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Kelly Clarkson's "All I Ever Wanted" album cover.
It was standing room only last night as Kelly Clarkson took the stage for the main event at Universal Orlando’s annual Mardi Gras Parade. Performing songs off of her newest CD along with her previous #1 hits (without lip-syncing I might ad), she rocked the crowd in a hot black number with her image magnified on several large screens. Eventually, the crowds were packed too tight and we began to exit the park. “Hey you guys!” We turned to see one of my husband’s co-workers waving and walking towards us through the crowd, his young daughter by his side. “How does she look?” he asked, breathing heavy just from walking the whole 25 steps towards us. “What do you mean, she sounds great!” I added, puzzled. “She’s looks big though, right?” he asked. “They say she’s gained a lot of weight again.” My mouth fell open. I was immediately defensive both as a woman and a Personal Trainer. “What are you talking about? She looks great!” I was seething. Looking down at his young daughter who was listening, I can only imagine the self image issues forming in her young mind. I looked back at him and sized him up. Talk about the pot calling the kettle fat. With a good hefty 50 extra pounds or so packed into his big belly, he’s one to be talking. But aren’t “they” all?
Kim Kardashian was the talk of the gossip columns last week with images of her “real” figure posted on Complex magazine’s web-site, then quickly replaced with the usual air brushed images. Bloggers began the fat bashing pointing out her cellulite and any other flaws they could find forcing her to defend herself on her own blog . Several weeks ago the subject in case was Jessica Simpson with pictures of her plastered everywhere in her unflattering, high-waisted jeans. Media journalist and bloggers jumped at the chance to scrutinize and analyze her weight and the reasons behind her new “fuller” figure. Meanwhile, bean pole pictures of celebrities circulate and yet I hear not a peep. Until, of course, it gets to be truly sickening. Then the gears will change towards the opposite attack and the witch hunts begins, calling out the celebrities that are too thin.
Have you noticed how all of the celebrities considered too fat versus too thin are all women? Where are the unflattering pictures of the males in Hollywood? Why aren’t they on the cover with blow by blow accounts of how fat, too old, going bald, or too short some male stars have become?
I say ENOUGH ALREADY! With the economy in the dumps, the US in two major wars, and the unemployment an all time high, shouldn’t we NOT be focusing on whether or not Jessica Simpson went from a size 2 to a size 6 (gasp-the shame of a size 6).
As a Personal Trainer who has trained celebrities, their children, college students, and the average gal or guy, I can tell you this: It’s NEVER good enough. We always want what we don’t have and I often wonder if we will ever recognize how good sometimes we have it. I first discovered this working as the Fitness Coordinator for an all girls, private University in Los Angeles. I would offer one on one counseling and program designs for the student population. Hour after hour, beautiful girls would cry their eyes out in my office, confiding to me how ugly they were, too fat, flabby, etc. The girls with the thin bodies wanted the curvy body and big boobs. The curvaceous girls wanted to be the thin, size 0. All of the girls were gorgeous and in their prime. After ten years of training I now tell my clients to quit whining. Stop listening to your inner demons and the garbage talk about celebrities and thank the good Lord for what you have. It’s not about what you DON’T have. It’s about what you DO have and how you work it. (double snap!)
As for Kelly Clarkson, she shouldn't HAVE to defended her curves. Her pipes speak for themselves. Being one of the few young musicians that can actually sing live, without major studio enhancements, she continues to dominate the charts with her latest hits from her album "All I've Ever Wanted." Maybe what she really wants is for the nay sayers to shut up already! She's fine just the way she is, curves and all!
For more info: Contact Ensley directly at ensleyr@yahoo.com
Comments
I agree with you 100%. All three girls look great! And Kelly is an amazing singer and seems like a pretty nice person. Love her and her new album.
THANK YOU for writing about this!! I'm so sick of hearing about how this celebrity gained this much...I would think ppl would have other things to worry about...as for Kelly, I agree with you about her pipes. I don't care about the way she looks...(btw I think she looks good and happy)..her voice is absolutely fantastic
Kudos for girls with curves. Isn't that supposed to be okay? Anyway, it's really about are you good at what you do. Kelly is the best damn singer of her generation. She could look like Mama Cass and I'd still think she was the shizz.
Thanks for the article! I forwarded it to a few friends who (like me) are "curvy" we should have representation too!
Great article! I love Kelly, and I think she's very talented. I am thrilled her new album is doing so well. I wish people would leave her alone about her size. She looks great.
Thank you! I was Row 2 in Orlando on Saturday. The woman was worth the 12 hour wait and the sunburn.
As for her appearance...I would kill to have her figure and her sense of self.
I hope young girls all across the country drink the Kool-Aid that Kelly is selling because right now there is no better celebrity role model. And from the sounds of your quick run - Kelly may even be better than some parental role models too. Please send your husband's co-worker's daughter a copy of I Do Not Hook Up.
The funny thing is, like your co-worker, most people who criticize these celebrities aren't exactly thin themselves. I'm not sure why celebrities are held to a standard which is so grossly abnormal. Sure, if Kelly, Kim or Jessica were models I could see them needing to watch their weight a little bit but they aren't models. Jessica and Kelly are singers...I'm not sure what Kim does but she's beautiful.
I guess the life and death of Karen Carpenter, the struggle of Tracy Gold, and Olivia Newton Johns daughter aren't enough to stop the media from perpetuating this myth that it's normal for a full grown woman to be size 0. It's not normal. Full grown, healthy females need FAT on their bodies to menstrate properly.
I love that Kelly doesn't seem to give a hoot about what the media says about her body. She's probably got the most healthy attitude in the business. Kudos to her!
I work with children who suffer from severe cleft lips and palates and this is just disgusting. Appearance should be the LEAST important part of a person. Whatever happened to character and intelligence? It's so hard for girls in this country to grow up with a healthy self-image because of these ridiculous standards of beauty. Even the most physically beautiful girls such as the ones mentioned here, are ridiculed for a couple so-called extra pounds. You can imagine what little girls with facial deformities go through. I applaud Kelly for being real...and you for writing this article. Thank you!
I have been a fan of Kelly since she was on American Idol. I had a friend who told me, just wait, she'll be skinny as a rail soon and doing everything the PTB tell her so she can be successful. I didn't believe that would happen at the time, but what could I say but that time would tell. And it has. I'm so very proud of the person Kelly has consistently remained over the past seven years. Yes, during this time, she has become an adult and her body has grown into a woman, but more importantly, her voice has matured too. It is unrealistic for a girl of twenty to stay the same weight for seven years. I can't think of another celebrity who is so confident in her own skin or a better role model to young girls and girls not so young.
I sent this to all my friends on facebook! She is so not fat! she looks like the girl next door! I mean that's you're friend or your sisters weight right there! She's got pipes and thats all that should matter! I <333333 her!
People in the spotlight are always under the microscope of the public eye. The better they look,perform,etc...equals more money&fame. It's a double edge sword in that to be rick and famous they have to pay an extreemly high price. If they don't,then less money & fame. But,obesity is an epidemic in America and it make one wonder what epidemic will spin-off from this. High blood pressure, heart disease,sugar diabets,etc... all adding upto a increase in health problems and a poor quality of life. So, eat good,exercise,go to sleep same time at night and live long. SG
Ensley thank you for this article. It is not offen we (the public) get to read the truth about ourslef. Kelly Clarkson is what we all dream of having. She has success, power, fame, and good looks. I would give the river bottom farm just to walk with her in the park and hold her hand for one day. You are right when you say, "It's not about what you don't have, it's about what we have and how we work it".
Thanks and keep up the good work.
Kelly is the most real celebrity out there. She doesn't adhere to the quintessential celebrity image and even in her concerts, she doesn't use fancy choreography and antics. She just gets up there and sing.
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