Star Jones did it. So did Ricky Gervais and Jennifer Hudson. Oprah tried to do it. And now Jonah Hill has joined the growing list of celebrities who drop the weight as their star rises. In our obesity plagued nation, any win in the battle of the bulge is commendable. But after the congratulations are over, do fans still feel the same way about slimmed down celebrities?
Certainly not in Star Jones’ case. In 2006, at the end of a 3 year weight battle, Jones was abruptly fired from The View. Jennifer Hudson’s Weight Watchers’ advertisements and size zero publicity abound, but her album reviews continue to decline along with her figure. Ricky Gervais is still working, but not like he used to. What’s up with that?
Most celebrities drop the pounds because they now have the time and money to tackle their weight problem. And they’re probably hoping it will help get them more work. It makes sense. A University of Florida study recently proved that a more attractive weight demands a higher pay check. That must certainly go double in Hollywood. But fame is funny. And fans aren’t always as superficial as you think.
As much as Hollywood abhors a fatty, they love pulling for the underdog. In the land of unlikely odds and impossible perfection, the one atypical star with enough funny, talent or charm to break through in spite of it all gets the popular vote. We pin all of our chubby, acned, awkward dreams to them and imagine for a few moments that we can all be stars.
But then you come back to school one year and your best friend is back from fat camp. And he doesn’t want to sit at your lunch table anymore. Part of you is glad that he looks happy and healthy. The rest of you feels abandoned. And a little cheated. Like your friend sold out. Like he isn’t the same person anymore.
And is he? Jonah Hill dropped the pounds for 21 Jump Street, a comic version of the original late 80s television drama of the same name. But can skinny Jonah Hill still be funny? Historically, the track record isn’t good.
After she was fired in 2008, formerly-fat Star Jones was replaced with the fatter and funnier Rosie O’Donnell. Ricky Gervais’ smarmy, narcissist shtick goes down a lot less smoothly when served by his A-list physique. Maybe that’s why they still draw him fat on his animated pod cast.
John Favreau pulled it off, but he does a lot of yo-yoing.
Do kids crack as many jokes over at the “cool” lunch table? I wouldn’t know, I never sat there. But I have to say, Jonah’s $500 hair cut and European cut suit make me feel a lot less inclined to laugh. They’ll certainly make him harder to cast as the awkward, chubbily endearing man-child in Apatow’s next laugh fest.