Hollywood Heavyweights Pound Out Wrong Message
Lauren Keaton is a staff writer for the Tyler Paper.
Thin is in and skinny is beautiful in Hollywood, right?
A few people are pushing for a change ... but are they really making a difference or making things worse?
Movie execs seem to be leading the pack, recently releasing the new musical film "Hairspray" putting plus-size stars like Queen Latifah and lead newbie Nikki Blonsky on the silver screen.
But, it seems that these days there is not much wiggle room between looking like boney Kate Moss or the large and lovely Camryn Manheim (The Practice).
And even stars who are more on the curvy side like Kelly Clarkson and the reigning American Idol Jordin Sparks are feeling the heat to either drop the weight or drop their career.
Some have given in, like Hilary Duff who recently lost upwards of 30 pounds after the headline "Hilary Duff Puffs Up" hit tabloid stands across the country.
Of course she freaked and hit the gym, causing the press to change its tune.
She has been praised for her recent change and featured on numerous magazine covers, doing interviews about her "healthy" lifestyle these days. But, seeing her in movies such as "Cinderella Story," was she unhealthy to begin with?
Now, we are left with an alien-looking brunette who looks nothing like the much-loved "Lizzie McGuire'' star.
Regardless, these are the cover girls, these are the girls who are highlighted in our society ... these are the girls who look "fit" to us.
I have to ask: Why?
It's common knowledge that celebrity endorsements are very important in today's ad-driven culture.
Hilary is best known in the commercial biz for her Candies and Ice Breakers plugs.
Original American Idol Kelly Clarkson, on the other hand, has signed on to be Vitamin Water's celebrity voice for their upcoming campaign.
With her recent weight-gain, manufacturer Glaceau is looking to send the star's contract down the drain unless she shapes up- and soon.
According to the New York Post's Page Six, the bulimia-battling diva, who once said to Us Magazine "I think it's good for people to see normal," has been put on a strict diet and if she does drop the poundage, I am sure we will all be adequately informed.
I understand that it is important to look in top form if you are representing a sports drink.
That makes sense.
But, something tells me that if the power liquid's execs get what they want, she will be going overboard.
Right after Jordin Sparks won American Idol in May, I tuned in to a Fox News segment where one of National Action Against Obesity's spokespeople, MeMe Roth, called the curvaceous Idol "obese."
I was shocked.
Today, especially, that word packs quite a punch.
And I wasn't the only one who thought she was going a little too far with the term ... the show's host wasn't happy either.
But, it became worse when the woman went on to say that Jordin was a bad example for children who will soon start thinking that is OK to be "fat," and the fact that America voted for her meant that activists are clearly losing their battle against the childhood obesity epidemic.
One side of me thinks it is almost unbelievable that Ms. Roth would say that about the singer, but then again, is it?
And if a girl who stands 5-10 and is a size 12 is considered downright huge ... what does that mean for the rest of us?
Yes, it is always a good idea to be in the best shape possible.
Being healthy should be the goal when anyone starts on a workout program, but sadly that is not the ultimate objective anymore.
With all the yo-yo dieting out there and millions of dollars spent each year on diet pills, fitness is not important to the average American, it is the number on the scale.
To further the point, some startling statistics from the National Eating Disorders Association say that 42 percent of first through third grade girls want to be thinner and 81 percent of 10 year olds are afraid of being fat, leading to over one half of teenage girls (and almost one third of teen boys) using unhealthy eating control behaviors such as skipping meals, fasting, smoking cigarettes, vomiting and taking laxatives.
So, when this mindset is affecting our youth at such an enormous rate, how can we expect things to get any better?
I am not advocating for girls to ignore what they look like, I just wish there was a happy medium that built self-esteem and encouraged healthiness.
Maybe that is too much to ask, but I continue to stay hopeful.
A few people are pushing for a change ... but are they really making a difference or making things worse?
Movie execs seem to be leading the pack, recently releasing the new musical film "Hairspray" putting plus-size stars like Queen Latifah and lead newbie Nikki Blonsky on the silver screen.
But, it seems that these days there is not much wiggle room between looking like boney Kate Moss or the large and lovely Camryn Manheim (The Practice).
And even stars who are more on the curvy side like Kelly Clarkson and the reigning American Idol Jordin Sparks are feeling the heat to either drop the weight or drop their career.
Some have given in, like Hilary Duff who recently lost upwards of 30 pounds after the headline "Hilary Duff Puffs Up" hit tabloid stands across the country.
Of course she freaked and hit the gym, causing the press to change its tune.
She has been praised for her recent change and featured on numerous magazine covers, doing interviews about her "healthy" lifestyle these days. But, seeing her in movies such as "Cinderella Story," was she unhealthy to begin with?
Now, we are left with an alien-looking brunette who looks nothing like the much-loved "Lizzie McGuire'' star.
Regardless, these are the cover girls, these are the girls who are highlighted in our society ... these are the girls who look "fit" to us.
I have to ask: Why?
It's common knowledge that celebrity endorsements are very important in today's ad-driven culture.
Hilary is best known in the commercial biz for her Candies and Ice Breakers plugs.
Original American Idol Kelly Clarkson, on the other hand, has signed on to be Vitamin Water's celebrity voice for their upcoming campaign.
With her recent weight-gain, manufacturer Glaceau is looking to send the star's contract down the drain unless she shapes up- and soon.
According to the New York Post's Page Six, the bulimia-battling diva, who once said to Us Magazine "I think it's good for people to see normal," has been put on a strict diet and if she does drop the poundage, I am sure we will all be adequately informed.
I understand that it is important to look in top form if you are representing a sports drink.
That makes sense.
But, something tells me that if the power liquid's execs get what they want, she will be going overboard.
Right after Jordin Sparks won American Idol in May, I tuned in to a Fox News segment where one of National Action Against Obesity's spokespeople, MeMe Roth, called the curvaceous Idol "obese."
I was shocked.
Today, especially, that word packs quite a punch.
And I wasn't the only one who thought she was going a little too far with the term ... the show's host wasn't happy either.
But, it became worse when the woman went on to say that Jordin was a bad example for children who will soon start thinking that is OK to be "fat," and the fact that America voted for her meant that activists are clearly losing their battle against the childhood obesity epidemic.
One side of me thinks it is almost unbelievable that Ms. Roth would say that about the singer, but then again, is it?
And if a girl who stands 5-10 and is a size 12 is considered downright huge ... what does that mean for the rest of us?
Yes, it is always a good idea to be in the best shape possible.
Being healthy should be the goal when anyone starts on a workout program, but sadly that is not the ultimate objective anymore.
With all the yo-yo dieting out there and millions of dollars spent each year on diet pills, fitness is not important to the average American, it is the number on the scale.
To further the point, some startling statistics from the National Eating Disorders Association say that 42 percent of first through third grade girls want to be thinner and 81 percent of 10 year olds are afraid of being fat, leading to over one half of teenage girls (and almost one third of teen boys) using unhealthy eating control behaviors such as skipping meals, fasting, smoking cigarettes, vomiting and taking laxatives.
So, when this mindset is affecting our youth at such an enormous rate, how can we expect things to get any better?
I am not advocating for girls to ignore what they look like, I just wish there was a happy medium that built self-esteem and encouraged healthiness.
Maybe that is too much to ask, but I continue to stay hopeful.
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