Every birthday is a milestone in someone’s life, but some are more significant than others. For instance, reaching the big 4-0 is a huge moment, and one celebrity who just turned 40 is entrepreneur and television personality Nicole Richie. Of course, she took to social media to show her followers how she celebrated her big day, but many were probably shocked to see that she accidentally set her hair on fire during the festivities.
The Simple Life alum took to her Instagram to show the sweet, yet terrifying, moment. At the time, she was surrounded by family and friends and received a birthday cake filled with candles. And it was when she leaned in to blow out the candles that her locks got caught in the candle flames. To see the full moment, in which laughter turned into pure panic, check out the entrepreneur’s video below:
Thankfully, Nicole Richie didn’t appear to be seriously harmed. And of course, she couldn’t help but laugh at the terrifying moment via her caption. I, for one, am glad to see that everything is OK, as the situation could've become very serious had immediate action not been taken. You also have to love that Richie had a great sense of humor about the lively b-day celebration.
The clip caused quite a stir amongst fans, but they weren't the only ones who had thoughts on it. Upon seeing the video, other celebrities reacted to seeing the scary yet funny moment. Of course, her musician husband, Joel Madden, was one of the first to chime in, doing so with a reaction that matched his wife's humor. He took the moment to quote her close friend and former Simple Life cohort Paris Hilton by saying:
That’s hot
The A+ comment was followed by one from Nicole Richie’s brother-in-law, Benji Madden, who sent her birthday well wishes while adding another layer of humor. Madden responded to the video with:
Happy Birthday Sis love you and thankful for you always. Stay lit!
Of course, the Madden brothers’ humor couldn’t match those of a true comedian. Host and actress Chelsea Handler decided to welcome Nicole Richie into Club 40. While the entertainer is usually known for her sharp wit, she took a relatively straightforward (but sweet) approach to wishing the reality TV star well:
Happy birthday, baby! Welcome to your 40’s, where the party really gets started. Xx
But not everyone saw Nicole Richie’s hair catching on fire as a hilarious moment. I Feel Pretty’s Amy Schumer was in shock after seeing the scenario and responded with:
Oh, my gawwwd
Even Naomi Campbell did somewhat of a wellness, as she asked if her friend was OK following her fiery ordeal. Meanwhile, The Celebrity Dating Game’s Zooey Deschanel seemed just as startled as anyone else and could only respond to the clip with a simple "Omg".
Celebrities have definitely found some interesting ways to commemorate their birthdays as of late. Beyoncé recently celebrated her own 40th with a massive collage that chronicled both her life and career. Meanwhile, Charlize Theron celebrated her 46th with a prom/murder mystery-themed party. Still, I think Nicole Richie's day ultimately takes the cake (no pun intended).
If anything, this little incident could signal an exciting 40th year for Nicole Richie. And let's just hope that if that is the case, that there will always be a fire extinguisher nearby, just in case.
