’t help diffuse the situation. Aoki felt that in their household, being described as “healthy” was synonymous with being “fat,” and she immediately called out her sister for it.
The exchange intensified as Aoki sarcastically mocked the phrase back at Ming — “You look healthy. You look very healthy.” She then bluntly asked what she truly wanted to know: “I look fat?”
Ming defended herself, stating she didn’t mean anything hurtful, insisting she thought Aoki looked “refreshed,” especially following her recent trip to Bali. However, Aoki remained skeptical, interpreting “healthy” as a veiled insult.
Things took a turn for the worse during a confessional segment. Aoki maintained that Ming’s use of “healthy” was intended to be shady. Ming, however, firmly denied it. Then, Aoki went as far as to suggest that her sister was implying she was “girthy… could last the winter.”
Kimora then intervened with a comment that shocked viewers: “OK, well, you are not. You cannot last a winter.” When she reiterated, “You certainly can’t last a winter,” Aoki expressed relief, saying, “Thank you,” while the audience was left in disbelief.
The conversation that followed quickly spread across social media platforms.
Context is crucial, and this scene had plenty of it. Aoki has openly talked about her struggles with disordered eating, mentioning that she lost weight after being told she wasn’t “skinny enough” for modeling jobs during Paris Fashion Week. Therefore, when a reality show broadcast her reaction to weight-related comments for millions to analyze, it didn’t sit well with the public.
On X, one user expressed: “This level of insecurity in this young girl is so devastating to watch. This is supposed to be entertaining?” Another echoed this sentiment, saying, “This scene made me not wanna watch it. I felt extremely uncomfortable.”
Many viewers felt that this portrayal mirrored the most difficult parts of the ’90s and early 2000s diet culture, a time known for low-rise jeans and normalized body shaming. One straightforward comment captured this feeling: “I hate that the awful late 90s/00s diet culture is back with a vengeance.”
Numerous viewers called for networks to refrain from airing these types of moments, deeming them irresponsible and harmful for those grappling with body image issues.
