Comedian Chelsea Handler has sparked controversy after claiming that the Los Angeles house she bought from Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife, Cheryl Hines, turned out to be a “toxic” money pit.
Handler purchased the house in the upscale Brentwood area back in October 2021 for nearly $6 million. However, nearly five years later, she is now claiming the home was in such bad condition that she could not move in for all this time.
Alongside her claims about the house, Handler also joked about possibly acquiring “chlamydia, measles, and herpes” from RFK Jr. However, insiders claimed that she’s simply painting herself as a “victim.”
Sources familiar with the situation argued that the comedian is using the condition of the house to “malign and discredit” the political couple. They believe she should have raised the “red flags” in 2021, when she bought the property.
However, speaking on her podcast Dear Chelsea, the comedian clarified that the property was so damaged that engineers warned her it was unsafe to live in. They told her the house was a “toxic environment” and needed at least two years of work before it could be livable.
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“[Engineers] opened up the house [and told me] ‘This house is the most toxic environment. You cannot live here for at least two years.’ I’m not exaggerating. It was a disaster, and I didn’t know it going in.” Handler asserted.
The comedian added that, despite paying $5.9 million for the house, she was unaware of its real condition, forcing her to spend more on renovations. In addition, it took up so much time that she said, “I still have not lived in this house. That’s how f–ked up this house was.”
Handler further mentioned that she had no idea who the previous owners were when she bought the property. However, once the deal was made, the comedian mentioned receiving a note from RFK Jr.’s wife, Cheryl Hines.
“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,’” Handler said. “And I was like, ‘Oh no! I bought RFK Jr.’s house?’ Like the one person in the world that I would flag whose house not to buy.”
But despite Chelsea Handler’s complaints, real estate estimates suggest the property has increased in value. Reports indicate that the five-bedroom, six-bathroom mansion is now worth around $8 million, significantly higher than what Handler originally paid.
Yet, the comedian continued to poke fun at the house during her appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! She mentioned that she has finally managed to move in, now that the renovations are complete. However, she fears she might have gotten “chlamydia, herpes” and more ailments from living in Kennedy Jr.’s house.
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“It took me four years to move in. There [were] a lot of problems with the house — I blame [Kennedy] — and that didn’t get caught during inspection. And a lot of drama with the house. But I did just move in for the first time yesterday. So, I’m good.” Handler said.
She further joked, “I mean, I have chlamydia, herpes, and what else does he have? Oh, measles. I have chlamydia, measles, and herpes.” However, sources pushed back on those criticisms and claimed Handler is only making a fuss because “she doesn’t care for the [Trump] administration — she hates Trump and anyone associated with him, that’s the reason.”
Sources told Page Six, “Chelsea victimized herself. She pulled the trigger on a $6 million house, and it was her responsibility and her inspector’s [to raise issues]. Why is she waiting five years later to bring it up?”
The insider further insisted, “Any issues with the property were only discovered as Chelsea’s team started to tear down walls for a major remodel. It’s an older house, and she had every opportunity to check it out.”
Concluding their perspective, the source noted, “It’s not like Cheryl and Bobby were trying to offload some toxic house — that was not the case. Everything Chelsea has said paints herself as the victim. People can’t afford gas and groceries, and you think people are going to feel sorry for you.”
