Kim DePaola is facing major backlash after posting a video that many fans felt was not only tone-deaf, but wildly inappropriate.
The former Real Housewives of New Jersey personality shared an Instagram Reel on Tuesday, September 29, dancing to Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On?” while headlines about celebrity deaths, mental health struggles, legal issues and painful family situations flashed across the screen.
Kim captioned the video, “What’s going on? Sometimes you don’t dance because you’re celebrating… you dance because you’re processing.”
She added, “There’s been a LOT going on. So much loss, so much chaos, family drama, heartbreak, mental health struggles, and things happening in the world that leave you asking one simple question… What’s going on?”
But fans were quick to point out that there are probably better ways to “process” grief and mental health struggles than dancing in front of headlines about other people’s children, tragedies and public breakdowns.
The Reel included headlines about Mary Cosby’s late son Robert Jr., who died at 23 following a struggle with addiction, as well as headlines about other celebrity children and public figures dealing with devastating situations.
Kim also included footage and headlines tied to Milania Giudice’s recent emotional airport incident involving Teresa Giudice and Gia Giudice.
Milania’s situation has already sparked major concern online, with Teresa, Joe Giudice, Gia Giudice, Bethenny Frankel and Ashlee Holmes all asking the public to show compassion as Milania navigates an incredibly difficult and vulnerable time.
Kim’s video also referenced Kim Zolciak’s son Kroy “KJ” Biermann Jr., who is facing serious legal issues.
The issue for fans was not that Kim acknowledged the headlines. It was the fact that she was dancing while doing it.
Many viewers felt the post came across less like a serious reflection on pain and more like a bizarre attempt to turn other people’s trauma into content.
And when the subject matter includes death, addiction, mental health, legal issues and a 20-year-old publicly struggling, the optics are hard to defend.
The backlash was immediate, with fans accusing Kim of being insensitive and using heartbreaking situations for engagement.
Several viewers questioned why Kim would think it was appropriate to pair a dancing video with headlines about people dying and families dealing with emotional crises.
Adding even more fuel to the backlash, Joe Gorga is said to have unfollowed Kim after the video was posted.
Kim attempted to explain in her caption that she was not dancing because she was celebrating, but because she was “processing.” Still, many fans were not buying that explanation.
For critics, the video felt less like processing and more like poor judgment wrapped in a social media trend.
There are ways to talk about the heavy things happening in the Bravo world.
There are ways to ask, “What’s going on?” when it feels like tragedy, chaos and heartbreak are everywhere.
But dancing in front of headlines about death and mental health struggles is not exactly the thoughtful commentary fans were expecting.
And now, Kim is learning that not every serious moment needs to be turned into a Reel.