E! 'Police' commit 'Fashion' faux pas

TODAY in the crosshairs, E! host and "Fashion Police" panelist Giuliana Rancic.

Big G, as she's frequently called, is being taken to task by Disney Channel star Zendaya, who has been a guest on "Fashion Police," because Giuliana commented on her Oscars red-carpet dreadlocks by saying, "I feel that she smells like patchouli oil . . . or weed. Yeah, maybe weed."

Zendaya, who is black, didn't like it, the Washington Post reported, noting on Twitter that dreadlocks are a symbol of "strength and beauty" and not merely an easy stereotype of pot-smoking Rastas.

"There's a fine line between funny and disrespectful," Zendaya tweeted.

"There is already a harsh criticism of African-American hair in society without the help of ignorant people who choose to judge others based on the curl of their hair," she added. "My wearing my hair in locs on an Oscar red carpet was to showcase them in a positive light, to remind people of color that our hair is good enough."

Giuliana later tweeted an apology: "Dear @Zendaya, I'm sorry I offended you and others. I was referring to a bohemian chic look. Had NOTHING to do with race and NEVER would!!!"

That apology wasn't good enough.

Variety reported that Rosie Perez, of "The View," said that the apology doubled down on the insult. "Everyone who's bohemian chic looks like they smoke weed and smells like patchouli?" she asked.

And Whoopi Goldberg, who knows a thing or two about dreads, said that the only person who could have gotten away with such a caustic comment was the late Joan Rivers, the former host of "Fashion Police."

"If you ain't Joan Rivers, back up, Giuliana," Whoopi said.

Comedy. It's all about context.

In the case of Rivers, she would have made it a more obvious joke - "I haven't seen dreadlocks like that on a red carpet since Julianne Moore auditioned for 'The Bob Marley Story.' "

* Also getting criticism, Taylor Swift.

For donating money to New York City's public schools.

Huh?

The New York Daily News reported that Taylor donated $50,000 to the city's schools thanks to royalties from her hit song "Welcome to New York."

Alas, it wasn't enough.

"Taylor Swift giving 50,000 dollars to NYC schools is like me throwing a quarter at a homeless guy," @KatiePisarcik tweeted, seemingly not realizing it's rude to throw money at anyone.

"Damn, she's cheap," tweeted @AJDelgado13.

You know, there are a lot of very rich New Yorkers who have never given 10 cents to the city's public schools, so if you ain't Taylor Swift, back up.

* One other reason to love Taylor. ABC News reported that while she was on BBC Radio 1's "Breakfast Show," with host Nick Grimshaw and Ed Sheeran, she explained why she posted a bikini shot from Hawaii with the women of Haim.

Papa, papa, paparazzi.

Taylor said that after her security figured out their boat was being trailed by paparazzi, the group realized they must have been photographed in their two-piece swimsuits.

"I don't want them to make, like, $100,000 . . . for a bikini shot," Taylor said. "And so we're like, 'Get up on the bow of the boat: We're taking better bikini shots so that they don't make as much money on theirs.' "

To paraphrase the late Lesley Gore, you don't own her.

* Rocker/philanthropist Jon Bon Jovi is sponsoring a community restaurant in a Jersey Shore community still struggling mightily to recover from Superstorm Sandy.

Through his Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, he is providing financial backing to Spoon Full of Hope. The church project began serving meals in January in a firehouse in Union Beach near his childhood home of Sayreville.

It lost its funding last summer.

Patrons either can pay a minimum donation or volunteer an hour of time to earn a dining certificate for the volunteer and four family members.

It's similar to the JBJ Soul Kitchen, a community restaurant that Bon Jovi founded in Red Bank in 2011.

Bon Jovi says the project gives hope to people still rebuilding their lives.

* Creators of "Hamilton," the hip-hop-based musical on Alexander Hamilton, the first treasury secretary of the United States, said yesterday that they will move the downtown hit from the Public Theater to Broadway's Richard Rodgers Theatre, starting July 13.

The new musical reunites the team from "In the Heights" - director Thomas Kail, choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler and Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the show's book, music and lyrics and stars in the title role. Reviews were strong when it opened Feb. 17.

The Public has extended the show through May 3.

"Hamilton" is the perfect show for this freezing New York winter because patrons come in from the cold and say, "Burr."

- Daily News wire services

contributed to this report.