Heidi Montag:mom looked at me ‘almost like a zoo animal’ following plastic surgery

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Heidi Montag is changing her tune about her mother’s reaction to her plastic surgery.

Just two weeks after telling Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush that her mother, Darlene, thought her post-plastic surgery debut on the cover of People magazine was “beautiful,” “The Hills” reality star is now claiming that her mom’s reaction was intense. Heidi claims in this week’s issue of People magazine that her mother looked at her like she was a “circus freak” after the 23-year-old recently flew back home to Colorado to see her family.

But that wasn’t the story she told Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush just weeks ago.

“She said the cover looked beautiful,” Heidi told Billy of her mom’s reaction to her People post-surgery debut.

“She did?” Billy asked.

“Mmmhmm. She said obviously she loved me the way I was and she would never tell me to do anything, but that she always supports whatever my decision is,” Heidi said.

However, on Wednesday, People magazine Senior Writer Joey Bartolomeo offered more information about what Heidi has to say now.

“Heidi says her mom is heartbroken over her new face and body,” Joey told Access. “Heidi said her mom says her confidence is gone.”

But coming to Heidi’s defense is Joan Rivers, who knows a thing or two about surgery scrutiny.

“I feel very sorry [for her] because she tried to come out and be honest about it,” Joan told Access. “And when you really looked at the 10 procedures, it was nonsense, it was a little Botox and a little this, a little that, and a couple of bigger things and it’s a business of beauty.”