Tori Spelling Reacts To Social Media Slamming Massage Photo With Her 7-Year-Old Son Beau

Earlier this month, Spelling shared a photo of her son Beau massaging her on Instagram in exchange for an allowance which was swiftly met with criticism from online users.

On this week's episode of her podcast misSPELLING, the actress cleared up why she decided to post the photo, which shows her laying naked on a bed with a blanket covering her lower half.

"So on my Stories recently, I posted what I thought was a very cute photo of my 7-year-old son Beau, pretending being the keyword, pretending to give me a massage," Spelling began.

"And then I said he wanted to make money for an allowance, and I thought this was a good way to start. Beats chores, something like that. I don't know. Solid plan."

"So [the massage therapist] took that one picture of Beau pretending to give me a massage. And I just think it's wild. It's wild the stuff that you can put out there that they change the narrative on so hardcore."

The 51-year-old insisted she was shocked that the photo generated so much media attention, despite being privately warned by one of her good friends.

"I mean, as soon as I put it up, one of my best guy friends, he DM'd me and he was like, 'That's not a good look.' And I'm like, 'I know. I like joking,' " Spelling said.

"I'm like, 'I know. He was getting all the wrong spots. Like, you should have started on the feet.' But he said, he's like, 'Oh my god. People are gonna freak out.'"

"I said, 'Why? It's a cute photo. Everyone knows it's not real. Clearly, we are not at home. I'm not making him do chores,'" Spelling continued. "Clearly, I'm at a massage parlor."

The podcaster and Beverly Hills, 90210 alum compared the joke to comedians posting whatever they want as content and not getting attacked by the public.

"I think it's interesting though, that, I don't know, on social media, why is it like comedians can post anything?" Spelling asked. "Comedians that have families, kids, they can post anything and people are like, 'They are kidding. That's funny.'"

"But if an actor posts something like, 'oh my god.' That must be true. She's a horrible mom."

While she did have a friend who warned her against posting the photo, she had another friend who said it worked out in Spelling's benefit.

"And then I had another friend that was like, 'Well, good news is you're relevant. You're in the press.'"

Tori and her ex-husband Dean McDermott share Liam, 17, Stella, 16, Hattie, 13, Finn, 12, and Beau, 7.

However, the attention did affect Spelling's feelings towards her ability as a mother, adding that it did not help her "mom guilt."

"I don't need people shaming me, thinking I'm forcing my kids to massage me," she added.