Cheryl Hines Breaks Silence on Chelsea Handler's 'Toxic' Home Claims
Actress Cheryl Hines has publicly responded to allegations made by comedian Chelsea Handler that she and her husband, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., sold Handler a "toxic" Los Angeles mansion. The 60-year-old star, best known for her role in Curb Your Enthusiasm, shared her perspective during an upcoming episode of the Tomi Lahren podcast, with excerpts obtained by People magazine.
Questioning the Timing of Allegations
Hines expressed skepticism about Handler's claims, noting that the comedian purchased the property five years ago in October 2021 for $5.85 million but only recently began complaining publicly. "She bought this house five years ago and she's just now complaining about it," Hines stated. "I don't know that she's getting a lot of sympathy from people. She's buying a $6 million house."
The actress specifically challenged Handler's characterization of the property as "toxic," stating that such claims "don't make sense." Hines elaborated, "And talking about how she feels duped and that we tried to sell her a house that was, her word, 'toxic,' which also doesn't make sense."
Hines' Initial Outreach to Handler
According to Hines, she made efforts to welcome Handler to the neighborhood after the sale was completed. "I did write her a personal note when she moved in, just saying how much we love the house," the actress revealed. "And I hope that she has a beautiful life in this house. And if you need anything, call me. And I left my number."
Hines suggested this gesture contradicted Handler's allegations, stating, "So I don't know. If we were trying to unload a toxic house on her, I wouldn't have left my number."
Handler's Original Allegations
Handler first made the claims during an episode of her Dear Chelsea podcast earlier this month. The comedian explained she purchased the Los Angeles mansion without knowing the previous owners were Hines and Kennedy Jr., describing the transaction as a "blind trust."
"I bought RFK Jr.'s house in Los Angeles five years ago," Handler said. "I still have not lived in this house, that's how messed up this house was. It was a disaster, and I didn't know it going in because everything was, you know, under wraps."
Handler claimed that promised renovations were never completed and that inspectors told her, "This house is the most toxic environment. You cannot live here for at least two years." She also referenced foundation problems that weren't discovered during initial inspections.
Hines Suggests Motivations Behind Claims
The Bad Moms star suggested Handler's allegations might be motivated by a desire for attention or to mock her husband, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who currently serves as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services under the Trump administration and is part of the MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) movement.
"So, what are you going to do? She's trying to get a laugh, I guess, and some likes," Hines expressed in the upcoming podcast episode, which officially releases on Thursday, March 26 at 5 p.m. ET.
Handler's Recent Updates
During a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Handler provided an update on the situation, revealing she had finally moved into the residence just one day before her talk show appearance. "I didn't know I was buying it from RFK Jr. because it was a blind trust and the house feels like I bought it from RFK Jr.," she told Kimmel.
Handler maintained there were "a lot of problems with the house" that weren't caught during inspection, adding, "I blame him." She also referenced Hines' welcoming note, saying, "Cheryl Hines sent me a note saying, 'Thank you. We're so excited you bought our house. Let us know if there's anything we can do.' And I was like, 'Oh, no!'"
The comedian concluded with criticism of the previous owners, stating, "He's like the one person in the world that I would flag whose house not to buy. They've done enough... all those losers."
