Via bioxid @ Flickr.
I want to say something about Gabourey Sidibe.
The day after Gabby attended the Academy Awards, where she was up for Best Actress, the ever-edgy Howard Stern attacked her on his radio show. He and Robin Quivers only ridicule her because they are concerned for her health, of course. Everyone knows mean-spirited jabs are the most effective way to say “I care.”
On Sunday a friend posted a photo of Gabby on her blog, along with the text, “She looks incredible. She’s glowing. Rooting so hard for her.” Someone accused her of “validating unhealthy lifestyles with praise.” He began, “There is no way it’s healthy or attractive to maintain that much subcutaneous fat, sorry.” Political Party Girl wished Gabby well and got lectured about poor health. Gabby’s great qualities are negated by the size of her body, in some people’s eyes.
Gabby’s sins are two-fold:
1. She’s really fat.
2. She doesn’t hate herself for it.
She doesn’t apologize for being fat or make self-deprecating remarks about her weight. She has not indicated that she’s desperately trying to slim down. That makes some people uncomfortable, even angry. I doubt Gabby will ever have the opportunity to read this. And it’s not like she needs my support when she’s got Oprah in her corner. But I support you, Gabby.
I hope there are many, many more opportunities awaiting Gabby, because I think she is witty, smart and FABULOUS.
(And unlike Oprah, who has dedicated multiple shows and magazine covers to the ups and downs of her weight, I love that Gabby has never once indicated anything less than complete confidence/contentment with her body.)
My favorite red carpet comment from Ms. Sidibe at the Oscars was:
“I’m the ‘Belle of the Ball?’ (pumps fist in air) Yeah, Me!”
Awesome.
I’d rather live in her Gaby’s body than Howard Stern’s head. He’s got everything in the world and he’s still mean and bitter. I don’t know her background, but she is clearly happy and confident. Someone needs to get a clue, and it’s not Gaby.
The pic on PPG’s site is amazing, but more importantly, FAR more importantly, is Sidibe’s persona. Every time I’ve seen her on a chat show, I’ve just thought how totally fucking funny and silly and awesome she seems. Gabby, call me! Let’s go to Habana Outpost!
“And it’s not like she needs my support when she’s got Oprah in her corner.”
Gabby doesn’t even need Oprah; she’s got self-confidence enough to power the world! And that’s what REALLY gets people, because even the thin, stylish, perfectly presented actors/actresses all talk about how they either 1. are gaining weight, shame! 2. are losing weight, yay! or 3. are maintaining their weight, which is really hard and good on them! But Gabby presents herself as herself, as someone who has no need to apologize for anything, and it’s so so so awesome.
It’s like listening to my baby cousin: when people tell her she’s cute or beautiful, she doesn’t say “thank you.” She says “I know.” Without any self-consciousness about it. SO GREAT.
Here’s what I really powerfully dislike about this conversation: from now until eternity, Gaby has been divested of ownership of her body and health and choices.
If she doesn’t lose weight and doesn’t get roles, one side gets to revel in the fact that they are authorities on Hollywood and “the way of the world” (because they were right, you see? They warned her this would happen). If she doesn’t lose weight and still gets roles, the other side gets to be the proud parent of a new Hollywood.
If she loses weight for *any* reason, she’s 1. finally falling in line / doing the right thing, or 2. abandoning the cause by caving to Hollywood pressure and failing to represent an underrepresented population.
I fully understand the need to push back against statements like Stern’s and that kind of hateful discourse, but I cannot help but think that the most supportive stance toward Gaby Sidibe re: weight is silence.
I hadn’t heard any of this bullshit talk around her until your post, SMC, but then I click over to FB, and there’s a link from a…’friend’?…saying “yeah, Stern’s mean, but tell me where he’s wrong.”
So I did.
@PhDork: I hope you were a total bitch about it.
I did not go The Full Bitch, but depending on how/if he responds, I may be pulling the ol’ Bitchzooka out of my lingerie drawer.
As an overweight 27 year old, it does my heart proud to see her success and it rips me up to hear all the bullsh*t people spout about “health issues” as an excuse to berate someone that doesn’t meet with the current standard of beauty. Would you hear the same kind of comments if it were a male actor? Probably not. Are we doing her any favors by pretending she’s not overweight? No. Then it’s just the elephant in the room.
And, yes, fat people have higher risks for certain health issues, but, I am healthier (and I’m sure many others are as well) than a lot of people that are a whole hell of a lot thinner than me and I have the lab results from my doctor to prove it! If you have a problem with my weight, that’s just too bad and don’t try to sugarcoat it with alleged concern for my health.
My favorite Gaby quote: “I’d hit that.” directly to Gerard Butler. That girl’s got more confidence that I could ever hope to. More power to her!
I really don’t get why Howard Stern is rewarded so generously for being a professional asshole.
Have you seen the clip of Sidibe talking about how attractive she finds Gerard Butler? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9QHaaV0NtY
I really hope Hollywood doesn’t crush her awesomeness.
Hey Melme, I think we just had a psychic moment!
Whatever happens with Ms. Sidibe — and I hope she gets lots more work — she’s already made an amazing contribution to the world, and that should be acknowledged. I personally am jealous that she got to hang with fab people like Mo’Nique and Lenny Kravitz.
Go to hell, Howard Stern.
I can’t get over the hypocrisy of these people attacking Gabby about her weight because they “care about her health.” No they don’t; if they cared about actors’ health, they would be berating all of the actors that smoke.
Gabby is awesome and probably more healthy than most of her chain-smoking, starving fellow actors. She is certainly more attractive to me!
I think she’s lovely and I hope the dialogue that continues about this issue is the inappropriateness of Stern’s comments and not more discussion about her body. Everyone’s body should be off the table for discussion and/or ridicule. Also, I think you’re lovely for being in her corner. May I stand beside you?
I am happy that she isn’t swamping attention to herself by the means most celebrities are: weight. We have no idea if she has tried/hasn’t tried to lose weight. And it’s none of our fucking buisness.
We give way too much attention to who is not skinny enough/too skinny. Her fame is from her personality. I think anyone can respect that. Mr. Stern is just a “shock jock”. Maybe he can go stick “something” in an electric shoot and broadcast that with commentary. It is beyond rude that he thought he had any right to talk about her that way.
I absolutely adore Gabby! This girl is a true role model in every sense.
[...] examples of “concern” being expressed for Gabourey Sidibe’s “health”, Pursuit of Harpyness has hit the nail on the head: Gabby’s great qualities are negated by the size of her body, in [...]
I’m going to say something here that I hope isn’t taken as being an attack on Gaby. Her talent and her joyous attitude towards herself and her life are wonderful to see. And attacking people’s appearance is always out of line. (I mean, Howard Stern, who are you to be throwing stones?)
However…let’s be real here. Sadly, the chances of Gaby going on to be cast again in mainstream movies is pretty small, given Hollywood’s preference for conventional body types. Just as her body was part of what made her the right person for the role in “Precious”, it may prove to be an impediment for studio projects. She may have better luck with indie films, and perhaps she’ll build up enough popularity that her appearance in a movie will be a draw.
That’s a harsh reality, and it’s one that audiences are just as responsible for as studios themselves. If we as filmgoers were more willing to see a wider range of body types in movies, more such people would be cast.
My sense of Gaby is that she’s a realist and a tough young woman. If she never makes another movie, she’s still forced a discussion that is a necessary and healthy one. I hope that she gets more work, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she doesn’t.
I don’t think any of Gabby’s fans are under the delusion that she’ll have an easy time getting work in Hollywood. We’d just prefer to see the blame placed where it belongs, and for people to stop disguising their disgust with phony concern.
Regardless of Gabby’s body, I always worry for someone like Gabby, meaning, how old is she?
She’s dead right when she says she is the belle of the ball. She’s come to a very high point in her life. If there are no more roles for her, then what? How hard is it peak that high that young? I wish her happiness in her life, and hope the come-down is successful for her.
@Sarah: Right, and I realize that her career per se wasn’t the point of the original post. When someone as mean-spirited as Howard Stern tells you he’s concerned for your welfare, hold on to your wallet and run for the hills.
One thing that could happen to Gaby is that she will end up ghettoized, as it were, as comic relief in mainstream movies, since fat people are automatically funny, right? I hope for better things for her, whether it’s in the movie business or not.
This, again: “I cannot help but think that the most supportive stance toward Gaby Sidibe re: weight is silence.”
Delurking here with some good news.
Gaby Sidibe was just cast in the new Showtime series The Big C costarring Laura Linney and Oliver Platt. I don’t know much about it. This is the description from Hollywood.com: “The series centers on Linney’s Cathy, a suburban wife and mother diagnosed with terminal cancer. It will premiere in late summer.”
Sorry if that sounds like some PR machine. I’m excited that she’ll be on my TV soon, and it’s a great tidbit to shut down that particular bit of naysaying. Here’s hoping her character will let her shine, and not just be some old stereotype.
So do I.
Whether or not her weight is healthy… hmm. Whose business is that? Hers. Anyone else? No.
So Howard Stern, you can take your insincere concern for her health and shove it, because all you’re actually doing is looking for an excuse to criticise her.
[...] topics like cherry blossoms and libertarians this week, let’s talk about Gabby Sidibe. This post discusses her success and how people have reacted to it. There are two very complicated and [...]