Gabourey Sidibe On Her Attention From HollywoodAccess Hollywood
Gabourey Sidibe may be a Golden Globe nominee and hotly tipped for an Oscar nomination, but it appears award shows aren't the only fans of the 26-year old. Hollywood stars love her, too.
The star of "Precious," stepped out in New York City for a party recently where she was fawned over.
"We've all been to a place where we've felt ignored and unsupported, so it just affirms the meaning of the film's story to me," Gabourey told Harper's Bazaar about the celebrity attention. "Ashley Olsen hugged me for a long time -- like rubbing my back and everything -- and said, 'I am so proud of you.' How cute is that?"
While Gabourey has a boyfriend, who she won't name publicly, it hasn't stopped the rising star from crushing on a few celebrities.
"Man! Justin Timberlake is always good," she told the mag. "God, there are so many hot dudes in Hollywood right now. I'm such a fanny, fanny girl. Bradley Cooper. How hot is he?"
And while she's likely to rubbing shoulders with Justin, Bradley and others on the award show circuit, Gabourey also has a fairly busy schedule with photo shoots.
"I feel like a model," she said of all the pictorials that have come her way. "It justifies everyone in my life who told me I wouldn't be anything until I lost weight. It justifies that little girl who cried because she didn't think she could be in front of the camera. And it's for other girls who feel like they can't do this or that and feel like they're not pretty and not worthy of having their photo taken."
The star said she doesn't have any plans to change.
"I'm just happy to show up. So, I don't have any plans of changing because I really, really like myself," she said. "It took a lot of work to get here. It's reaffirming for people to meet me and ask me not to change."
AccessHollywood.com
Full Version: Gabourey Sidibe
MAG STUFF: GABBY SIDIBE IN HARPAR’S BAZAAR + HER QUOTE ON CONFIDENCE
Golden Globe-nominated actress Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe recently posed for the February issue of Harpar’s Bazaar and spoke about her confidence and frustrations with the media.
On doing the Harper’s Bazaar shoot:
“I feel like a model. It justifies everyone in my life who told me I wouldn’t be anything until I lost weight. It justifies that little girl who cried because she didn’t think she could be in front of the camera. And it’s for other girls who feel like they can’t do this or that and feel like they’re not pretty and not worthy of having their photo taken.”
On her confidence:
“People always ask me, ‘You have so much confidence. Where did that come from?’ It came from me. One day I decided that I was beautiful, and so I carried out my life as if I was a beautiful girl. I wear colors that I really like, I wear makeup that makes me feel pretty, and it really helps. It doesn’t have anything to do with how the world perceives you. What matters is what you see.”
On her frustration with some media synopsis’ of Precious:
“‘Gabby Sidibe is an overweight black girl who is illiterate and pregnant by her father,’” she parrots. “Look, I am black. I’m also overweight, but that’s not the point of the story. The point is the abuse and her bravery. This stuff happens to skinny people, to white people, to so many different people that they’ve missed the point if they say it’s about a fat girl.”
Source:ConcreteLoop.com
Golden Globe-nominated actress Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe recently posed for the February issue of Harpar’s Bazaar and spoke about her confidence and frustrations with the media.
On doing the Harper’s Bazaar shoot:
“I feel like a model. It justifies everyone in my life who told me I wouldn’t be anything until I lost weight. It justifies that little girl who cried because she didn’t think she could be in front of the camera. And it’s for other girls who feel like they can’t do this or that and feel like they’re not pretty and not worthy of having their photo taken.”
On her confidence:
“People always ask me, ‘You have so much confidence. Where did that come from?’ It came from me. One day I decided that I was beautiful, and so I carried out my life as if I was a beautiful girl. I wear colors that I really like, I wear makeup that makes me feel pretty, and it really helps. It doesn’t have anything to do with how the world perceives you. What matters is what you see.”
On her frustration with some media synopsis’ of Precious:
“‘Gabby Sidibe is an overweight black girl who is illiterate and pregnant by her father,’” she parrots. “Look, I am black. I’m also overweight, but that’s not the point of the story. The point is the abuse and her bravery. This stuff happens to skinny people, to white people, to so many different people that they’ve missed the point if they say it’s about a fat girl.”
Source:ConcreteLoop.com
Gabourey Sidibe is bemused by the media's obsession with her Precious Body
GABOUREY Sidibe, the untrained actor who is drawing serious Oscar buzz for her acclaimed performance in the ghetto drama Precious, is suspicious of the media's obsession with her body.
The 26-year-old New Yorker is aware that she doesn't fit the Hollywood mould.
"People are kind of in awe of me because I like myself and I talk about that. If I were size zero, if I were blonde with blue eyes, and a perfect nose and all of that, and said that I liked myself and that I was beautiful, then people would hate me," she says.
Sidibe's ability to get into her character - who has endured years of abuse from a violent mother and a father who has repeatedly raped her and fathered her two children - means people are often surprised she is nothing like the victim she plays.
"Which makes sense, I guess, because I wasn't a public figure before the film. But it doesn't take them long to work out that I'm not Precious."
Sidibe, who was studying to become a research psychologist when she auditioned for the role, has already shot her follow-up project Yelling to the Sky, in which she stars opposite Zoe Kravitz, daughter of Lenny and Lisa Bonet.
"I play the victimiser as opposed to the victim. And I finally get to make out with a boy," she says.
Precious is now on release.
GABOUREY Sidibe, the untrained actor who is drawing serious Oscar buzz for her acclaimed performance in the ghetto drama Precious, is suspicious of the media's obsession with her body.
The 26-year-old New Yorker is aware that she doesn't fit the Hollywood mould.
"People are kind of in awe of me because I like myself and I talk about that. If I were size zero, if I were blonde with blue eyes, and a perfect nose and all of that, and said that I liked myself and that I was beautiful, then people would hate me," she says.
Sidibe's ability to get into her character - who has endured years of abuse from a violent mother and a father who has repeatedly raped her and fathered her two children - means people are often surprised she is nothing like the victim she plays.
"Which makes sense, I guess, because I wasn't a public figure before the film. But it doesn't take them long to work out that I'm not Precious."
Sidibe, who was studying to become a research psychologist when she auditioned for the role, has already shot her follow-up project Yelling to the Sky, in which she stars opposite Zoe Kravitz, daughter of Lenny and Lisa Bonet.
"I play the victimiser as opposed to the victim. And I finally get to make out with a boy," she says.
Precious is now on release.
Gabourey Sidibe slaps Chris Rock after awards show grope
Controversial comic Chris Rock incurred the wrath of Gabourey Sidibe's father at a recent awards luncheon - after the funnyman groped the actress as she collected a prize.
The "Precious" star, who is nominated for a Best Actress Oscar at Sunday's Academy Awards, was honored at the third annual Essence Black Women in Hollywood event in Los Angeles on Thursday.
But she got a shock as she stood up to make her way to the stage - when Rock grabbed her behind with both hands.
Despite shaking off the "Everybody Hates Chris" creator with a playful slap, Sidibe admits her father was furious over the incident.
She tells ETOnline, "As I go up to get my award in a room where my dad is, because he's one of my dates, Chris Rock grabbed my butt with both of his hands - and then I slapped him back. I didn't think too much of it at all, but my dad was super p**sed."
And she quips, "Some dudes gotta have it - it's my own fault for being too damn fine."
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate...7#ixzz0hSrHHzKp
Howard Stern: Gabourey Sidibe Is 'Enormous,' Will Never Work Again
Posted: 03- 9-10 06:08 PM
Howard Stern unleashed a vicious attack on Gabourey Sidibe on his Sirius satellite show on Monday.
"There's the most enormous, fat black chick I've ever seen. She is enormous. Everyone's pretending she's a part of show business and she's never going to be in another movie," he said. "She should have gotten the Best Actress award because she's never going to have another shot. What movie is she gonna be in?"
He and co-host Robin Quivers went on to discuss the impossibility of Gabby finding any work in Hollywood after 'Precious.'
"And Oprah's lying and saying you're going to have a brilliant career," said Robin.
"Oprah's another liar, a filthy liar," said Stern. "She's telling an enormous woman the size of a planet that she's going to have a career."
It looks like Gabby will prove Stern wrong. She is lined up to appear on the new Showtime series 'The C Word' and her next big-screen appearance will be opposite Zoe Kravitz in the drama 'Yelling to the Sky.'
Posted: 03- 9-10 06:08 PM
Howard Stern unleashed a vicious attack on Gabourey Sidibe on his Sirius satellite show on Monday.
"There's the most enormous, fat black chick I've ever seen. She is enormous. Everyone's pretending she's a part of show business and she's never going to be in another movie," he said. "She should have gotten the Best Actress award because she's never going to have another shot. What movie is she gonna be in?"
He and co-host Robin Quivers went on to discuss the impossibility of Gabby finding any work in Hollywood after 'Precious.'
"And Oprah's lying and saying you're going to have a brilliant career," said Robin.
"Oprah's another liar, a filthy liar," said Stern. "She's telling an enormous woman the size of a planet that she's going to have a career."
It looks like Gabby will prove Stern wrong. She is lined up to appear on the new Showtime series 'The C Word' and her next big-screen appearance will be opposite Zoe Kravitz in the drama 'Yelling to the Sky.'
QUOTE (BobbyD @ Mar 9 2010, 07:24 PM) 
Howard Stern: Gabourey Sidibe Is 'Enormous,' Will Never Work Again
Posted: 03- 9-10 06:08 PM
Howard Stern unleashed a vicious attack on Gabourey Sidibe on his Sirius satellite show on Monday.
"There's the most enormous, fat black chick I've ever seen. She is enormous. Everyone's pretending she's a part of show business and she's never going to be in another movie," he said. "She should have gotten the Best Actress award because she's never going to have another shot. What movie is she gonna be in?"
He and co-host Robin Quivers went on to discuss the impossibility of Gabby finding any work in Hollywood after 'Precious.'
"And Oprah's lying and saying you're going to have a brilliant career," said Robin.
"Oprah's another liar, a filthy liar," said Stern. "She's telling an enormous woman the size of a planet that she's going to have a career."
It looks like Gabby will prove Stern wrong. She is lined up to appear on the new Showtime series 'The C Word' and her next big-screen appearance will be opposite Zoe Kravitz in the drama 'Yelling to the Sky.'
Posted: 03- 9-10 06:08 PM
Howard Stern unleashed a vicious attack on Gabourey Sidibe on his Sirius satellite show on Monday.
"There's the most enormous, fat black chick I've ever seen. She is enormous. Everyone's pretending she's a part of show business and she's never going to be in another movie," he said. "She should have gotten the Best Actress award because she's never going to have another shot. What movie is she gonna be in?"
He and co-host Robin Quivers went on to discuss the impossibility of Gabby finding any work in Hollywood after 'Precious.'
"And Oprah's lying and saying you're going to have a brilliant career," said Robin.
"Oprah's another liar, a filthy liar," said Stern. "She's telling an enormous woman the size of a planet that she's going to have a career."
It looks like Gabby will prove Stern wrong. She is lined up to appear on the new Showtime series 'The C Word' and her next big-screen appearance will be opposite Zoe Kravitz in the drama 'Yelling to the Sky.'
Oh shit! Howard Stern is a mess!
Oh wow. Is Howard Stern even relevant anymore? And Robin Givens - she's nothing more than a sycophant who has inspired no one. Give the kid a break - she's done more in her first job than both of those chuckleheads have done in their combined careers. 
Not agreeing with how he said it...but he's kinda right to a point...Jennifer Hudson is an example(and she actually won).
Gabourey will get parts, but not sure how long that will continue.
Gabourey will get parts, but not sure how long that will continue.
QUOTE (BobbyD @ Mar 10 2010, 05:26 PM)
Not agreeing with how he said it...but he's kinda right to a point...Jennifer Hudson is an example(and she actually won).
Gabourey will get parts, but not sure how long that will continue.
Gabourey will get parts, but not sure how long that will continue.
Agree with you BobbyD. Stern's job is to get a rise out of people and he sure can be mean but I don't see Hollywood changing their mindset in this regard any time soon. Sadly, some great talents are being swept under the rug just due to weight issues, while we deal with the idiots, bimbos, famewhores, and no-minds showing up on tv and film.
QUOTE (Serendipity @ Mar 10 2010, 01:37 PM)
Oh wow. Is Howard Stern even relevant anymore? And Robin Givens - she's nothing more than a sycophant who has inspired no one. Give the kid a break - she's done more in her first job than both of those chuckleheads have done in their combined careers.
Quivers, not Givens. And if HS hasn't done much in his career even though he revolutionized talk radio, then I can't imagine just about anybody who has done anything with his or her career.
QUOTE (BobbyD @ Mar 10 2010, 03:26 PM)
Not agreeing with how he said it...but he's kinda right to a point...Jennifer Hudson is an example(and she actually won).
Gabourey will get parts, but not sure how long that will continue.
Gabourey will get parts, but not sure how long that will continue.
He is mostly correct: she is at a horribly unhealthy weight, and everyone is acting like it is acceptable. What he's trying to say, in his harsh way, is that if anybody really cared about her health or her career, they wouldn't be applauding her heaviness, but would be trying to help her lose weight. And how many parts are there really for a woman of her size? After the two or three they write around her are finished, there won't be much else out there for her.
I feel sad when I look at her.
I also think Stern had a valid point, however crassly he phrased it. I find it interesting that nearly everyone commenting on Oscar fashion talked about how great she looked, as if saying anything else would unleash a firestorm of disapproval. The young lady has a positive attitude and carries herself with pride, and that's great, but she is at a very unhealthy weight, and that is true regardless of whether she is an actress, an accountant or a pediatrician. I think that maintaining a healthy weight and conforming to distorted Hollywood concepts of an attractive body weight are two entirely different concepts. I do think that there is some room in the entertainment industry for women with curves, sass and personality -- albeit not enough. Speaking of which, I thought Queen Latifah looked absolutely gorgeous.
I think Ms. Sidibe ought to lose some weight for the sake of her health, first and foremost. Should I don my flame-proof suit for writing that?
I think Ms. Sidibe ought to lose some weight for the sake of her health, first and foremost. Should I don my flame-proof suit for writing that?
QUOTE (theempress @ Mar 11 2010, 09:18 AM)
I also think Stern had a valid point, however crassly he phrased it. I find it interesting that nearly everyone commenting on Oscar fashion talked about how great she looked, as if saying anything else would unleash a firestorm of disapproval. The young lady has a positive attitude and carries herself with pride, and that's great, but she is at a very unhealthy weight, and that is true regardless of whether she is an actress, an accountant or a pediatrician. I think that maintaining a healthy weight and conforming to distorted Hollywood concepts of an attractive body weight are two entirely different concepts. I do think that there is some room in the entertainment industry for women with curves, sass and personality -- albeit not enough. Speaking of which, I thought Queen Latifah looked absolutely gorgeous.
I think Ms. Sidibe ought to lose some weight for the sake of her health, first and foremost. Should I don my flame-proof suit for writing that?
I think Ms. Sidibe ought to lose some weight for the sake of her health, first and foremost. Should I don my flame-proof suit for writing that?
I agree; and quite frankly, I've found the coverage over her rather patronizing, and if I was her I'd be insulted. I watched many of the fashion reviews and anytime she came up, they over-praised her the way you would a 3-year old's bad drawing in order to build their "self-esteem," when in all reality you know it's bad. I would love to see Hollywood put more real people in movies, but in this case I feel it's being done in such a way as to be insulting to Gabourey. The push behind her seems to be more about making her the token fat girl, as if Hollywood is saying "Look at us, we support big girls too," while in the meantime any role she'll be offered will be limited to a "fat girl" role and will never be mainstream.
I hate how the media and Hollywood push this in an effort to be PC, all the while not really changing their thinking regarding the "ideal" body type. It's all an effort to appear PC, not truly promote a normal body size.
One of the things I enjoy about this board is a lot of us having a consensus on things(disagreements are cool as well). I was ready for people to pretty much attack Howard and attack his "theory." So it's cool that we can all agree Howard is definitely a jackass...but his point is taken...as crude as it was given. But also, in the words of late, great, Jack Palance...the day ain't over yet. 
At least he had the guts to make the unspoken point that people won't make, since we all are PC.
I totally didn't think of the unhealthy part...but you all hit it right on the head. It's one of the issues I have with M'onique. She can cheer herself as she does in interviews of being a role model for healthy/fat women around the world...but sooner or later those medical bills will pile up like a big ass hot fudge sundae.
I secretly kinda hoped Jennifer Hudson would've bucked the trend...she's not too obese, not bad looking. and talented. All the while knowing the truth about hollywood's horrible record on casting curvy women in movies. I thought she might've been a good fit for the upcoming "A Star Is Born" remake...but they seem to be leaning towards Beyonce(who can't act, but she might put asses in seats, more marketable, and is easy on the eyes). Funny, I still do not remain a fan of Beyonce..and people give me strange looks...I'm sorry, I think she's got the personality/charisma of plywood.
But a good question...maybe Hudson's affected by that Oscar curse? (Adrian Brody, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx?)
At least he had the guts to make the unspoken point that people won't make, since we all are PC. I totally didn't think of the unhealthy part...but you all hit it right on the head. It's one of the issues I have with M'onique. She can cheer herself as she does in interviews of being a role model for healthy/fat women around the world...but sooner or later those medical bills will pile up like a big ass hot fudge sundae.
I secretly kinda hoped Jennifer Hudson would've bucked the trend...she's not too obese, not bad looking. and talented. All the while knowing the truth about hollywood's horrible record on casting curvy women in movies. I thought she might've been a good fit for the upcoming "A Star Is Born" remake...but they seem to be leaning towards Beyonce(who can't act, but she might put asses in seats, more marketable, and is easy on the eyes). Funny, I still do not remain a fan of Beyonce..and people give me strange looks...I'm sorry, I think she's got the personality/charisma of plywood.
But a good question...maybe Hudson's affected by that Oscar curse? (Adrian Brody, Halle Berry, Jamie Foxx?)
Being obese is a health risk factor. It is not a certainty of anything. She might be perfectly healthy now (in terms of blood pressure, cholesterol, heart rate, glucose tolerance etc) and she might continue to be healthy for the next 50 years. We don't know. Or she could die tomorrow from prescription drug overdose & flu symptoms - that seems to be going around in Hollywood these days. I think it's horrific that Stern said what he did, but then, I've thought he was an asshole for the past 20+ years and ignore him accordingly - I wouldn't expect any different of him.
QUOTE (Hoyaheel @ Mar 11 2010, 04:55 PM)
Being obese is a health risk factor. It is not a certainty of anything. She might be perfectly healthy now (in terms of blood pressure, cholesterol, heart rate, glucose tolerance etc) and she might continue to be healthy for the next 50 years. We don't know. Or she could die tomorrow from prescription drug overdose & flu symptoms - that seems to be going around in Hollywood these days. I think it's horrific that Stern said what he did, but then, I've thought he was an asshole for the past 20+ years and ignore him accordingly - I wouldn't expect any different of him.
Ok...Well I thought the certainty was that people who have their sizes are indeed at risk for health problems...even if they go through life not contracting them. It's not healthy...I thought that was the bottom line, weather they live 50 years or not.
But also remember...these women are in the spotlight, public eye...in front of millions. How they are able to maintain themselves with their own health risk factor might not translate to average joes...or joanna's who with certainty may not continue to remain healthy the next 50 years or have access to the health care services that these rich women have. So look at that message they send and people dance around them saying they will have long careers.
On the flipside....maybe Stern's harshness might provoke the actress to whip herself into shape?
If the flip side is that women in the public eye do unhealthy things to become or stay Hollywood thin, I don't consider that a positive outcome.
Body image disorders are serious. I would FAR rather have an obese but happy (and healthy as far as we know now) role model than someone who is completely uncomfortable in her own skin, no matter if that's a size 0 or larger.....
Body image disorders are serious. I would FAR rather have an obese but happy (and healthy as far as we know now) role model than someone who is completely uncomfortable in her own skin, no matter if that's a size 0 or larger.....
QUOTE (Hoyaheel @ Mar 12 2010, 09:44 AM)
If the flip side is that women in the public eye do unhealthy things to become or stay Hollywood thin, I don't consider that a positive outcome.
I don't think that's a positive outcome, either. I don't think I made my point very well, and I'm not sure that I can make it any better today. I don't think she (G.S.) should be pressured to starve herself to the ideal Hollywood size. At the same time, she is morbidly obese, not just curvy or plump or heavy. I thought Mo'nique looked good; as I wrote before, I thought Queen Latifah looked fantastic. Both of those women are very large by Hollywood standards, and Mo'nique at the very least is overweight by "normal" standards. But they both looked great.
I think that both extremes -- starving oneself and developing eating disorders, and being morbidly obese -- are very unhealthy. I am fully in support of helping girls and women develop positive body images (I'll admit I have a terrible body image, even though I am thin and very fit. I know my weight is good, but I see nothing but fat, and I feel like a cow.). However, I also am fully in support of encouraging everyone to develop and maintain healthy lifestyles and a healthy weight. The definition of what a healthy weight is might be open to debate, but in my opinion both the morbidly obese and the Hollywood "lollipop brigade" fall well outside of that definition.
QUOTE (theempress @ Mar 12 2010, 10:11 AM)
However, I also am fully in support of encouraging everyone to develop and maintain healthy lifestyles and a healthy weight. The definition of what a healthy weight is might be open to debate, but in my opinion both the morbidly obese and the Hollywood "lollipop brigade" fall well outside of that definition.
I agree.
I guess where I differ is that I don't think it's my business to comment on the "health" aspects of Gabourey's weight. (and to avoid hypocrisy, I should not then comment on the health aspects of the anorexics in Hollywood either. That will be more difficult for me ;-)) Obesity is a national public health crisis. However - it does not mean that every obese person is also unhealthy. Smoking presents a greater risk for heart attack than simply being obese does. There are multiple behavioral and genetic components to "health risk" - so all I was trying to say is that "risk" does not automatically mean "unhealthy". It's an odds ratio thing. So I think in that, Bobby and I are agreeing.
And if she's good at her job, her weight shouldn't be the barrier to her continuing to do her job. Whether or not she'll survive Hollyweird remains to be seen.....
QUOTE (BobbyD @ Mar 11 2010, 06:22 PM)
QUOTE (Hoyaheel @ Mar 11 2010, 04:55 PM)
Being obese is a health risk factor. It is not a certainty of anything. She might be perfectly healthy now (in terms of blood pressure, cholesterol, heart rate, glucose tolerance etc) and she might continue to be healthy for the next 50 years. We don't know. Or she could die tomorrow from prescription drug overdose & flu symptoms - that seems to be going around in Hollywood these days. I think it's horrific that Stern said what he did, but then, I've thought he was an asshole for the past 20+ years and ignore him accordingly - I wouldn't expect any different of him.
Ok...Well I thought the certainty was that people who have their sizes are indeed at risk for health problems...even if they go through life not contracting them. It's not healthy...I thought that was the bottom line, weather they live 50 years or not.
But also remember...these women are in the spotlight, public eye...in front of millions. How they are able to maintain themselves with their own health risk factor might not translate to average joes...or joanna's who with certainty may not continue to remain healthy the next 50 years or have access to the health care services that these rich women have. So look at that message they send and people dance around them saying they will have long careers.
On the flipside....maybe Stern's harshness might provoke the actress to whip herself into shape?
As usual, I'm agreeing with everything you're saying.
Stern is who he is, and if people hate him, fine, but he's going to continue giving his honest opinion, and that's why people like me listen to him, even when we occassionally disagree with him. His main point, which I totally agree with, is that all these people telling Gabourey that she looks fine and blowing smoke up her ass aren't helping her because she's morbidly obese, which will most likely lead her to develop health problems. And he said it in a shocking way, as usual, which caused a ton of controversy and brought the whole thing into public discussion. I think that's a good thing, especially if it causes people around Gabourey who actually care about her to offer her help with her weight problem. (Obviously not be starving herself - that's ridiculous. By eating healthy to reach a healthy size.)
'Precious' Star Gabourey Sidibe Lands New Gig ... on Showtime
By Wilson Morales on Mar 9th 2010 12:12PM
Now that the Academy Awards are over, Oscar nominee Gabourey Sidibe will be heading to the small screen as the Brooklyn, New York native is set to star opposite Laura Linney and Oliver Platt in the dark comedy series, 'The Big C' for the Showtime network.
Set in the Connecticut suburbs, the half-hour series stars Linney as Cathy, a repressed suburban wife and mother who reclaims her life after a terminal cancer diagnosis. Platt will play her immature, but well-meaning husband.
Sidibe, who was nominated for her role in Lee Daniels' 'Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire,' will play a smart-alecky student in Cathy's class.
'The Big C,' which will begin shooting 13 episodes in May for a late summer premiere, is created and written by Darlene Hunt, who will serve as executive producer, along with Linney, Neal H. Moritz and Vivian Cannon. It is produced by Original Film in association with Sony Pictures Television. Acclaimed writer/director/producer Bill Condon ('Dreamgirls') directed the pilot.
Sidibe's next film role is a supporting part in the independent film, 'Yelling to the Sky,' which is directed by Victoria Mahoney, and co-stars Zoe Kravitz, Jason Clarke, Antonique Smith, Yolonda Ross, and Shareeka Epps.
By Wilson Morales on Mar 9th 2010 12:12PM
Now that the Academy Awards are over, Oscar nominee Gabourey Sidibe will be heading to the small screen as the Brooklyn, New York native is set to star opposite Laura Linney and Oliver Platt in the dark comedy series, 'The Big C' for the Showtime network.
Set in the Connecticut suburbs, the half-hour series stars Linney as Cathy, a repressed suburban wife and mother who reclaims her life after a terminal cancer diagnosis. Platt will play her immature, but well-meaning husband.
Sidibe, who was nominated for her role in Lee Daniels' 'Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire,' will play a smart-alecky student in Cathy's class.
'The Big C,' which will begin shooting 13 episodes in May for a late summer premiere, is created and written by Darlene Hunt, who will serve as executive producer, along with Linney, Neal H. Moritz and Vivian Cannon. It is produced by Original Film in association with Sony Pictures Television. Acclaimed writer/director/producer Bill Condon ('Dreamgirls') directed the pilot.
Sidibe's next film role is a supporting part in the independent film, 'Yelling to the Sky,' which is directed by Victoria Mahoney, and co-stars Zoe Kravitz, Jason Clarke, Antonique Smith, Yolonda Ross, and Shareeka Epps.
Weight Loss Company Targets Gabourey Sidibe
Posted Mar 15th 2010 8:00AM by TMZ Staff
A weight loss company claims "Precious" star Gabourey Sidibe shouldn't be worried about her appearance ... but rather her health.
AcaiSupply.com is reaching out to the Oscar nominated star, noting that obesity is a "major epidemic" in the U.S. and they want to help her fight what they call "this terrible affliction."
The company is offering her a one year supply of the product in return for an endorsement -- provided she loses weight.
The CEO wrote a letter to Sidibe, urging her, "The only way you can reach your goal of someday winning that Oscar is by being active, fit, and most of all, healthy!"
A rep for Sidibe could not be reached for comment.
Posted Mar 15th 2010 8:00AM by TMZ Staff
A weight loss company claims "Precious" star Gabourey Sidibe shouldn't be worried about her appearance ... but rather her health.
AcaiSupply.com is reaching out to the Oscar nominated star, noting that obesity is a "major epidemic" in the U.S. and they want to help her fight what they call "this terrible affliction."
The company is offering her a one year supply of the product in return for an endorsement -- provided she loses weight.
The CEO wrote a letter to Sidibe, urging her, "The only way you can reach your goal of someday winning that Oscar is by being active, fit, and most of all, healthy!"
A rep for Sidibe could not be reached for comment.
QUOTE (BobbyD @ Mar 15 2010, 12:11 PM)
Weight Loss Company Targets Gabourey Sidibe
Oh dear, no.
Although I have put in my two cents on her weight, I really do not think she is obligated to make her weight loss, should she choose to try to lose weight, a public matter. I'm not on board with pressuring her into becoming the face of the obesity epidemic, and shilling for a company that produces a supplement of questionable value is just wrong, in my opinion. What a crass move by the un-named CEO.
ditto what theempress said ^^^^^
Gabourey Sidibe's mom lashes back at Howard Stern for his 'enormous' insult: 'Get a life!'
Gabourey Sidibe may have kept her mouth shut after radio shock jock Howard Stern viciously mocked her weight on-air, but the "Precious" star's mother isn't keeping quiet.
"Get a life!" Alice Tan Ridley ranted on "Inside Edition" about Stern, who called her daughter "the most enormous, fat black chick I've ever seen."
"He can see, you can see, I can see Gabby is a big girl," Ridley said. "She's a big woman, so what's wrong with that?"
Stern also questioned the 26-year-old's acting abilities and future in the entertainment industry, saying, "she's never going to be in another movie."
However, Ridley was quick to defend her famous daughter.
"She's not like everyone else in the world. I don't see him giving jobs out to anybody, so why should we care what he says?" she said. "He might not hire her, but someone else will."
Indeed, someone else did.
According to "Access Hollywood," Sidibe is set to have a recurring part in Showtime's new dark comedy series, "The Big C," which also stars Laura Linney and Oliver Platt.
The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance also came to the defense of Sidibe one day after a weight loss company called AcaiSupply.com offered her a one-year supply of their product to "reach your goal of someday winning an Oscar ... by being active, fit, and most of all, healthy!"
"You cannot tell by looking at a person if they are healthy," NAAFA spokeswoman Peggy Howell told TMZ.com. "Fat does not equal disease and thin does not equal healthy. Achievements come in all sizes."
source: http://www.nydailynews.com
Gabourey Sidibe may have kept her mouth shut after radio shock jock Howard Stern viciously mocked her weight on-air, but the "Precious" star's mother isn't keeping quiet.
"Get a life!" Alice Tan Ridley ranted on "Inside Edition" about Stern, who called her daughter "the most enormous, fat black chick I've ever seen."
"He can see, you can see, I can see Gabby is a big girl," Ridley said. "She's a big woman, so what's wrong with that?"
Stern also questioned the 26-year-old's acting abilities and future in the entertainment industry, saying, "she's never going to be in another movie."
However, Ridley was quick to defend her famous daughter.
"She's not like everyone else in the world. I don't see him giving jobs out to anybody, so why should we care what he says?" she said. "He might not hire her, but someone else will."
Indeed, someone else did.
According to "Access Hollywood," Sidibe is set to have a recurring part in Showtime's new dark comedy series, "The Big C," which also stars Laura Linney and Oliver Platt.
The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance also came to the defense of Sidibe one day after a weight loss company called AcaiSupply.com offered her a one-year supply of their product to "reach your goal of someday winning an Oscar ... by being active, fit, and most of all, healthy!"
"You cannot tell by looking at a person if they are healthy," NAAFA spokeswoman Peggy Howell told TMZ.com. "Fat does not equal disease and thin does not equal healthy. Achievements come in all sizes."
source: http://www.nydailynews.com
QUOTE (sanlee @ Mar 17 2010, 11:58 PM)
Gabourey Sidibe's mom lashes back at Howard Stern for his 'enormous' insult: 'Get a life!'
Gabourey Sidibe may have kept her mouth shut after radio shock jock Howard Stern viciously mocked her weight on-air, but the "Precious" star's mother isn't keeping quiet.
"Get a life!" Alice Tan Ridley ranted on "Inside Edition" about Stern, who called her daughter "the most enormous, fat black chick I've ever seen."
"He can see, you can see, I can see Gabby is a big girl," Ridley said. "She's a big woman, so what's wrong with that?"
Stern also questioned the 26-year-old's acting abilities and future in the entertainment industry, saying, "she's never going to be in another movie."
However, Ridley was quick to defend her famous daughter.
"She's not like everyone else in the world. I don't see him giving jobs out to anybody, so why should we care what he says?" she said. "He might not hire her, but someone else will."
Indeed, someone else did.
According to "Access Hollywood," Sidibe is set to have a recurring part in Showtime's new dark comedy series, "The Big C," which also stars Laura Linney and Oliver Platt.
The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance also came to the defense of Sidibe one day after a weight loss company called AcaiSupply.com offered her a one-year supply of their product to "reach your goal of someday winning an Oscar ... by being active, fit, and most of all, healthy!"
"You cannot tell by looking at a person if they are healthy," NAAFA spokeswoman Peggy Howell told TMZ.com. "Fat does not equal disease and thin does not equal healthy. Achievements come in all sizes."
source: http://www.nydailynews.com
Gabourey Sidibe may have kept her mouth shut after radio shock jock Howard Stern viciously mocked her weight on-air, but the "Precious" star's mother isn't keeping quiet.
"Get a life!" Alice Tan Ridley ranted on "Inside Edition" about Stern, who called her daughter "the most enormous, fat black chick I've ever seen."
"He can see, you can see, I can see Gabby is a big girl," Ridley said. "She's a big woman, so what's wrong with that?"
Stern also questioned the 26-year-old's acting abilities and future in the entertainment industry, saying, "she's never going to be in another movie."
However, Ridley was quick to defend her famous daughter.
"She's not like everyone else in the world. I don't see him giving jobs out to anybody, so why should we care what he says?" she said. "He might not hire her, but someone else will."
Indeed, someone else did.
According to "Access Hollywood," Sidibe is set to have a recurring part in Showtime's new dark comedy series, "The Big C," which also stars Laura Linney and Oliver Platt.
The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance also came to the defense of Sidibe one day after a weight loss company called AcaiSupply.com offered her a one-year supply of their product to "reach your goal of someday winning an Oscar ... by being active, fit, and most of all, healthy!"
"You cannot tell by looking at a person if they are healthy," NAAFA spokeswoman Peggy Howell told TMZ.com. "Fat does not equal disease and thin does not equal healthy. Achievements come in all sizes."
source: http://www.nydailynews.com
There is an organization for this?! Are the fast food companies sponsors?
Weight woes for Gabourey Sidibe
The 'Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire' actress is hoping to shed her excess pounds, but knows she wouldn't have landed her breakthrough role if she wasn't overweight, her mother Alice Tan Ridley has revealed.
Alice said: "The truth is Gabourey would like to lose some weight but the reality is that she would not have gotten the role of Precious if she had not been heavy.
"As her mom I would like to see my daughter healthy but if she didn't lose weight that's not a problem either - it runs in our family.
"We have relatives that are 80 who are too heavy so it works in different ways for different folks."
Regardless of whether Gabourey loses weight or not, her mother believes she will go on to have a long acting career.
She added to RadarOnline.com: "I'm proud of my daughter no matter what and the truth is that there are all kinds of acting roles for all sorts of people."
It has been reported that Gabourey is being lined up for weight loss reality show 'Celebrity Fit Club' but Alice insists the star has not been approached.
She said: "I have not heard anything about her appearing on 'Celebrity Fit Club' or any of these dieting companies getting Gabby to try and endorse their products."
Source:Accesshollywood.com
The 'Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire' actress is hoping to shed her excess pounds, but knows she wouldn't have landed her breakthrough role if she wasn't overweight, her mother Alice Tan Ridley has revealed.
Alice said: "The truth is Gabourey would like to lose some weight but the reality is that she would not have gotten the role of Precious if she had not been heavy.
"As her mom I would like to see my daughter healthy but if she didn't lose weight that's not a problem either - it runs in our family.
"We have relatives that are 80 who are too heavy so it works in different ways for different folks."
Regardless of whether Gabourey loses weight or not, her mother believes she will go on to have a long acting career.
She added to RadarOnline.com: "I'm proud of my daughter no matter what and the truth is that there are all kinds of acting roles for all sorts of people."
It has been reported that Gabourey is being lined up for weight loss reality show 'Celebrity Fit Club' but Alice insists the star has not been approached.
She said: "I have not heard anything about her appearing on 'Celebrity Fit Club' or any of these dieting companies getting Gabby to try and endorse their products."
Source:Accesshollywood.com
Fashion freeze! Gabourey Sidibe has no chance of ever appearing on the cover of Vogue magazine
BY Cristina Everett
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Friday, March 26th 2010, 4:00 AM
Following the snub on Vanity Fair's recent Young Hollywood cover, "Precious" star Gabourey Sidibe is getting another fashionable cold shoulder.
The Oscar award nominee is said to have zero chance of ever appearing on a future cover of Vogue magazine due to her size, PopEater.com reports.
"She's a joke in the fashion community," a fashion industry insider scoffed. "What she wore on the red carpet at the Academy Awards wasn't a dress, it was a tent."
Sidibe, 26, is no stranger to being criticized for her weight.
Not only was she noticeably absent from the star-studded Vanity Fair cover that included many of her svelte industry peers, she has also been the butt of shock jock Howard Stern's many vulgar insults regarding her appearance.
A second fashion source went on to explain that Vogue is an exclusive forum used by designers to debut the best pieces in their new collection.
"All are of which are one of a kind and sample size," the insider added. "It would be impossible to get a regular-sized girl in those clothes, let alone Gabby."
Following the exclusion from Vanity Fair, Sidibe carried on an optimistic attitude that she said has only helped her prosper in an industry that focuses on aesthetics. She explained that she decided long ago to be happy with the person she sees in the mirror.
"It was a long transition," she told "Access Hollywood." "I'm just grateful that I am there because so many people go through this — beautiful people, gorgeous people — don't feel it, don't feel as if they're gorgeous and I think it's really sad and I'm glad that I happen to be one of the people who does feel [it]."
A spokesperson for Vogue editor Anna Wintour has yet to comment on the matter
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2010/03/...l#ixzz0jK4RA7Wn
BY Cristina Everett
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Friday, March 26th 2010, 4:00 AM
Following the snub on Vanity Fair's recent Young Hollywood cover, "Precious" star Gabourey Sidibe is getting another fashionable cold shoulder.
The Oscar award nominee is said to have zero chance of ever appearing on a future cover of Vogue magazine due to her size, PopEater.com reports.
"She's a joke in the fashion community," a fashion industry insider scoffed. "What she wore on the red carpet at the Academy Awards wasn't a dress, it was a tent."
Sidibe, 26, is no stranger to being criticized for her weight.
Not only was she noticeably absent from the star-studded Vanity Fair cover that included many of her svelte industry peers, she has also been the butt of shock jock Howard Stern's many vulgar insults regarding her appearance.
A second fashion source went on to explain that Vogue is an exclusive forum used by designers to debut the best pieces in their new collection.
"All are of which are one of a kind and sample size," the insider added. "It would be impossible to get a regular-sized girl in those clothes, let alone Gabby."
Following the exclusion from Vanity Fair, Sidibe carried on an optimistic attitude that she said has only helped her prosper in an industry that focuses on aesthetics. She explained that she decided long ago to be happy with the person she sees in the mirror.
"It was a long transition," she told "Access Hollywood." "I'm just grateful that I am there because so many people go through this — beautiful people, gorgeous people — don't feel it, don't feel as if they're gorgeous and I think it's really sad and I'm glad that I happen to be one of the people who does feel [it]."
A spokesperson for Vogue editor Anna Wintour has yet to comment on the matter
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2010/03/...l#ixzz0jK4RA7Wn
'Precious' star Gabourey Sidibe opens up about being snubbed on Vanity Fair's Young Hollywood cover
BY Cristina Everett
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Among the many people who noticed the lack of diversity on Vanity Fair's recent Young Hollywood cover was none other than Hollywood up-and-comer Gabourey Sidibe.
Despite being interviewed for inside the magazine, the "Precious" actress was excluded from the star-studded cover that included many of her industry peers such as Kristen Stewart, Carey Mulligan and Amanda Seyfried.
"At first I thought, 'Hmm, should I be there?'" Sidibe told "Access Hollywood" about the photo shoot. "Then I very quickly got over it. I think if I were a part of that shoot I would have felt a little left out anyway."
Had she been chosen to appear on the March cover, the Oscar nominated actress questioned if she would have even fit in.
"I would have felt a little like… whether or not I should have been there," the 26-year-old explained. "[It] doesn't matter, because I wasn't on it and I'm excited to be mentioned anywhere, and it doesn't matter to me where I'm not mentioned."
She added, "I mean, I come from a world where I'm not on covers and I'm not in magazines at all. And so I was happy to be in the magazine."
Having such an optimistic attitude has only helped Sidibe prosper in an industry that focuses on aesthetics, as the actress decided long ago to be happy with the person she sees in the mirror.
"It was a long transition," she said. "I'm just grateful that I am there because so many people go through this — beautiful people, gorgeous people — don't feel it, don't feel as if they're gorgeous and I think it's really sad and I'm glad that I happen to be one of the people who does feel [it]."
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2010/02/...l#ixzz0jK6CT42H
BY Cristina Everett
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Among the many people who noticed the lack of diversity on Vanity Fair's recent Young Hollywood cover was none other than Hollywood up-and-comer Gabourey Sidibe.
Despite being interviewed for inside the magazine, the "Precious" actress was excluded from the star-studded cover that included many of her industry peers such as Kristen Stewart, Carey Mulligan and Amanda Seyfried.
"At first I thought, 'Hmm, should I be there?'" Sidibe told "Access Hollywood" about the photo shoot. "Then I very quickly got over it. I think if I were a part of that shoot I would have felt a little left out anyway."
Had she been chosen to appear on the March cover, the Oscar nominated actress questioned if she would have even fit in.
"I would have felt a little like… whether or not I should have been there," the 26-year-old explained. "[It] doesn't matter, because I wasn't on it and I'm excited to be mentioned anywhere, and it doesn't matter to me where I'm not mentioned."
She added, "I mean, I come from a world where I'm not on covers and I'm not in magazines at all. And so I was happy to be in the magazine."
Having such an optimistic attitude has only helped Sidibe prosper in an industry that focuses on aesthetics, as the actress decided long ago to be happy with the person she sees in the mirror.
"It was a long transition," she said. "I'm just grateful that I am there because so many people go through this — beautiful people, gorgeous people — don't feel it, don't feel as if they're gorgeous and I think it's really sad and I'm glad that I happen to be one of the people who does feel [it]."
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2010/02/...l#ixzz0jK6CT42H
Gabourey Sidibe to host 'SNL'
Posted: 03:20 PM ET
Awards season is over, but the honors keep flowing for Gabourey Sidibe.
A rep for NBC confirmed to CNN that the Academy Award nominated-actress is set to host “Saturday Night Live.” It will be a first time hosting gig for Sidibe on the venerable NBC show.
The “Precious” star has continued to raise her profile since becoming a frequent awards nominee for her acclaimed movie role. Sidibe is scheduled to host the comedy sketch show on April 24.
It will be a busy month for "SNL" since it is bringing back its original shows starting April 10 with Tina Fey returning to studio 8H, and musical guest Justin Bieber. Fey is a former cast member and head writer for the show.
Actor Ryan Phillippe will make his hosting debut on April 17 with musical guest Ke$ha.
Posted: 03:20 PM ET
Awards season is over, but the honors keep flowing for Gabourey Sidibe.
A rep for NBC confirmed to CNN that the Academy Award nominated-actress is set to host “Saturday Night Live.” It will be a first time hosting gig for Sidibe on the venerable NBC show.
The “Precious” star has continued to raise her profile since becoming a frequent awards nominee for her acclaimed movie role. Sidibe is scheduled to host the comedy sketch show on April 24.
It will be a busy month for "SNL" since it is bringing back its original shows starting April 10 with Tina Fey returning to studio 8H, and musical guest Justin Bieber. Fey is a former cast member and head writer for the show.
Actor Ryan Phillippe will make his hosting debut on April 17 with musical guest Ke$ha.
Will Sidibe’s size weigh down her acting career?
Howard Stern says ‘Precious’ star will never have another role
By Michael Ventre
msnbc.com contributor
Howard Stern caused a bit of a ruckus recently when he suggested that Gabourey Sidibe had no chance at a career in acting. Sidibe received an Academy Award nomination for playing the title role of an overweight inner-city teenager in “Precious.”
Said Stern recently on his Sirius satellite show: “There’s the most enormous, fat black chick I’ve ever seen. She is enormous. Everyone’s pretending she’s a part of show business and she’s never going to be in another movie. She should have gotten the best actress award because she’s never going to have another shot. What movie is she gonna be in?”
Since Stern is in the ruckus business and is outspoken on a regular basis, the blasts created some waves in the entertainment community but little beyond that. Yet Stern focused attention on an issue, namely the ability of “actors of size” to establish and maintain careers.
Stern is already partially wrong. Sidibe will appear on the new Showtime series “The C Word,” and was one of the stars of an independent film called “Yelling to the Sky.” But will she be around for the long run? Can large actors or actresses work regularly?
“I don’t think you can automatically rule her out,” said senior editor Thom Geier of Entertainment Weekly. “If you look at two or three, shall we say ‘not size 0’ of the past 20 years, Oprah had a pretty good career after ‘The Color Purple.’ You had Jennifer Hudson, who went on to have a pretty good career (after winning an Oscar for her performance in ‘Dreamgirls’ in 2007).
“Now, is it going to be smooth sailing for someone like Gabby? Not necessarily, because there aren’t a lot of roles written for someone like her. It’s kind of hard to picture her in an action picture or in a conventional romantic comedy. But that isn’t to say there are no roles; there might be roles in Tyler Perry films, or on TV.”
Should movies reflect real life or fantasy?
Peggy Howell is a spokeswoman for the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. Since Sidibe became news, her organization has also been in the spotlight.
“She already has other roles. To suggest it’s a one-shot deal is ludicrous,” Howell said. “I could say yes, that she is likely to only be targeted for specific roles. That’s the sad situation in Hollywood today because they don’t represent real people.”
Howell said the real problem is that overweight folks don’t get a fair shake in all walks of life. “People of size are discriminated against in all workplaces, not just Hollywood,” she said. “Yale did a study on this (in 2008). People of size in the workplace are often overlooked for raises or promotions.
“We’re told that more than 60 percent of the population is overweight, but if you look at the way they’re portrayed in Hollywood in movies and TV it’s more like 10 percent. We’re not portrayed proportionally. It’s very rare when you see someone like that in leading roles. They get more comedic roles, the pathetic or comedic sidekick.”
But should Hollywood reflect real life? Should Sidibe and others of her size get roles in numbers that reflect their places in society?
“Hollywood is very much a fantasy factory,” Geier said. “People tend to go to movies as a form of escape, which is why you don’t see a whole lot of images of ordinary working-class people on the screen, even though that’s the norm of the whole in the country and the norm for those consuming entertainment. There are a lot of lawyer shows and doctor shows, but there aren’t as many lawyers and doctors in the real world. Hollywood exaggerates.”
Life is often unfair, and life in Hollywood even more so. Geier said overweight actors and actresses aren’t the only ones who get the short end. “A lot of very talented people don’t get work,” he said. “There are lots of handsome or beautiful people who have short-lived careers, for whatever the reasons. It’s not fair. How is it that Tom Cruise became a big star and someone else who came up with him through auditions did not?”
In Sidibe’s case, she is not only heavy, but also black, which adds another dimension to the issue, noted Ed Guerrero. He is a cinema professor at New York University who teaches courses in black cinema.
“Most black actors are held up as character actors anyway,” Guerrero said. “When you start to get into black actors that play social types and don’t play the glamorous types then you’re condemned to be a character actor. Michael Clarke Duncan in ‘The Green Mile,’ that was his shot, but it didn’t turn out to be his big break.
“I don’t mean to be negative, but I think she’s headed for character actor purgatory.”
Sidibe’s performance also touched upon a related issue, Guerrero said, one that has been discussed in his classes. It has to do with obesity, and whether images are consumed and retained by audiences, especially in the black community.
“One of the hidden dimensions of ‘Precious’ besides a series of fantasies is this whole issue of weight and size and what you do about that and what kind of message that sends,” he explained. “In the film ‘Soul Food,’ the matriarch cooks great food to keep the family together, but gets diabetes and dies. It’s a movie about food and how it unifies a family, but it celebrates the very food that kills the character of Mama Joe.”
The bottom line in Hollywood is, of course, where the money is. And that might be the bottom line in any discussion about whether actors or actresses of size have lengthy careers or not.
“In the long run, I believe Hollywood producers try to make as much money as possible on their films,” said Richard Verrone, a history professor and pop-culture expert at Texas Tech University. “If an overweight actor helps the bottom line, then an overweight actor will be used in the film. If an overweight actor may hurt the bottom line, then most likely they will not be used.
“Their decisions about this, most likely, are swayed by what they believe public perception will be of their movie and what they believe will make the best film, both in terms of art and of box office appeal.”
Still, actors and actresses in general are notoriously optimistic about their careers, and for those with extra pounds, the image of Sidibe at the Academy Awards has to be heartening to similarly sized hopefuls.
“I think seeing someone like Gabby become so successful,” said the NAAFA’s Howell, “gives hope to young people who felt for some time they have talent to share with the world but the world doesn’t care. Maybe this will give them a little hope that there are possibilities for them as well.”
Michael Ventre is a frequent contributor to msnbc.com. He lives in Los Angeles.
Howard Stern says ‘Precious’ star will never have another role
By Michael Ventre
msnbc.com contributor
Howard Stern caused a bit of a ruckus recently when he suggested that Gabourey Sidibe had no chance at a career in acting. Sidibe received an Academy Award nomination for playing the title role of an overweight inner-city teenager in “Precious.”
Said Stern recently on his Sirius satellite show: “There’s the most enormous, fat black chick I’ve ever seen. She is enormous. Everyone’s pretending she’s a part of show business and she’s never going to be in another movie. She should have gotten the best actress award because she’s never going to have another shot. What movie is she gonna be in?”
Since Stern is in the ruckus business and is outspoken on a regular basis, the blasts created some waves in the entertainment community but little beyond that. Yet Stern focused attention on an issue, namely the ability of “actors of size” to establish and maintain careers.
Stern is already partially wrong. Sidibe will appear on the new Showtime series “The C Word,” and was one of the stars of an independent film called “Yelling to the Sky.” But will she be around for the long run? Can large actors or actresses work regularly?
“I don’t think you can automatically rule her out,” said senior editor Thom Geier of Entertainment Weekly. “If you look at two or three, shall we say ‘not size 0’ of the past 20 years, Oprah had a pretty good career after ‘The Color Purple.’ You had Jennifer Hudson, who went on to have a pretty good career (after winning an Oscar for her performance in ‘Dreamgirls’ in 2007).
“Now, is it going to be smooth sailing for someone like Gabby? Not necessarily, because there aren’t a lot of roles written for someone like her. It’s kind of hard to picture her in an action picture or in a conventional romantic comedy. But that isn’t to say there are no roles; there might be roles in Tyler Perry films, or on TV.”
Should movies reflect real life or fantasy?
Peggy Howell is a spokeswoman for the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance. Since Sidibe became news, her organization has also been in the spotlight.
“She already has other roles. To suggest it’s a one-shot deal is ludicrous,” Howell said. “I could say yes, that she is likely to only be targeted for specific roles. That’s the sad situation in Hollywood today because they don’t represent real people.”
Howell said the real problem is that overweight folks don’t get a fair shake in all walks of life. “People of size are discriminated against in all workplaces, not just Hollywood,” she said. “Yale did a study on this (in 2008). People of size in the workplace are often overlooked for raises or promotions.
“We’re told that more than 60 percent of the population is overweight, but if you look at the way they’re portrayed in Hollywood in movies and TV it’s more like 10 percent. We’re not portrayed proportionally. It’s very rare when you see someone like that in leading roles. They get more comedic roles, the pathetic or comedic sidekick.”
But should Hollywood reflect real life? Should Sidibe and others of her size get roles in numbers that reflect their places in society?
“Hollywood is very much a fantasy factory,” Geier said. “People tend to go to movies as a form of escape, which is why you don’t see a whole lot of images of ordinary working-class people on the screen, even though that’s the norm of the whole in the country and the norm for those consuming entertainment. There are a lot of lawyer shows and doctor shows, but there aren’t as many lawyers and doctors in the real world. Hollywood exaggerates.”
Life is often unfair, and life in Hollywood even more so. Geier said overweight actors and actresses aren’t the only ones who get the short end. “A lot of very talented people don’t get work,” he said. “There are lots of handsome or beautiful people who have short-lived careers, for whatever the reasons. It’s not fair. How is it that Tom Cruise became a big star and someone else who came up with him through auditions did not?”
In Sidibe’s case, she is not only heavy, but also black, which adds another dimension to the issue, noted Ed Guerrero. He is a cinema professor at New York University who teaches courses in black cinema.
“Most black actors are held up as character actors anyway,” Guerrero said. “When you start to get into black actors that play social types and don’t play the glamorous types then you’re condemned to be a character actor. Michael Clarke Duncan in ‘The Green Mile,’ that was his shot, but it didn’t turn out to be his big break.
“I don’t mean to be negative, but I think she’s headed for character actor purgatory.”
Sidibe’s performance also touched upon a related issue, Guerrero said, one that has been discussed in his classes. It has to do with obesity, and whether images are consumed and retained by audiences, especially in the black community.
“One of the hidden dimensions of ‘Precious’ besides a series of fantasies is this whole issue of weight and size and what you do about that and what kind of message that sends,” he explained. “In the film ‘Soul Food,’ the matriarch cooks great food to keep the family together, but gets diabetes and dies. It’s a movie about food and how it unifies a family, but it celebrates the very food that kills the character of Mama Joe.”
The bottom line in Hollywood is, of course, where the money is. And that might be the bottom line in any discussion about whether actors or actresses of size have lengthy careers or not.
“In the long run, I believe Hollywood producers try to make as much money as possible on their films,” said Richard Verrone, a history professor and pop-culture expert at Texas Tech University. “If an overweight actor helps the bottom line, then an overweight actor will be used in the film. If an overweight actor may hurt the bottom line, then most likely they will not be used.
“Their decisions about this, most likely, are swayed by what they believe public perception will be of their movie and what they believe will make the best film, both in terms of art and of box office appeal.”
Still, actors and actresses in general are notoriously optimistic about their careers, and for those with extra pounds, the image of Sidibe at the Academy Awards has to be heartening to similarly sized hopefuls.
“I think seeing someone like Gabby become so successful,” said the NAAFA’s Howell, “gives hope to young people who felt for some time they have talent to share with the world but the world doesn’t care. Maybe this will give them a little hope that there are possibilities for them as well.”
Michael Ventre is a frequent contributor to msnbc.com. He lives in Los Angeles.
Howard Stern & Jamie Foxx go to war over Gabourey Sidibe remarks
Jamie Foxx has sparked a new satellite radio feud with Howard Stern over comments the shock jock made about "Precious" star Gabourey Sidibe.
Foxx attacked his Sirius radio network colleague on his "Foxxhole" show last week, prompting Stern to take aim at the Oscar winner on his program.
The "Ray" star and his crew started the war of words by criticizing Stern and the host's sidekick Robin Quivers for making comments about Sidibe's weight during a show last month.
One of Foxx's co-hosts said Quivers "has a lot in common with Precious, she was overweight, she was once black."
Foxx, himself, then joined in, stating, "I hope that this feud gets us hot, because Howard hasn't really made a big splash in a long time."
His comment enraged Stern, who has fired back, "I'm not... gonna sit here and take it and listen to some bulls**t... I'm going to end it now, because, you know what, I got a s**tload of stuff on Jamie, which isn't a lot of fun.
"Jamie's not a friend of mine. I've had him on the show a couple of times. I don't consider him a friend anymore... I don't dislike the guy, he's a very talented guy."
Stern then poked fun at the name of Foxx's radio show, joking, "I wonder which hole they're referring to."
source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate...7#ixzz0kHaEc4OL
http://www.eurweb.com/?p=17272
Exclusive: Robin Quivers on Jamie Foxx, Gabby Sidibe, ‘House Negro’ and More
*The Sirius satellite radio war of words between Howard Stern and Jamie Foxx has spiraled completely out of control, and Stern’s sidekick Robin Quivers says it’s all based on an obscene overreaction by Foxx and his radio crew to comments made about Gabourey Sidibe.
When Foxx heard the now infamous clip of Stern and Quivers discussing Gabby’s weight, declaring she is too big to ever have longevity as an actress, he came to the Oscar nominee’s defense on his Foxxhole radio show, leveling personal attacks against the Stern camp in the process.
Quivers, in particular, was referred to as “house ni**erish” by Foxx, while his co-host Corey Holcomb began making light of the child molestation Quivers said she suffered at the hands of her father.
Stern then blasted back by suggesting he has proof that Foxx is gay, which prompted a denial by Foxx and a charge that “Coward Stern” has “chronic gonorrhea.”
The latest incident took place on live television yesterday when a famous Stern fan, posing as an expert on the deadly West Virginia coal mine explosion, was able to get through to anchor Shepard Smith and begin calling out Foxx before he was abruptly cut off.
Just how did things get so ugly?
In an exclusive interview with EUR’s Lee Bailey, Quivers says this whole back-and-forth nonsense could’ve been avoided had Foxx and other critics not forced the issue of race into their original comments about Gabby.
“They’re reacting to something they didn’t hear, and again, they’re reacting to something that we didn’t say,” said Quivers. “They’re making it into a black/white issue. We were simply talking about the girl’s career prospects and her health.”
“[Howard's] opinion was that she would never have a great career in Hollywood because of her size,” Quivers continued. “My opinion was that she’s really unhealthy and that somebody should be talking to her about that.
“It’s about the fact that somebody [was saying to Gabby] ‘Oh, you go girl, now go have another piece of fried chicken,’ [when] they should’ve said, ‘Okay you know what? Alright, you did that role, you needed to look this way for this role, and maybe now you should be addressing your health.’ Because, if you really want to work in Hollywood, you need to be able to do different things.”
To the haters, Quivers adds, “Go ahead now and make something out of that and start calling us names.”
Quivers, currently promoting her 15 Foundation philanthropic organization, says she is fully aware of her reputation as a “sellout” among some black folks, but her question is, “Sold out for what, and to who?”
“I was called, I think, a house Negro,” she said. “I think the times have changed and I think that you have to update your terms, because I don’t know exactly what you’re trying to say about me. And where have I sold out to? Again, I say exactly how I feel, exactly what I want. If it doesn’t agree with what you think I should be saying, then there’s something wrong with everyone thinking that just because my skin is a certain color, we all think alike. That, again, is a real problem.”
Bottom line, she says, “I can’t have other people’s opinions. I’m sorry, I can’t do that for you. If that’s selling out, then I sold out. What they’re saying is that, ‘You should have my opinion. And if you don’t have my opinion, you’re selling out.’ But, I don’t know how it’s not selling out if I have your opinion, and it’s not my opinion.”
Exclusive: Robin Quivers on Jamie Foxx, Gabby Sidibe, ‘House Negro’ and More
*The Sirius satellite radio war of words between Howard Stern and Jamie Foxx has spiraled completely out of control, and Stern’s sidekick Robin Quivers says it’s all based on an obscene overreaction by Foxx and his radio crew to comments made about Gabourey Sidibe.
When Foxx heard the now infamous clip of Stern and Quivers discussing Gabby’s weight, declaring she is too big to ever have longevity as an actress, he came to the Oscar nominee’s defense on his Foxxhole radio show, leveling personal attacks against the Stern camp in the process.
Quivers, in particular, was referred to as “house ni**erish” by Foxx, while his co-host Corey Holcomb began making light of the child molestation Quivers said she suffered at the hands of her father.
Stern then blasted back by suggesting he has proof that Foxx is gay, which prompted a denial by Foxx and a charge that “Coward Stern” has “chronic gonorrhea.”
The latest incident took place on live television yesterday when a famous Stern fan, posing as an expert on the deadly West Virginia coal mine explosion, was able to get through to anchor Shepard Smith and begin calling out Foxx before he was abruptly cut off.
Just how did things get so ugly?
In an exclusive interview with EUR’s Lee Bailey, Quivers says this whole back-and-forth nonsense could’ve been avoided had Foxx and other critics not forced the issue of race into their original comments about Gabby.
“They’re reacting to something they didn’t hear, and again, they’re reacting to something that we didn’t say,” said Quivers. “They’re making it into a black/white issue. We were simply talking about the girl’s career prospects and her health.”
“[Howard's] opinion was that she would never have a great career in Hollywood because of her size,” Quivers continued. “My opinion was that she’s really unhealthy and that somebody should be talking to her about that.
“It’s about the fact that somebody [was saying to Gabby] ‘Oh, you go girl, now go have another piece of fried chicken,’ [when] they should’ve said, ‘Okay you know what? Alright, you did that role, you needed to look this way for this role, and maybe now you should be addressing your health.’ Because, if you really want to work in Hollywood, you need to be able to do different things.”
To the haters, Quivers adds, “Go ahead now and make something out of that and start calling us names.”
Quivers, currently promoting her 15 Foundation philanthropic organization, says she is fully aware of her reputation as a “sellout” among some black folks, but her question is, “Sold out for what, and to who?”
“I was called, I think, a house Negro,” she said. “I think the times have changed and I think that you have to update your terms, because I don’t know exactly what you’re trying to say about me. And where have I sold out to? Again, I say exactly how I feel, exactly what I want. If it doesn’t agree with what you think I should be saying, then there’s something wrong with everyone thinking that just because my skin is a certain color, we all think alike. That, again, is a real problem.”
Bottom line, she says, “I can’t have other people’s opinions. I’m sorry, I can’t do that for you. If that’s selling out, then I sold out. What they’re saying is that, ‘You should have my opinion. And if you don’t have my opinion, you’re selling out.’ But, I don’t know how it’s not selling out if I have your opinion, and it’s not my opinion.”
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postparti...r_gra.html#more
'Precious' little time -- or grace -- for fans
It's always a let-down when folks you've admired or respected from afar turn out to be jerks in person. Case in point: Gabourey Sidibe, the Oscar-nominated actress in the title role of "Precious."
Y'all know how much I loved the powerful film from director Lee Daniels about an obese New York City teenager enduring unspeakable abuse at the hands of her parents. After Oscar night, I wrote, "I was rooting for Gabourey Sidibe for best actress. But the moment edgy comedienne Mo'Nique won the Oscar for supporting actress, I knew that the divine Sidibe was toast." But after meeting Sidibe at the White House Correspondents dinner and hearing about others' negative encounters with her, I'm putting down my pompoms.
I was thrilled to spot her at a table laughing uproariously with the man sitting to her right. "I know you're having a good time and I'm sorry to interrupt," I began. My next sentence didn't come out because Sidibe shouted over the din, "Yeah, come back in five minutes!" Thinking she was joking, I laughed and pretended to walk away. When I noticed that the look in her eyes meant she was serious, I walked back to her and said, "I just wanted to congratulate you on your nomination. I thought your performance was spectacular. I even wrote a column about it." After wishing her good luck, I rejoined my friends.
Back at the table, I sheepishly related the incident to my colleague Jo-Ann Armao. "Oh! She's horrible," Armao said in her wonderfully blunt way. She told me that she saw Sidibe at the pre-cocktails and told her that she'd seen "Precious" three times (an amazing emotional feat that only adds to my awe of Armao) and that she thought Sidibe's performance was "incandescent." What was Sidibe's response? "I guess I should say, 'Thank you.'"
At the MSNBC after party, the partner of a "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" producer said to me, "Look! There's Gabby Sidibe. I'm going to ask her to take a picture with me." I warned him, "She's mean." To which he said, "I don't care. I just want a picture." I didn't see what went down, but the dejected fan came back and said incredulously, "She said no." No doubt the constant interruptions and jostling are bothersome. Her ever-shrinking zone of privacy must be irksome, too. And there's no law that says Sidibe has to show grace to her fans or appreciation for their kind words. But a true star would.
At a dinner for the BET Honors back in January here in Washington, I had the pleasure of sitting next to Oscar-nominated actress and singer Queen Latifah. To be honest, I expected to get the Sidibe treatment. Instead, Latifah was as interesting as she was interested. She greeted fans who came over with a smile and warmth that made people happy they worked up the courage just to say hello. Latifah knows that without fans she has no career. Sidibe's behavior shows she has yet to learn that.
'Precious' little time -- or grace -- for fans
It's always a let-down when folks you've admired or respected from afar turn out to be jerks in person. Case in point: Gabourey Sidibe, the Oscar-nominated actress in the title role of "Precious."
Y'all know how much I loved the powerful film from director Lee Daniels about an obese New York City teenager enduring unspeakable abuse at the hands of her parents. After Oscar night, I wrote, "I was rooting for Gabourey Sidibe for best actress. But the moment edgy comedienne Mo'Nique won the Oscar for supporting actress, I knew that the divine Sidibe was toast." But after meeting Sidibe at the White House Correspondents dinner and hearing about others' negative encounters with her, I'm putting down my pompoms.
I was thrilled to spot her at a table laughing uproariously with the man sitting to her right. "I know you're having a good time and I'm sorry to interrupt," I began. My next sentence didn't come out because Sidibe shouted over the din, "Yeah, come back in five minutes!" Thinking she was joking, I laughed and pretended to walk away. When I noticed that the look in her eyes meant she was serious, I walked back to her and said, "I just wanted to congratulate you on your nomination. I thought your performance was spectacular. I even wrote a column about it." After wishing her good luck, I rejoined my friends.
Back at the table, I sheepishly related the incident to my colleague Jo-Ann Armao. "Oh! She's horrible," Armao said in her wonderfully blunt way. She told me that she saw Sidibe at the pre-cocktails and told her that she'd seen "Precious" three times (an amazing emotional feat that only adds to my awe of Armao) and that she thought Sidibe's performance was "incandescent." What was Sidibe's response? "I guess I should say, 'Thank you.'"
At the MSNBC after party, the partner of a "Countdown with Keith Olbermann" producer said to me, "Look! There's Gabby Sidibe. I'm going to ask her to take a picture with me." I warned him, "She's mean." To which he said, "I don't care. I just want a picture." I didn't see what went down, but the dejected fan came back and said incredulously, "She said no." No doubt the constant interruptions and jostling are bothersome. Her ever-shrinking zone of privacy must be irksome, too. And there's no law that says Sidibe has to show grace to her fans or appreciation for their kind words. But a true star would.
At a dinner for the BET Honors back in January here in Washington, I had the pleasure of sitting next to Oscar-nominated actress and singer Queen Latifah. To be honest, I expected to get the Sidibe treatment. Instead, Latifah was as interesting as she was interested. She greeted fans who came over with a smile and warmth that made people happy they worked up the courage just to say hello. Latifah knows that without fans she has no career. Sidibe's behavior shows she has yet to learn that.
Wow, the media backlash has begun already.
I am NO fan of Howard Stern but what he said is the way Hollywood works.
I am NO fan of Howard Stern but what he said is the way Hollywood works.
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