Celebrity

Shonda Rhimes’ Shadiest Moments Ranked By Creativeness

Is that a little bird in your ear or just Shonda whispering death threats?
by 1/13/2016

You’ve probably been shaded by literary fortress Shonda Rhimes and you don’t even know it. You’ve been too busy warding off the irreparable damage from shade queens like Mariah and Madonna, you haven’t even had Shonda (who’s quickly becoming shade royalty) on your radar. But she’s good. And she’s quick.

When the TV Queen isn’t penning your favorite shows, she’s keeping her eye out for the haters-her own actors included-who she shuts down in record time. Her leading ladies are known for being unapologetic, so why wouldn’t she be? Ha, silly little peasants. She is the most unapologetic. See how the mastermind has transformed shade-throwing into a new art most of us can only hope to achieve in a lifetime. In honor of Shonda’s 46th birthday, get inspired from her most creative shady moments to date. And wear a parka.

8. When she called out the moron who wrote this Deadline article about ethnic castings on Twitter. (March, 2015)

Tweeting is a pretty basic form of throwing shade. Khloe Kardashian has done it. Frankie Muniz has done it. If Teletubbies were living beings, they would do it. But we’re only at #8 and Shonda is already taking off her earrings, so brace yourselves.

7. When she went in on the TV critic who called her an “angry black woman” in the NY Times. (Sept., 2014)

Sassy, classy and not the least bit ratchet. Only Shonda would go in on a bitch and follow it up with some yoga. Namastay in your lane, people.

6. Serving this soul-cutting face. (July, 2014)

Getty
I’m not sure who she’s looking at, but I am sure they’ve been in extensive therapy ever since.

5. When Larry Wilmore asked if she’s killed an actor off a show because she didn’t like them. (Nov., 2015)

Her response? “I’m not naming names.” This one is up to the imagination. And to all of you prima donna actors with a guilty conscience: you can sit tormented and think about what you’ve done. Mwuahahahaha.

4. When she dragged Broadway royalty Idina Menzel and Julie Andrews into her critique of Lady Gaga’s performance of “The Sound of Music” at the Oscars. (Feb., 2015)

Her words didn’t flat-out say she despised Gaga’s performance, but the context clues did. Disgusted. Mortified. Debating ever listening to music again.

3. When she used “Heigls” (as in Katherine Heigl) as code for “assholes.” (Oct., 2014)

THR
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the shade master explained her “no assholes policy” and how she runs a tight ship on the set of Scandal, while referencing her bumpy past with Heigl (who was said to be hard to work with) on Grey’s. “There are no Heigls in this situation,” she said. “I don’t put up with bullshit or nasty people. I don’t have time for it.” I’m frozen.

2. When she wanted the NY Times article calling her an “angry black woman” to remain published. (Oct., 2014)

The NY Times
In the same interview with THR, Shonda revealed that she would prefer for the article on her she found so offensive and distasteful to remain posted so the haters can constantly be reminded. “In this world in which we all feel we’re so full of gender equality and we’re a postracial [society] and Obama is president, it’s a very good reminder to see the casual racial bias and odd misogyny from a woman written in a paper that we all think of as being so liberal,” she said. If the writer of that article isn’t in a permanent Ice Age from the shade, I’m shocked.

1. And lastly, when she had Kerry Washington’s Scandal character Olivia Pope be referred to as an “angry black woman” in season 5. (Fall, 2015)

ABC
When real-life Tweets and twisting the knife don’t do it, a reference in a major network show should. The shade, the calculations and the method behind the madness… are real. Even Elsa can’t help the defrost.

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