Star Jones Reveals Truth About Weightloss Surgery
Posted on August 16, 2007 by Glen Johnson
This morning I watched an interview with Diane Sawyer of Good Morning America. Star Jones revealed that four years ago she had weightloss surgery. This comes as no surprise to me or to most people. I used to be the biggest fan in the world of Star. I thought she was the most gorgeous fat woman on the planet. She was the only woman that my wife said she would not leave me alone in a room with. Then the surgery and the change in personality and the lies and she lost a longtime fan.
One of the statements that she made was that as the fat girl that gave her the permission and right to be loud and bigger than life. This is what the viewing public saw but on the inside she was not happy with the way she was portraying herself. Another truth revealed what that before the surgery she would say, “I am going to die fat and happy,” when in truth she did not want to die fat becuase for her that was not being happy.
She does not want the autopsy report to read “38 year old morbidly obese woman”. As a 41 year old man with reasonable intelligence I can agree with that, though I tend to not think in morbid terms like that. If that is part of what her motivation was to get the surgery then so be it, its not for me to judge.
Long time fans and many members of the plus size community said years ago that it would have been better for Star to just admit that she had WLS. The jokes around the internet and on blogs would have continued but she would have been able to walk around with her head held up confident that she had made the right decision.
By hiding it, using lawyer speak, she hurt her credibility with her audience. Though America is quick to forget. As soon as the next Britney Spears story comes out, anything about Star Jones will be forgotten totally. With that in mind it makes me wonder if her book Shine
There have been thousands of men and women to have WLS and one of the greatest parts of the process is the support community surrounding them after the surgery. Star robbed herself of that opportunity, but has a chance now that she has revealed everything to move on.
I am happy that she finally decided to reveal the truth about her having the surgery. Carrying a secret from friends, family and fans for four years is probably what ate away at her to the point that she went from a size 26 to a size 8 and just does not look very healthy or happy. One good part of this is that she recognized the problem and is in therapy for it.
Discussion: 6 Comments
Di
- 17th Aug, 07 12:08am
What a great and thoughtful post.
There’s always an element of tug-of-war for women with strong personalities, especially large women. It’s very possible Ms. Jones really meant what she said when she said it – both times, in opposite directions.
There is always pressure on celebrities to stay thin, thin, thin, and it’s a great paradox of our times that being fat is seen as a sign of weakness, yet for larger women in show business, caving to the pressure to diet happens as a result of weakness/cracking under pressure.
So even if you start out as a reasonably sane-if-large person, you end up completely crazed from all the opposing messages thrown at you. I think that’s what happened to your Star.
Give her two years. Even with WLS, most large people – in fact, the majority – end up gaining back the weight. Here’s hoping that should this happen to her as well, she’ll come to it with grace, and you just might get her back yet.
Glen L Johnson
- 17th Aug, 07 07:08am
Di,
I agree that there has always been the element to stay thin in the world of celebrities. I hope that she is happy with herself and the decisions that she has made.
Regardless of a persons size there mental and emotional health is just as important.
I have seen that happen in others as well that they gain the weight back after a few years I wonder if there is something to that statistic.
cbowman
- 18th Aug, 07 03:08pm
Dearest Star Jones, I want to tell you about our organization called Bridge community services,inc.
Please write so I can tell you how we are helping underprivileged children and their families. Please call or write if you can help. 909 730-7599 Cynthia Bowman
Melissa
- 27th Sep, 07 12:09am
Is it just me, or does anyone else think that Star looks awful now? I always thought that she was gorgeous, but now she looks ugly. I truly believe that she only got her job on Court TV because of name recognition.
It seems to me that when you watch a celebrity transform that way, the thinner they get, the worse they look. When Oprah was much thinner, I thought she looked old and tired. I am glad to see that she has gained a little.
I wonder if it is just my perception that is skewed?
Glen L Johnson
- 27th Sep, 07 07:09am
melissa,
I agree with you. I used to think that Star was one of the most gorgeous women on the planet. When she started losing the weight she lost a fan in me.
bbiglovely
- 18th Dec, 07 05:12am
Yes, I agree with you and a lot of large people at largeplace.com are her fans. They aren’t her fans any more after she lose weight. What a pity for us and for herself.