Until the Fat Lady Sings

Karl Lagerfeld made the headlines yesterday because he said Adele was a “little too fat.” Is anyone else tired of people calling Adele, Kelly Clarkson, and Christina Aguilera fat? I met Kelly Clarkson recently, the night VH1 Divas taped. She’s not fat. Notice how her waist actually similar to MJB’s or J.Hud’s? The only reason she looks thicker is because she’s shorter.

Photo courtesy of VH1

I’ve seen Adele perform in an intimate setting. She’s not thin, but she’s definitely thinner than when she first came out with her debut album ’19.’ She’s even taken steps to become healthier. 

Adele in the “Chasing Pavements”

Adele at a performance for ’21’

Photo credit: Christopher Polk/Getty Images

And Christina…I love Christina. She’s been ridiculed for being too thin and then too big. She’s yo-yo-ed like the rest of us. I’ve never met her. But I know she’s really tiny, as in short. When you’re short, gaining two pounds looks like you’ve gained five.

Here’s Christina with Etta James in June 2006

Here’s Christina at Etta James’ funeral

As someone who works in the music business and has seen what celebrities look like in person and in photos pre-retouching, I’m telling you- Do Not be fooled by photos and videos. No one looks exactly like their official publicity image or a magazine cover. (I even have to remind myself of this when I find myself comparing me and JLo 😉 ) I can’t tell you how often I hear “she’s so much smaller than I thought. ” In the last year, I was working with a male singer. We did a great photo shoot with a famous photographer and the photos were amazing. As soon as the album cover was released on Facebook, fans immediately commented “you look fat” and “damn, he’s gained weight” or “I guess you took time off to eat.” The reality was he did gain weight, but he put on muscle and lots of it. But his getting “bigger” was not getting “fatter.”

So who are we to judge? Who hasn’t yo-yo-ed +/- five to ten pounds. I’m sure if someone went through my Facebook timeline and reviewed all my photos, they’d think I was fat too! The key is to not listen to “dem haters” but to listen to yourself and consult a health professional. I don’t think Adele, Kelly or Christina are on the border of being unhealthy. And like the rest of us, their weight issues aren’t over. It’s an every day battle. I guess it really ain’t over until the fat lady sings.