Stassi Schroeder says online trolls left her feeling insecure after they compared her body shape to SpongeBob Squarepants following her appearance at the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Runway Show earlier this year.
The 38-year-old reality personality told Page Six Radio that her first year walking the show was a positive experience, but her second appearance at the Miami Swim Week catwalk event in May was a different story. "The first year was really amazing," she said. "The second year, the trolls got to me."
Schroeder said critics mocked her "rectangle" body shape and drew comparisons to the cartoon character. She admitted her haters were "not wrong" but said she felt "just a little insecure" after the comments.
Despite the criticism, Schroeder said she still loved being part of the event, which also featured Alix Earle, Tiffany Haddish, and Bethenny Frankel. "I feel so f***ing empowered, the girls are so nice. The atmosphere, the energy, it's such a girl power vibe," she said.
The negative reaction has made her hesitant about a third appearance on the runway. She had previously revealed she dieted for months before the event.
Schroeder said she has developed a philosophy for handling public opinion. "If you believe all of the positive stuff you read, that means you have to believe all the negative stuff you read," she said. "So I just don't believe anything."
She added that people's opinions shift constantly and that it "really doesn't f***ing matter."
Schroeder's new reality show, House of Stassi, is currently streaming on Hulu.
