Patton Oswalt fires back at critics of his engagement to Meredith Salenger
The widowed comedian announced his engagement to Meredith Salenger last week.
— -- Patton Oswalt and his fiancée Meredith Salenger are responding to criticism over their recent engagement.
The widowed comedian, 48, and actress, 47, took to social media over the weekend after receiving some negative comments following their announcement last Thursday.
Oswalt said he had planned to ignore the comments but after seeing a blog by Erica Roman, who lost her husband three days before Oswalt's wife, crime writer Michelle McNamara, died in April 2016, he decided to respond to the "bitter grub worms."
"This is so amazing. And SO well-written. I expected some bitter grub worms to weigh in (anonymously, always always always) with their much-needed opinions when I announced my engagement last week. And I decided to ignore them," Oswalt wrote on Facebook Saturday. "But yeah, I felt this rage. And Erica articulated it better than I could have ever hoped. So there you go. Thank you, Erica."
He also tweeted a link to the blog, writing, "Thank you for this, Erica. I'd chosen to ignore the grub worms but your writing is just SO good here. Thank you, seriously..."
In her blog, titled "A Widow's Rage Defense Against Patton Oswalt's Engagement," Roman took on critics who said Oswalt was moving on too soon.
"Who gave you the position to judge when it’s 'too soon' for a person who has suffered the worst to be able to find happiness and companionship again?" Roman wrote, addressed the naysayers. "It's been 15 months! How long should a widow sit in isolation before YOU are comfortable enough to release them from their solitary confinement?"
Salenger also responded to Roman's blog on Twitter.
She wrote that except for a "few trolls" with "strong opinions," everyone, including Oswalt and McNamara's family, "has been so lovely to us."
"I am grateful to be the one who helps him climb out of the depths of grief and find some joy again," she wrote.
"Most of all ... Alice is happy and feels loved," she said referring to Oswalt and McNamara's 8-year-old daughter.
"I have waited 47 years to find true love," Salenger wrote. "Creating our family until while honoring the brilliant gift Michelle has given me will be my life's goal and happiness."
Salenger broke the news of their engagement on social media last Thursday.
"It's official. I'm the luckiest happiest girl in the universe!!!!" she captioned a handful of photos. "I love you @pattonoswalt I love you Alice Oswalt! #YesYesYes"
This will be the first marriage for Salenger and the second for Oswalt.
