advertisement
Music News

Elle King Doesn’t ‘Want to Be Associated’ With ‘Toxic’ Father Rob Schneider

The singer says her dad forgot her birthdays and sent her to "fat camp" when she was a child.

Elle King performs onstage at Country Thunder Wisconsin on July 21, 2024 in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin.

Elle King performs onstage at Country Thunder Wisconsin on July 21, 2024 in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin.

Joshua Applegate/Getty Images

Elle King and her dad, comedian/actor Rob Schneider, don’t exactly see eye to eye. On the latest episode of Bunnie XO’s Dumb Blonde podcast posted Monday (Aug. 12), the “Ex’s and Oh’s” musician didn’t hold back when discussing her challenging childhood, calling her father “toxic” and emphasizing that she doesn’t align with many of his controversial views.

When the topic of Schneider came up, the podcast host confessed that the Hot Chick star used to be one of her childhood crushes — but by the end of the discussion, Bunnie said that the fantasy was officially dead. That’s because King said that her dad was not often involved in her life, alleging that he forgot her birthdays and sent her to “fat camp” during childhood.


advertisement

“I go four or five years without talking to my dad,” the singer-songwriter said. “My dad called me and was like, ‘Don’t f–king talk about me in the press.’ I was like, ‘Get f–ked.'”

“If I would ever spend a summer with my dad, it would be on a movie set … I’d just get lost in the shuffle,” she continued. “I was a really, really heavy child, and my dad sent me to fat camp. Then I got in trouble one year because I sprained my ankle and didn’t lose any weight — very toxic and silly. My dad forgot every single birthday,” King added. “I spent my 18th birthday in a summer school and they brought me cupcakes. I came home, and my dad forgot my birthday.”

Billboard has reached out to Schneider’s reps for comment.

Schneider welcomed the four-time Grammy nominee with former model London King in 1989. Elle’s parents split up a year later, and she was raised by her mom. Elle adopted her mother’s maiden name for her stage moniker to distance herself from her father, whose help she told Bunnie she “never wanted” when breaking into the music industry. “He also didn’t have a very good reputation,” she noted. “I don’t want to be associated with him. He’s just not nice.”

advertisement

“I disagree with a lot of the things he says,” Elle added of Schneider’s controversial conservative commentary. “You’re talking out your a–, and you’re talking s–t about drag and gay rights — get f–ked.”

Listen to Elle’s discussion with Bunnie XO below.

This article was originally published by Billboard U.S.

advertisement
​Angine de Poitrine
Yuvi Sharma

Angine de Poitrine

Awards

The Biggest Moments From Billboard Canada Power Players 2026

The most influential Canadian music executives came together for the prestigious celebration in Toronto on June 10. Riley O'Connor & Vinny Cinquemani became the first inductees into the Billboard Canada Hall of Fame, breakout stars Angine de Poitrine received a surprise honour, Meg Symsyk received the Visionary Leadership Award, Margaret McGuffin took home the Impact Award + more from the big night.

The most influential leaders in Canada's music industry gathered at the exclusive celebration for Billboard Canada Power Players at Toronto’s Rebel on June 10, as part of NXNE. It was a prestigious night with impactful and emotional remarks, heartfelt tributes and one historic, and strange, surprise honour to close the festivities.

Many of the Power Players honoured on the 2026 list were in attendance, including Gary Slaight, Warner Music Canada co-GM Madelaine Napoleone, Universal Music Canada president & CEO Julie Adam, Live Nation Canada's Erik Hoffman, Wayne Zronik and Melissa Bubb-Clarke, Allan Reid of the Junos/CARAS, ArtHaus founder Sandy Pandya, SiriusXM Canada's Michelle Mearns, iHeartRadio Canada's Sarah Cummings, Spotify Canada editorial lead Kerry Martin and many more.

keep readingShow less
advertisement