Celebrity Bodies: Whose Business Is It?

Good post, thanks! I am trying to wean myself away from reading "entertainment" news. I wonder if Brad and Angelina really are a couple, but I don't even know who's running for Assemblyman in my district! It's time we stopped allowing the media to sate us with infotainment pieces scripted by PR reps, and forced them to ask real questions about real issues.

I don't think a lot of people realize that celebrities ARE real people and probably are just as insecure as the rest of us. I really relate to Teri Hatcher because I am a runner too and I am pretty slim and lean because of it. I get tired of the comments that people make about my weight and wish people would realize that I am healthy. Just like someone who is overweight can be healthy. It's a shame that the public is always thinking celebrities should lose/gain weight, etc. Aren't they their own person too? Shouldn't THEY be the ones deciding that?

Celebrities desperately want their appearance to be our business, at least when they are looking good. If the public ceases to care, some of them will actually have to get jobs. I do think the average Joe or Josephine takes a little satisfaction when Mr. or Mrs. Hollywood gets caught with their gut hanging out of a tight bathing suit. I know I feel a little better when I see a picture of flabby Arnold. If a celebrity is sensitive about their appearance, then they need to get over it or they need a different career.

I have this really intense fantasy that someday people will want to watch good actors, rather than a bunch of pretty people with blindingly white teeth (Not that they are mutually exclusive).

I have this really intense fantasy that people will just stop caring about Hollywood, and the lives of pretty rich people, and get out and live lives themselves which would be interesting enough to make a movie out of. (As to the latter part of this, I wish the same for me; I am thus far failing.)

I would like to see a world with no Extras, no Entertainment Tonights, no Us or People magazines. No MTV. No awards shows, no red carpet, no inane puff piece interviews whenever a celebrity has another cruddy, forgettable, 100 million dollar movie to plug.

I would love a world where people assessed actors and movies as artists and works of art, rather than as products, trends, and celebrities.

No more red carpets, $20,000 dresses, pieces of jewelry whose worth could feed 7 villages for a year in the Third World. No more paparazzi, candid photos over mansion fences. No publicists, no vicious fashion and pop culture commentators out to convince the world that the absurdity of Hollywood matters one bit in the scheme of things.

Actors will always be heroes and heroines; it would be a great thing if rather than fetishize them, gossip about them, and envying them from afar, instead we took notice of the fact that at their best, the greatest service they do for us is to show what is possible *for us*. In a word, actors should inspire us. This is a rarity these days, at least in any way that matters (There are some notable exceptions).

The problem is not skinny celebrities, but the way the "rest of us" fetishize them. It's the public; the feedback loop. It's every dollar you spend on tabloids at the supermarket checkout line. It's every movie you pay to see or CD you buy just because the person is good looking.

In a word, our own vanity. It's not the fat on a celebrity that people disdain, but their own fat; and they can depersonalize their own shortcomings and self-consciousness, and project them upon a very wealthy person who, by virtue of being rich and successful, one can hate without guilt. It's much more pleasant than self-loathing.

It's got nothing to do with them except to the extent that, as Randy points out, our incessant gawking means that the money is going to be tied up in the idiotic minutae of being skinny as a rail. It wasn't always like this, at least not to this degree. Nor is it this bad in other countries; this is primarily (but not exclusively) an American problem.

We in America put out the most offensively vapid, insipid movies with the skinniest, shiny-teethed, cardboard-cutout body-of-a-Barbie-doll celebrities, and yet *we* more than other countries, have the biggest problem with obesity.

Isn't it ironic.

Don't you think?

If you buy the entertainment magazines, go to see big budget Hollywood tripe just because the young, sexy, flavor of the moment is starring in it - if you give your money and your time over to all of these things, you *are* the problem.

If you think I have some issue with the entertainment world, you're right, it, and its benefactors, drive me nuts.

anyone in good health who looses weight on purpose is wanting to spend the rest oftheir life in a wheelchair.

everybody has the right to be the way they like. it is nobody's buisness what you looke like.

When you `sign up` to be a `celebrity` - whatever that terms means, you open yourself up to public scrutiny. It's all part of the trade-off.

If you think your fat, your probablly aren't. Just because you weigh 125 pounds doesn't make you fat. If you think you are fat, start running to doing crunches, but don't over work it. Don't eat out all the time and instead of those chips for a snack, try an apple or carrots.

it not celebrities fault, I'm sure a lot of them are just as insecure as everyone else. Its society's view of 'perfection' thats the problem because there is no such thing. Nobodys perfect but nobodys imperfect, we are all equal, were all people, nobody is superior or inferior. But unfortunately that isn't how society sees it, which is why more and more people are getting plastic surgery or developing a eating disorder.

They only way to survive in this screwed up world of ours is to stick together and help each other through our insecurites and change peoples selfish views.
Then mankind can truely evolve into something everyone should be.

i think that celebs are owr bizz, cause i mean if you now that almost every eye is going to be on you then why say that it's no ones bizz you have a choise to be a celeb and live with it or don't be a celeb and then if
people are in your bizz then you can say buz of

IT'S TRUE NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO JUDGE SOMEONE ABOUT IF THEY GAINED WEIGHT OR IF THEY LOST ALOT OF WEIGHT THAT GOES FOR CELEBRITIES TOO IF THEY DONT FEEL RIGHT WITH THERE BODIES WELL THEY GOT THE CHOSE OF CHANGING IT JUST LIKE US IF WE FEEL THAT WE ARE FAT THEN WE CAN CHANGE THAT OR IF WE FEEL THAT WE ARE TOO THIN WE CAN CHANGE THAT TOO.

I am going through a tough battle with my weight at the moment. I am always told that i am thin but i never really believe it myself. I am only 5"2 and find it hard to look "just right". I either feel too heavy or too hagard. I think that problems with weight stem from x comments made by x amount of people. To me, celebrities like Heidi Range and Scarlett Johansen who are incredibly beautiful and curvy are inspirational to young women.

i think skinny celebs is a bad thing because it is setting a bad example for children and teenagers

xxxoooxxxooo

p.s put some wait on !!!

We hear a lot about celebrities saying that they are too fat and hate looking in the mirror. This frustrates a lot of us especially when they already have a skinny image, but what about all the accusations from the public and the media about how Teri Hatcher and Mischa Barton?? These are people who naturally have a thin body and are fighting claims that they are taking their body image to far. You can never please anyone when you’re in the lime light. If you live in Hollywood, every miniscule of your image and personality is held up for public criticism, remarks and rumors.

Teri Hatcher used to have a good body. She was thin but she did have curves (think back to the days of Lois and Clark or, even earlier, on MacGyver). Now she's a SKELETON...she's lost a considerable amount of weight since then. Pictures of her jogging show her thighs...they are thinner than her knees! So I don't think she's setting a good example at all. Clinics nationwide have reported an increase in eating disorders among women ages 30-40...probably due to the number of Hollywood women in that age group that are so very thin.

this is a good website

God, Nicole Richie looks pretty fat to me.
Wasn't it Ally McBeal that was the walking skeleton? She was pretty skinny, even for my tastes.
I don't think a body fat % of 10 is out of the question for women - if they just apply themselves.

Mr. HoHo...I'm a woman and my BF% is right around 10-11% because I'm a runner and watch my diet. But it's too low...women SHOULD have no less than 14% fat. So I'm actually trying to put a couple pounds on. Women are supposed to have curves you know.

Mr. HoHo: Said another way, essential fat for women is 10-12% body fat. Women who die of starvation will still have that much body fat on them. However, 10% body fat for men is what I'd call "pretty lean". The essential fat range for men is 2-4% body fat. Women naturally have higher body fat percentages and have a totally different scale about what's underweight, normal, or overweight. I think something like 16-18% for a woman would be about equivalent to 10% for a man.

This is a great article. I was once a slave of the magazine cover maffia, at once wishing I could look like the same celebrities I was mentally berating for exerting that type of power over my relationship between me and my body image.

When someone enters a realm where they are constantly under the public eye we expect them to be perfect people, but how can you maintain normalcy in a completely unnatural situation? How can we be moral judges on people we know solely through Vanity Fair and Cosmo?

It shouldn't be about body fat percentages, but more about overall health and well-being. That is a lot of the problem. When we focus on weight we miss the whole point of our bodies - our ability to do things like run marathons or just plain run. Extrapolating body image from the feelings of happiness and self-esteem that go with treating yourself right can just turn your body into some constant bane, something you're constantly trying to control instead of trying to do right by it.

I think that disgusting people such as Mr.HoHo is the reason that so many people suffer from diseases like anerexia. Yes, stars have influences, but usually it's because of nasty people, that some girls are foolish enough to try to impress. I think that some people are really disgusting, and should seriously keep off of websites where they spread their disgusting thoughts.

you wouldn't make fun of a fat person or yell at them to lose weight so why do they do it to skinnny people?

The best friends are the ones who tell you the truth.

Terri Hatcher looks like shit!

I always got told by my parents and all the people around me that I was fat. So one day, I decided to slim down. My dieting worked, but after a year I got told by my parents and everyone else that I was too skinny. I was so annoyed.
This is why you should never listen to the people around you, you should do what you feel is right for yourself, not think about what other people say. Everyone has different views, so you get picked on whatever size you are.
Celebrites are people as well, so they have their own right. Maybe if we stopped picking on them, they might turn out to be more healthy.

These celebritys also have alot of pressure in there group around hollywood, la etc to be very skinny & there all competing. Skinny celebritys do influence us and do give us pressure to be skinny but they dont know they are doing it (they dont exactly think o ive just given a girl in essex anorexia they arent aware that a boy in sussex has developed an eating disorder because of there influence). I really think there isnt enough awarness about eating disorders in schools, college, and on the news etc. so many people die of it but nobody shows you on the news but they would if they were murdered it should be made more aware tell people the truth you can die from anorexia people should know the dangers its so serious. God !! There is so much pressure to be gorgeous ! Just enjoy your life you have only got it once make the most of it! People who have had an eating disorder have had it for years in most stories and what a waist of your life that was being so misserable and sad depressed. Accept yourself , enjoy your life, be what you wanna be your not around long enough to waste your life away ! xxxxxx

I think nicole richie looks great my personal opinion and i personally would LOVE to look like her !!!! But that is me personally ! Im not saying anorexia is great or anything because its not its just me i personally would like to look like that xxx

hello, your first post was great - but your second one shows you are out of touch with reality. If you looked like Nicole Richie, you'd be very very sick, both physically and mentally.

I wish I had read this post a year ago. I have printed it out because it rings so true to me. Even if I just read "this stuff", I am supporting it and part of the problem. I hope others read your post and see themselves in it. thank you so much.

Stop reading hollywood mags that hurt all women!

To me some of the celebraties are way to skinny it's not for me to say but when they look like a stick it means they have gone to far ..!!!! i think they should think about what they are doing. it may be hard at the time, but when your throwing up and not eating right that has to be some sort of sign for you to stop. im only 13 and for some of my friends it has set a bad example for them because that is what they have been doing latey, and i dont wont they to change what they look like bcause of they are seeing from other women.

from michelle .

I agree that celebrities do influence the bodies of other women. I, myself am a victim of fashion mags and media. I'm 5'2 and 110 lb. I've always has body issues, but now they're getting worse because I keep obsessing over what weight I should be at my height and age. I wanna be 102 lbs and as sad as it sounds, I starve for it.

Randy Smith said:
Celebrities desperately want their appearance to be our business, at least when they are looking good. If the public ceases to care, some of them will actually have to get jobs. I do think the average Joe or Josephine takes a little satisfaction when Mr. or Mrs. Hollywood gets caught with their gut hanging out of a tight bathing suit. I know I feel[...]

Iggy Petulante said:
I have this really intense fantasy that someday people will want to watch good actors, rather than a bunch of pretty people with blindingly white teeth (Not that they are mutually exclusive).[...]

i think celebs are far to skinny and influence people espeacially teenagers into having them as their role model. People dont relise the impact of starving yourself. Results can be fatal in the long run. They only keep down there weight because of the presure of the film,music and modeling industries. Celebs dont relise how much they put forward the point that the skinner you are the more likely your are to make it in the modeling music movie careers espeacially in u.s.a
The boby is soposed to be natrually curvy and the fact that celebs think that bones sticking out everywhere is atractive they need to get an attictude check!!!!!!!!

Don't most men find curvier women sexier than stick thin women? Have you seen how Angelina's veins stick out on her thin arms? That is not sexy. I can totally understand celebrity women's desire to be skiny. I just can't understand why some celebrity women want to be super super skinny. When I see stars who are thin and have curves and look great, I can never understand why these stars sometimes decide to get way too thin. Maybe some of these stars have hidden anorexia-who knows? I do know one thing-most people (celebrity or not) are not naturally thin. Stars work just as hard as the rest of us mortals to stay in shape, and stars are also imperfect, fallible human beings-they are not gods and goddeses. We are the ones who treat them that way.

First the tabloids criticize Brittney Spears for getting too fat-then the tabloids recently criticized Brittney Spears for losing 30 Lbs in about four months and finally getting back to her normal weight. She didn't lose the weight in a healthy manner-sure-but it just amazes me what these tabloids say about celebrities who lose or gain too much weight-and we the public eat it up. Many celebrities likely have emotional problems that we the public are unaware of. We look at and admire or criticize celebrities for their appearances on the outside, but how much do we know about what is going on with them on the inside?

Terri atcher is funny and serious I love her caractres in desperate housewives she is Vs éva longoria ? I don't know answer my questions please thank you everybody bye,and you forgoten i like terri hatcher Ok ? thanks

Both overweight and underweight celebrities set bad examples. The real issue is whether they are healthy. It is no secret that the general public is overweight and under-exercised. And this increases with age. I agree that we should not be worshiping celebrities. They are flawed real people who made choices which provide benefits and have to deal with a different set of pressures than most people. However, demonizing people whose level of income is hugely influenced by a need to maintain a healthy weight is self-defeating. Regardless of what anorexic or overweight people want to believe because of their own self-image, maintaining a reasonably low body fat index through moderate (not excessive) exercise and reasonable (not excessively stringent) diet is a good thing which is achievable by the general public but not generally practiced by most doing the complaining. My suggestion is don't be too concerned if you have a big frame instead of a small one. After a lifestyle change, if you are thin framed, you may look "thinner" unless you add a little muscle to replace the fat. And if you are large framed, you may wind up with those attractive bombshell curves. But instead of criticizing those that are small framed or large framed but healthy, use them as inspiration and get healthy yourself.