Elle King Discusses “Toxic” Relationship with Her Father, Rob Schneider

Elle King has opened up about her struggles, shedding light on the tumultuous relationship with her father and her personal battles. Earlier this year, King made headlines after a controversial, drunken performance at the Grand Ole Opry during a Dolly Parton tribute. Facing public backlash, she decided to step away from the spotlight and canceled her shows to seek help. This week, King revealed she entered a “therapeutic program” for treatment, sharing, “After everything that happened in January, I went to a different type of therapeutic program because I was very sad, and nobody really knows what I was going through behind closed doors.”

In a recent appearance on the Dumb Blonde podcast with Bunnie XO, King discussed her past and her strained relationship with her father, actor Rob Schneider. Known for his roles in movies such as Home Alone 2: Lost In New York, The Waterboy, Grown Ups, and numerous Adam Sandler films, Schneider has had a long career in entertainment. Elle appeared in some movies with her father, including Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo, and even sang with him during his Netflix stand-up special.

However, King revealed that despite their public collaborations, the two don’t speak often. “I go for like 4 or 5 years without talking to my dad,” she shared. According to King, when she started to gain recognition for her music, her father called her with a stern message: “Don’t f*cking talk about me in the press.” This strained interaction appears to be emblematic of their overall relationship.

King elaborated, explaining that her time spent with her father during her childhood was often on movie sets, where she felt overlooked. “If I would ever spend a summer with my dad, it would be on a movie set. I would just get lost in the shuffle. If I ever messed up a shot, if I ever was talking, like, I would get in f*cking TROUBLE,” King recalled.

Issues related to her weight also created tension between them. “I was a really, really heavy child. My dad sent me to fat camp. And then I got in trouble one year because I sprained my ankle and I didn’t lose any weight. Very toxic and very silly,” King disclosed.

In addition, differing personal views have further strained their relationship. Schneider, who has become an outspoken conservative, clashed with King over their beliefs. “I had already started getting tattooed, and it was like 108 degrees, so I was having to wear sweaters because my dad was very anti-tattoos, or like any form of self-expression that differed from what he wanted,” she said. King didn’t hold back, expressing her frustration with her father’s opinions on various social issues, such as drag and gay rights.

“He’s just talking out of his ass, and I want to use this opportunity to say, I disagree. I do not agree with what he says,” King stated. She added that her father never had a good reputation and was “not nice,” pointing out that he consistently forgot her birthday. “My dad forgot about every single birthday. I spent my 18th birthday in a summer school…and they brought me cupcakes, and I came home and my dad forgot my birthday,” she lamented.

It’s evident that King’s relationship with her famous father has been fraught with challenges. Despite their public collaborations, it seems they’ve never been able to foster a genuine connection. This candid discussion gives a deeper insight into Elle King’s personal struggles and her ongoing journey towards healing.

For those interested in hearing more from Elle King, the full episode of the podcast will be available soon.

Source: Dumb Blonde podcast