Rob Schneider has officially reached out to his daughter, Elle King, in an attempt to mend their strained relationship.
The 60-year-old actor publicly apologized to the singer after she opened up about the challenges and toxicity in their relationship while she was growing up on a recent podcast episode that was released on Monday, August 12.
A few days later on August 14 during an appearance on the Tucker Carlson Network, Schneider expressed regret for not being the father King needed when she was younger. When asked by Carlson what his daughter’s comment was about, he responded by saying, “I love you and I wish I was the father in my 20s that you needed.” He also added that he hopes she can forgive him for his shortcomings.
Elle King and Rob Schneider speak onstage for New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park on December 31, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee. The ‘Grown Ups’ actor responded to his daughter’s recent accusations over his parenting style growing up.
Jason Davis/Getty Images
The Grown Ups actor ended his apology by saying, “I love you entirely and I just want you to be well and happy… I wish you the best. I feel terrible and I just want you to know that I don’t take anything you say personally.”
Schneider’s apology follows King’s revelations about her difficult childhood, which included being sent to “fat camp” by her father. In a recent interview on Bunnie Xo’s Dumb Blonde podcast, the “Jersey Giant” songstress described how being sent to the camp was a formative, albeit negative, experience. “I was, like, a really, really heavy child. My dad sent me to fat camp,” she recalled, saying how “It was very toxic and very silly,” and that she was punished for not losing weight.
Their rift deepened over the years due to their contrasting views on social and political issues, with King revealing that she stopped speaking to Schneider for several years, partly due to his controversial public statements. “I disagree with a lot of the things that he says,” King said, referencing Schneider’s outspoken positions on topics like drag culture and LGBTQ+ rights.
At this time, King has not publicly responded yet to her father’s apology.
