Gabourey Sidibe and the October 2010 ELLE Magazine cover controversy: Is Gabby too fat to be a beauty role model? Video below.

Today's Kiss and Tell Report.

When I heard that Halle Berry was gracing the cover of the legendary September issue of Vogue Magazine I couldn't get it into my hands fast enough. Perusing Vogue Magazine's September issue is already an annual ritual for me but I make a point of buying mainstream magazines with women of color on the cover to counteract the fashion industry's stance that black, brown and yellow faces sell less copies on the newsstand. Vogue Magazine was famously reported to have rejected Oscar nominee Gabourey Sidibe, star of Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire,  for being "too fat."

Well ELLE Magazine has stepped up to the plate, making Gabourey Sidibe a covergirl for its October 2010 issue.

Gabourey Sidibe may be too fat for Vogue but she's not too fat for ELLE. ELLE Magazine is celebrating their 25th anniversary by profiling 25 "25-somethings" and featuring several of them on a number of collectible covers. In addition to Gabby, readers can also snag the October ELLE with Lauren Conrad, Megan Fox or Amanda Seyfried on the cover. Bravo ELLE and Gabourey!

However, not everyone is celebrating this latest victory for the talented young star new of the series "The Big C" and ELLE Magazine. The comments at CNN.com and on some blogs are vicious, and of course all focused on Gabby's weight.  Some are saying that ELLE is promoting an unhealthy body image in its quest to be inclusive; after all America is fighting a serious obesity problem. Clearly, Gabourey Sidibe is obese and this is physically dangerous.

My two cents? Since when are fashion magazines expected to be health conscious? How do we know that the typical rail thin beauties that we see on the pages of these glossy monthlies are healthy? I am certain that Gabourey Sidibe is working on her weight and physical issues privately. In addition to being funny and talented she seems like an intelligent woman. I am sure that her mother, America's Got Talent singer Ann Tan Ridley, and mentor Oprah Winfrey have counseled her about her well being.

In the meanwhile it is great for all of us to see diversity in beauty saluted. Frankly, women of every size and stripe could learn a thing or two from Ms. Sidibe about self confidence. Meanwhile, like all of her supporters I want to see her get healthy.

"I have no problem with whatever the next big look is, Just don't try and tell me that only one look is beautiful." ~Alek Wek, Sudanese model

Question: When is the last time you heard someone critique the bodies of Jack Black, Drew Carey or Kevin Smith?