Howard Stern had a pretty brutal take on it earlier this week, calling her “the most enormous fat black chick I’ve ever seen” and accusing Oprah of lying when she told “this enormous woman the size of a planet that she’s going to have a career.” (The audio is above.)
I agree with a lot of what Howard says in terms of Gabourey needing to lose weight. No one can tell that girl that she’s absolutely fine and healthy just the way she is. I’m sure she’s a beautiful spirit, and she’s obviously a brilliant actress, but she’s not going to be a brilliant actress for much longer if she doesn’t change her diet and exercise regime.
That said, a look at Gabourey’s IMDB page indicates that she’s starring in an upcoming flick called Yelling to the Sky, and this week it was announced she’ll have a recurring role opposite Laura Linney in a television show called The Big C, about a suburban mom attempting to find humor in her battle with cancer. So she’s working, which is more than most skinny, beautiful actresses in Hollywood can say for themselves.
The interesting thing about someone like Gabourey Sidibe being nominated for the best actress role, and for Oprah to so publicly endorse her, is that now you’re going to see roles written for Gabourey Sidibe. You’re going to see studios pushing for films that use actresses like Gabourey Sidibe and characters like Precious. You’re going to see those films mass-marketed, rather than tucked away at indie film festivals or marketed exclusively to the black community. What I find most interesting and potentially inspiring about Gabourey Sidibe is not that she’s black or female or overweight, but she’s really not pretty. (Your haterade goes in the comments. But it’s true.) And we never see that in Hollywood. When you look at the larger women on the Hollywood scene — black or white — you’ll notice that they all have very beautiful faces. Mo’Nique, Oprah, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson, Kirstie Alley, Jessica Simpson. They all have strikingly beautiful faces. We do not put this constraint on overweight men in Hollywood. So I love that this is an opportunity for Hollywood to start putting more women who look like Gabourey on camera, because the average woman — even the average overweight or obese woman — does not have Mo’Nique’s perfect face.
I think you’re incredibly brave and awesome, Gaby, and best of luck to you, kiddo.
What about Kathy Bates? She’s about as average looking as you get.
I listened to Howard’s comments yesterday and found them a little cruel, if not a little truthful. He’s not talking about her out of concern for her weight and lifestyle; he’s talking about her to make a joke and make a buck. I’m glad he was proven wrong so quickly.
And, yes, she seriously needs to lose weight for her health’s sake. I’m sure she knows that.
She’s a pinch-faced, no talent, fat load who is a novelty item and is Hollywood’s white guilt relief valve of the month. Anyone on this blog who says they are concerned about this mulefoot’s weight is a liar.
She or It is HUGE .. I mean HUGE .. i can believe my eyes i have never seen anyone that big ….
There are unattractive women of all sizes & shapes in hollywood. They might not be megastars or celebrities, but they are working. They’re just invisible to you because Oprah hasn’t annointed them yet.
There are even some ugly skinny ones. They just get a ‘pass’ in your eyes because they’re not fat.
“They’re just invisible to you because Oprah hasn’t annointed them yet.”
Yes, because nobody had heard of her until Oprah…
The point it, they aren’t being nominated for Academy Awards. And they aren’t getting starring roles.
E-N-G-L-I-S-H, do you speak it?
she is so fat she cant type … she is HHHHUUUGGGEEEE !
They’re usually called “extras” and, for the lucky few, “character actors.” Or “voice-over artists.” A pretty fortunate select few are known as “executives.”
This is gonna sound pretty pathetic, but I honestly just wonder when we will stop caring what other people look like. She’s a good actress, let her live her life as she wants. Yeah, its unhealthy, but is is healthy for girls to try any method to get as thin as possible. Until all of their bones are poking out of their bodies? Why can’t you just focus on the person and not the image?
Starring in film pretty much garauntees that poeple aren’t going to focus on the ‘person’. They aren’t on screen hoping we’ll see what they’re really like, they’re there to portray someone else.
Beet is right. If Gabourey is going to have any career after Precious it will be work written with her in mind (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing). Its just that most scripts don’t start out searching for a morbidly obese woman.
I completely agree. Hollywood and film is about image. If she doesn’t want people focusing on image, she’s in the wrong industry. I would say Broadway, but homegirl can’t really dance…
I agree 1,000 percent. She should be doing something that involves a rag on a stick.
haaaaaahaa “i wash mah-self with a rag on a stick”
Sissy Spasek & Tilda Swinton are both good examples of unfortunate looking women doing well in Hollywood.
The thing I love most about Gabby is her personality – say what you want. Yes, she’s as big as a house, but she is hilarious and quick-witted as hell. I hope she sticks around to prove Howard wrong and to keep telling people that “if her dress was porn, it would be the money shot”.
Tilda Swinton. Woof.
Good call
The aging Jack Nicholson is not handsome, nor is he in good shape. But that doesn’t stop him from getting leading man roles opposite much younger, beautiful women, like Helen Hunt.
And Howard is no beauty – and he’s probably less confident about his looks than Gabby, hence the vitriol.
Jack gets the good roles ’cause he has bigger tits.
she is F-in HUGE… she has never seen her feet …. she cant move her head!
Aww, I think Sissy is pretty in her own way.
Yeah, me too. And it’s obvious she hasn’t “had work done.”
Both of them are a helluvalot better looking than the majority of women their age walking the streets. And Sissy S was considered a good looking actress in her younger days. And they’re both talented actresses. Post a photo of yourself so we can decide if you’re unfortunate looking.
You think Mo’nique has a pretty face? I would strongly disagree there…I think Gabby has a FAR prettier face than her.
What about Oprah? “strikingly beautiful” umm…yeah, don’t think so.
I know Oprah isn’t the most beautiful woman in Hollywood but she is huge strides above Mo’nique and Gabby. Even if it’s just because of her makeup, I think Oprah has an attractive face.
Oprah also has the best makeup artists, hairdressers and clothing stylists in the business working on her every day that she works. Ever see her after her marathon, un-made-up and in shorts? She looks like an average person – neither beautiful nor ugly.
I think that Gaby has a very pretty face. If anyone can prevail on her to lose weight in a healthy way, we’ll see it more clearly.
well, she used to be really pretty when she was younger — she won beauty contests.
Agreed re Opra :P
@Mona, sorry to hear about your recent cataracts.
I think “pretty” is very subjective. I do not think Mo’nique has a pretty face at all, Gabby has a much prettier face in my opinion. I agree for her own health she does need to lose weight. I also wish we could, as a society, see past someone’s looks. We all get ugly with age. She is a person & her weight should not define her.
I love Oprah, but I wouldn’t describe her face as strikingly beautiful. (Have you seen her without make-up?)
And Howard Stern is an asshole :P
testing
It’s not working. Kill yourself or lurk moar before bothering us again.
Yes, we all get it. You are hip and urban and WAY too cool for the masses. No MOAR please. You are tiresome. Yawn.
Mom, I told you not to post on Beet, it’s embarrassing.
I think Kirstie Alley has a strikingly monstrous face, but I still get your point.
ME too!
Gabourey Sidible will definitely work in Hollywood again. A good maid is hard to find. Okay, I’m jesting.
Her best shot for a career an acting career is perhaps on TV, where she can maybe fit in as part of an ensemble cast.
Good luck holding your breath for more women like Gabourey to now grace the big screen based on Gabourey’s early success. She wouldn’t be the first celebrated Oscar nominee to fall into oblivion not too long after an Oscar nominated performance.
“Mo’Nique’s perfect face.” Did you write that with a straight face?
P.S. When is Precious II scheduled for release?
*Her best shot for a career — an acting career — is perhaps on TV*
Aretha will bellow and fall and you’ll be vaporized Evil Beet. Make with many apologies. I think Gabourey should sue that ugly nasty vindictive Stern for slander in his singling her out for false statements injurious to a person’s reputation; false and malicious report about someone he could have easily found out was under contract for jobs,.. trying to make her value unappealing and abnormal in a world where SHE IS NOT THE ONLY FAT PERSON and minding her own damn business, not breaking any laws.
Sue Howard? Is this not the land of free speech? You don’t have to like what a person is saying but you have to respect their right to say it.
Your argument reminds me of what that total coke head, wife beater of a man known as Sean Penn said. He said, and I’m paraphrasing, that any journalist who dared to call Chavez a dictator must be jailed for lying and any person who dared to question his, or any celebrity’s motive in helping Haiti should die a screaming death of rectal cancer.
Do you see the irony of free speech in your statement and Sean Penn’s statement? Just wondering.
Anon, what fucked up, third-world shit hole are you from?
They got the interwebs in the third world now? It’s probably not high speed, though. Poor people have it rough, man…
I heard one reporter say weeks ago that Gaby would not win the Oscar because people in Hollywood doubted she would ever work again. As if it would be kind of a “waste” to give it to her.
Although she may have work now, I doubt it will continue. How many people were supposed to be the “next big thing” who faded away after their initial splash in Hollywood?
I think she’s pretty.
It seems all Howard Stern’s about is making comments about women’s bodies. He takes it upon himself to dictate what looks good and what doesn’t. Like on his show, these women throw themselves at him for a critique of their near perfect bodies. It’s disgusting. He’s disgusting. And he’s doing nothing good for women. He’s perpetuating these strict guidelines of what women’s bodies look like.
I agree. Howard is disgusting. And he couldn’t care less about women.
I doubt ANY of you listen to Howard Stern’s radio show, so how would you know what he says for the 4+ hours he’s on 4 days per week? I would take his critique of any woman’s appearance over any of your critiques all hours of the day. At least he’s seen probably thousands of women in his career and commented on virtually all of them (and he is usually very appreciative of even half-way good looking women).
Get off your high horses and face the fact he’s just telling the truth.
Gabby not pretty? She is a lot prettier than MOST actresses today. The majority of actresses/celebrities with out make up are nasty looking; Heigl, Madonna, Julia Roberts, Diaz, Nicole Ritchie, Hilton sisters and many more. I think Gabby is a very pretty woman and I am glad that she is not an anorexic, barbie snob who lives on cigs and Red Bulls all day. I see her working many years in Hollywood if she takes charge of her career and demands roles to be written for her.
You’re nuts if you think this woman is even nearly as attractive as the others you name. Nuts.
Agreed. Everyone needs to stop being so nice. While I acknowledge that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, most of the beholders would never in a million years call Gaby pretty. I would MAYBE give her cute when she’s dressed up, made-up and posing a certain way. Most of this is because of her monstrous weight. Perhaps if she lost it, we could properly ascertain if she’s pretty or not. And I honestly don’t care about her health as it relates to her weight. I just don’t like looking at fat people. It’s esthetically unappealing.
Damn, give that girl some room to work!
I completely agree, Grace. It is not that I dislike fat people for their weight alone, but I do not want to see them on screen. Pretty much ever. Kind of like how I want paintings to be beautiful instead of hideous.
I love you. Let’s get married. :)
Well at least you’re honest in your shallowness
Man, there is such a hate on for fat in this country.
Yes, being obese is unhealthy. So is doing a pound of cocaine a day. So are eating disorders. So is being a raging alcoholic.
You hear about celebrities dying of drugs, alcohol and undereating (usually a combination of all three), but how often do you hear of someone dying at a young age of being fat?
The real unhealthy celebrities do not meet nearly the same amount of scorn as those who are overweight. It’s silly.
We need to stop pretending that the reason we disapprove of these overweight women is because they are unhealthy. The real reason we disapprove is because it just doesn’t meet our society’s ideal of beauty.
Be thin, or get out. Forget talent.
I think you are over simplifying things quite a bit. It is so much easier to hide drug addiction, alcohol addiction, and to some extent eating disorders. You cannot hide being morbidly obese. It’s just not going to happen.
Obesity is arguably the number one disease/disorder in America today. The problems caused by obesity (high blood pressure, diabetes, heart failure, etc.) costs Americans billions and billions of dollars a year in health care. It isn’t a matter of just dying of obesity, but also the matter of fighting the effects of obesity (and all the money involved therein). The effects of obesity have been documented throughout the world.
Are celebrities trying to hide their drug and alcohol addictions? Every day is blog is filled with photos of strung out celebrities, and how often are the comments discussing how ‘gross’ that actor is for it?
Starlets now are reveling in their unhealthy lifestyles, and we all tune in to watch. But as soon as the celebrity can be conceived of as fat, we are more than ready to toss them to the dogs.
People do tons of unhealthy things to their bodies. Yet when is the last time you heard someone walking down the street snicker because a woman was smoking? Who throws out an insult about how inactive a thin person is?
No one gives a SHIT about health. It is all apperance.
Gabby could be an alcoholic, drug dealing, smoking, lazy and unhealthy person, but if she was beautiful and thin, no one would be questioning her ability to get work.
I give a shit about the obesity problem in America. I give a shit because it effects my hard earned money. It is a serious problem that is costing us billions of dollars.
Gabourey Sidibe is beautiful.
Honestly . . . I am a bit overweight, if not nearly to the extent of, say, Alec Baldwin. And, well, I kind of -hate- it when a main character in a show, movie, or book is overweight. I already live some fraction of that in real life.
When I am watching or reading something for entertainment, I want to identify with that beautiful person on the screen or in those pages. While it is awful that there are a disproportionate number of overweight men (and men in general) to overweight women on screen, I wish that that proportion could be corrected by reducing the number of overweight men who were allowed on screen.
After a fashion, I suppose that I want -everything- to be cast as if it is going to be Gossip Girl.
beet who are you to judge beauty? as if you are so attractive with your big jew face
. . . Are you kidding? I mean, aside from the jab at her appearance — I think that Beet is pretty hot — but who actually *says* something like “big Jew face?”
Also, I would like to remind you of the existence of the “shift” key.
If you had just made a comment sharing your personal thoughts on Sasha’s appearance I wouldn’t have commented. To each their own, right?
BUT, it is totally unacceptable to call her a “jew face”. That is WRONG on so many levels. You are disgusting.
I hope your comment is deleted because it is NEVER alright to make racist cracks at decent people. Hell, it isn’t even right to make racist cracks at non-decent people.
What is wrong with you? Did you think you were being funny?
ha ha
Cartman, is that you dude?
Are you kidding me anonymous?? Beet is so fucking hot I would let her piss on my toothbrush. And the Jewish comment…way uncalled for.
First of all, Howard Stern is disgusting. He is what all women, and people for that matter, should stand against. He only likes women with huge boobs and a size 2 waist. He’s a pig.
As for Gabourey Sidibe, I think only time will tell if she’ll make more films. I think she has a pretty face, but I recognize she needs to lose weight. It’s unhealthy, just as being anorexic, smoking, doing drugs, etc. are unhealthy.
She is a brilliant actress. She made me cry throughout that movie. I hope she does more work. I think she will be a good role model for young black women, and women and general.
It’s refreshing to see real looking people in movies who can act. As opposed to plastic surgery addicts, or skin and bones starlets who have no talent other than how they look. Philip Seymour Hoffman is in a movie? I’m there! Tom Cruise- not if they gave me the DVD for free. Lindsay Lohan is attractive, according to Hollywood standards, but is she a great actress? Not really. Maxim said some not very nice things about Sarah Jessica Parker’s looks. But I think the fact that she’s not cookie cutter cute is what makes her interesting. You can say that Ernest Borgnine is ugly as well as fat, but I’d watch “Marty” any day of the week, his performance in that movie is amazing.
“Real looking people”? Are you kidding me? I’m what I consider real, and I consider myself a bit overweight. Im probably around 143pounds at 5″4. Gabourey is not a “real woman”. She IS morbidly obese, and it DOES take away from her beauty. I hate anorexic women, but she is on the other extreme. She should lose weight, Theres a difference between overweight and obese; between chubby and fat. Gabourey is not pretty, she does not make me want a movie. I deman my movie stars to be pretty because I watch movies to escape. I want them to be a perfect world where there’s a happy ending. I doubt she’ll be successful with her current weight, but I do not deny her progenous skill. In conclusion, Gabourey is what’s wrong with the current industry. We put down anorexic women for being anorexic, the same must be said of morbidly obese.
They could have cast someone like Raven Symone, but they wisely chose Gabourey instead. And she turned in a great performance. I realize that she is morbidly obese, as I’m certain she does as well. I hope she does take some of the weight off for health reasons. I don’t demand my movie stars be perfect, I’d rather they be slightly flawed and have some acting ability, rather than look like the cast of “The Hills”.
Hey all, it appears that we’ve all decided to just ignore evilbeetdouche, which has to be the most painful thing that’s happened to him since he tried the ‘lightbulb up the ass’ trick while jerking to grandma’s panties. Keep up the good work!
Please, go back and look at her face next to Howard Stern’s face. That is one ugly mofo. I’d rather look like her than attract him. UGH!
Gabby will work again in Hollywood IF Oprah produces some feature films. Sure she is scheduled to do a few films in the next year, but I don’t think she has the staying power. Am I supposed to feel guilty for saying she won’t last in the superficial world of Hollywood?
I don’t care whether Stearn’s statement is true or not; it was a mean, classless thing to say.
Perfect reply. I think that nails it.
I was tasteless.
Howard Stern is ugly, and he’s an asshole. Enough said.
It’s funny to me (though not in a humorous way) that Beet is bashing Gabby for being fat, because she’s unattractive and she’s supposedly in poor health because of her weight. I’m not saying she’s not in poor health, or that it’s healthy to be obese, not at all. However, every time a star OD’s and dies too young (like Corey Haim today), Beet gets up on her high horse and yaps about how drugs are bad for you, get help, yada yada yada. Every time there’s talk about a “fat” celeb, it’s “this person is unhealthy, this person needs to lose weight”, NOT this person has a problem, this person needs to get help. Are these drug addicts somehow more important or more worth the help than these fat people? Is she subscribing to the very Hollywood notion that fat/obese people just need to stop eating? We all know that’s how it works, right? Just like a crack addict can just stop doing the drug, a fat person can just eat less and exercise.
I normally respect Beet, but I’m so sick of the double standard.
The girl does have a weight reduction challenge ahead of her, but I gotta disagree w/the eb……she has a very pretty face. Much prettier than JHud & Oprah.
God I hate Howard Stern. I mean, look at him. LOOK at him. He never has anything important to say. When is this jerky face going to shut the fuck up?
More power to Gabourey.
I haven’t seen her movie, but every time I see her or Hurley on Lost, I keep on thinking about their morbid obesity. I wish they would push for a celebrity Biggest Loser, at least lose enough weight to no longer be “morbidly” obese, and prove that they can act just as well at a healthier weight. It’s great that they got their roles and part of it was probably because they looked the part, but they aren’t healthy and their weight should not be glorified.
What really annoyed me was Howard Stern acting like he cares about Gabourey and is doing her a kindness by telling her how obese she is and that she’ll never have a career in Hollywood. He could at least be upfront about his douchery. That would be something.
I love Gaby in every single interview I have seen her in. She seems like a totally cool, funny girl, and I love her for being a confident human being. I also love that she obviously has a thick skin–the girl is fat, not blind. I’m sure she’s aware of her size, y’all. I actually hope her career takes off because she’ll have better access to the kinds of weight loss tools that she probably didn’t have before she was Precious. Then she can lose enough weight so we can see her be awesome for many years to come. Also, she can tell Howard Stern to suck it, which I look forward to equally.
As for the inherent “prettiness” of her face: I don’t care. I just want to go out for drinks with her and be best friends FOR EVAH.
Howard Stern is relentless cruel. I put it down to him being a very unhappy person inside, despite his fame and money.
Despite that, I thought what he said about Gabourey was in all likelihood true.
Maybe she will ride this wave of illusory popularity for a year and have a chance to do a film that someone writes for her.
And then it will be over.
There are VERY few roles for the morbidly obese that garner significant audience numbers/make the millions needed for Hollywood to consider them successful box office material.
Being unattractive doesn’t disquality you from getting roles.
But except for RoseAnne Barr, I can’t think of any other morbidly obese woman that’s ever made it.
Oprah has never been as obese as Gabourney. Oprah also has a far prettier face than Goubourney ever will, no matter how many hair or make-up artists she may have helping her.
Oprah may get books sold, but she won’t be able to get Gabourney any jobs unless it’s on a film or tv movie she produces herself.
If Gabourney was smart, she’d be thrilled she had so much fun making a movie; take her money to the bank, be very conservative with it and figure it should be an extra small monthly cushion for the next 20 years.
She could get another educational degree, and then look for a REAL job/career – and not one in Hollywood where her longevity is so limited.
Losing weight is just a good idea to take care of her health – and up to now her health hasn’t seemed to mean much to her, so that makes me wonder how smart she will be from here on out.
seriously, how can you people tell that she has a pretty face? her face is smooshed in by fat rolls. i look at her and i just see morbid obesity. it’s gross, and i don’t want to watch random movies that just happen to be starring disgustingly fat people.
the only roles she will get will be for “hugely fat actress.” obviously. this is hollywood. looks are ridiculously important.
….. ugh so fat.
Even though I despise Howard Stern, I do have to agree a bit with him and Beet – the girl is morbidly obese. I think that she may be offered roles within the next year or so, but after a while all the Precious buzz will die down and she won’t be in demand anymore. If she wants to stay in Hollywood, she needs to LOSE WEIGHT. Not just for her career, but for her HEALTH. She will not live long if she doesn’t.
I find it interesting that Beet chose to use the most unflattering picture of Gabourey she could find to illustrate her point. Why not use a picture from the Oscars or Golden Globes? I think Beet would have found it much harder to say Gabourney isn’t pretty.
Yeah, I know she wore a ton of make-up but honestly, which Hollywood actress doesn’t??
At the opening of the Oscars when all the Best Actors/Actresses were on stage and introduced Gabby did the head & shoulder flick indicating confidently “Im all that”. What would people have thought if someone like Meryl Streep or Sandra Bullock did that? Or was Gaby given a pass to do that without criticism because we all knew she was enjoying her moment in the spotlight and is likely to never bd there again? I think if someone like Renee Z was on stage and did the same thing, she would be ridiculed for being full of herself!
If everyone at the Oscars did a “head flick” it would make no difference. They all are so full of themselves and only pretend to be humble except for a select few like Jeff Bridges. Did you not watch the introductions the other actors and actresses gave to each other? It was a huge joint masturbation session.
It’s okay to have confidence. It’s even ok to be a little cocky when it’s called for. And it was completely ok in my opinion for Gaby to do a “head flick”. (Although I would have done a fist pump) If I was in her position, I would have been humble, but I would have shown my pride at being nominated for my amazing performance as well. And I would not be ashamed of it. Anyone who is bothered by a paltry “head flick” is massively insecure.
And Jessica Simpson and Lisa-Marie Presley get laid into for being ‘fat’. I wonder what people would be saying if she were white. But then again, she wouldn’t have been in that film and Oprah wouldn’t be kissing her ass.
Howard Stern looks like something I pulled from my bathtub drain
There is such a double standard what about
John Candy
John Belushi
Jackie Gleason
They were huge and successful………….and drugs and alcohol brought them down not weight.
She’s definitely pretty- the fat doesn’t mean she doesn’t have a nice facial structure. Did you ever see a picture of Jared Leto when he played the guy who shot John Lennon? He gained 80 lbs and if you saw him, you would have said “That guy got beat with an ugly stick.” But now all the flab is gone and he looks like a totally different person. The weight totally obscured his face. I think we’d be amazed how many “hot” and “ugly” people would switch categories if the pounds were shifted.
how do you know that Howard Stern did it so that it would encourage those who were reluctant to hire her ACTUALLY hire her. You’d be surprised what some people will do get unlikely results.
We all know morbid obesity is a killer disease, but it’s also a disease of the lower classes. Hopefully she’ll start making some money and will have a future with better opportunities and better health.
I think Howard Stern is blabbering for publicity.
Come on, seriously people….she is HUGE. Not chubby, not plump, morbidly OBESE! At her young age it’s terribly dangerous to promote this as positive…I know Stern rubs some the wrong way, but he was just being honest. I’m sure she’s a lovely young lady and talented, but wake up! She’s definitely on a road to early death or at least major disease, I do believe in positive body image promotion but promoting THIS as a positive body image for young girls is WRONG.
if he thinks this is fat, he should come here to Texas.