Chelsea Handler Regrets Coming After Angelina Jolie In The Past

Chelsea Handler - Watch What Happens Live! / Angelina Jolie - By The Sea

In the past, particularly during her spell hosting E!'s Chelsea Lately, Chelsea Handler would often make Angelina Jolie the butt of her jokes. After all, the actress/director is wealthy, famous and beautiful to boot. It was the class clown making fun of the most popular girl in school, at least in the comedienne's view. But looking back, Handler believes that she went just a little too far by constantly poking at Jolie's ribs. In a recent interview, Chelsea Handler admits that she regrets making as many jokes as she did at Jolie's expense, realizing now that she was simply "trying to do her best" as well and that her gags were ultimately too harsh.

You know what, I'm upset that I was so upset with Angelina Jolie. I realize, she's just trying to do her best too.

As Chelsea Handler explained in the clip from Bravo's Watch What Happens Live! With Andy Cohen, she is more understanding and empathetic to Angelina Jolie now than she was in the past. While Handler later admits that she will not "hang out" with Jolie anytime soon, the comedienne can appreciate the hard work that she does — as an actress, filmmaker, mother and activist. Handler now realizes that her constant remarks directed at Angelina Jolie were, ultimately, a bit uncalled for. Or, at the very least, a little too much. Does that mean Handler likes Jolie now? It is hard to say. But if you see one of Chelsea Handler's upcoming stand-up shows, you might not hear as many jokes about Angelina Jolie as you would've heard before.

I mean, obviously I'm not going to hang out with her but I get it now. I have more sympathy and empathy for people that are like, 'She's really a mom and a wife and whatever she is.’ I'm not sure but good luck to her.

Chelsea Handler appeared on the Bravo talk show program to promote her latest autobiographical book, Life Will Be The Death Of Me: ... And You Too!, which hit bookshelves on April 9th. The memoir is centered around the former talk show host's year of self-discovery, where she talks about life, loss and pain — particularly after the events of 2016.

In the process of looking back and reflecting on her past and evaluating the future, Handler also realizes that she was perhaps a little too mean on Angelina Jolie over the years. While she can't take back what she said in the past, Handler can recognize that she might've spoken out-of-turn — and maybe push back on the negativity she produced with her early comedy, namely with Jolie.

You can watch the clip from Watch What Happens Live! With Andy Cohen, featuring Chelsea Handler and Melissa Etheridge, below.

Is the turning of a new leaf for Chelsea Handler, or are these re-contextualized feelings going to be short-lived? We'll just have to wait and see. But for now, Chelsea Handler is not planning to make fun of Angelina Jolie again soon.

Will Ashton

Will is an entertainment writer based in Pittsburgh, PA. His writing can also be found in The Playlist, Cut Print Film, We Got This Covered, The Young Folks, Slate and other outlets. He also co-hosts the weekly film/TV podcast Cinemaholics with Jon Negroni and he likes to think he's a professional Garfield enthusiast.