Are We Too Critical Of Celebrities’ Weight?
On April 22, CBS Houston blogger Anna- Megan Raley, under the alias Claire Crawford, wrote about the Houston Rockets in the NBA playoffs, “The Rockets looked terrible in Game 1, but some say they weren’t the only bad-looking people on court.” She was referring to Kelsey Williams, the Rockets cheerleader. She said that she had “pudginess around her waistline.” Then Crawford had the nerve to ask readers to vote if Williams was skinny enough to wear the body baring uniforms.
Williams’ response on Twitter on April 24, said, “To be womanly always, discouraged never.” She also said, “We wouldn’t know what blessings were if we didn’t go through trials. Thank you to everyone for the compassion and love today I’m in awe.” Williams isn’t the only one who has been criticized about her body, the celebrities below have been the object of disapproval from others about their bodies.
A celebrity that has been on countless gossip magazines covers about her body is Kim Kardashian, but it’s not good attention. Kardashian is known for her famous curves, but as her pregnancy has been moving along so has her weight gain. Gossip magazines like InTouch are speculating that she now weighs 200 pounds, and because of this weight gain her relationship with Kanye is on the rocks.
Even though these are just gossip magazines, was it necessary to compare her to Shamu the killer whale when she wore a black and white color block dress? Is it fair to be calculating the calories in the food she craves? Kardashian told the Tonight Show on March 28, “I have the rest of my life to be skinny and to lose the weight. I’m not really worried about it.”
This was not the first time Kardashian has be criticized for her curves. There was another time when pictures of her untouched photos were shown to the public. Her defense was, “I’m proud of my body and my curves and this picture coming out is probably helpful for everyone to see that just because I am on the cover of a magazine doesn’t mean I’m perfect.”
Jessica Simpson’s body has always been apart of media’s conversations ever since her infamous role in Dukes of Hazard. Simpson was criticized when a picture came out showing her wearing high waisted pants and a belt looking like she gained a few pounds. There was more attention when she became pregnant with her first child, and she gained a lot of weight. But after she gave birth she joined Weight Watchers and lost more than 50 pounds.
The Mad Men beauty Christina Hendricks was criticized at the 2010 Golden Globes for the dress she decided to wear. A NY Times fashion critic said, “You don’t put a big girl in a big dress.” The media even photo shopped pictures to make Hendricks look wider. Her reply was, “Sure. I’d be happier with 10 pounds off- wouldn’t every women? But when I looked up pictures of myself I thought I looked beautiful. I didn’t tear myself apart.”
Ghost Whisperer actress, Jennifer Love Hewitt’s body made headlines when an unflattering picture of her at the beach with her fiancé surfaced on tabloids. People criticized her saying she had cellulite and needed to lose weight. After, Hewitt told Shape Magazine, “I wasn’t going to the gym or eating right when that unfortunate photo was taken. It was time to start working out and watching my diet more closely.”
In 2006 Tyra Banks was called “Thigh-ra Banks,” “Tyra Porkchops,” and “America’s Next Top Waddle” when an unflattering photo of her at the beach in a one piece surfaced. The former Victoria’s Secret Model said she gained 30 pounds since her modeling days. Banks went public on her talk show The Tyra Show saying, “I have one thing to say to you: kiss my fat ass.”
