Melissa McCarthy is continuing her efforts to reframe the conversation about body positivity. Melissa, a mother of two young girls, is taking a stand alongside Ashley Graham and Nadia Aboulhosn to try and get away from negative labels. While responding to comments about her weight loss in this recent promotional tour for The Boss, she discussed her weight fluctuation in an honest way and said that she is not overly concerned by how she looks. Melissa emphasized that her Seven7 clothing line is designed for all women, not just certain sizes. Yesterday she took to Instagram to further her campaign to remove unnecessary labels for women.
Melissa genuinely wants to be judged on her merit, not her appearance. In 2013, Rex Reed wrote in his review of Identify Theft that Melissa was “tractor-size” and “female hippo.” Melissa’s eventually responded, “I felt really bad for someone who is swimming in so much hate.” While promoting St. Vincent last year, Melissa confronted a critic on the red carpet who had written similarly hateful things about her in a review of Tammy. After a brief back-and-forth, Melissa ended with, “Just know that every time you write stuff, every young girl in this country reads that and they just get a little bit chipped away,”
The rest of Melissa’s promotion for The Boss has been a blast. She and Ben appeared on Colbert and competed in a condensed version of Chopped that Colbert called Smooshed. Wednesday, Melissa and co-star Kristen Schaal (another actress I really enjoy) were on The Late Late Show with James Cordon. Mimicking a scene from The Boss (which opens today), the trio attempted to have a conversation while wearing mouth guards.
Throughout the promo tour, Melissa has had to field questions about the Gilmore Girl reunion. Those of us who are die-hard Hollowers were clinging desperately to the belief that all the denials were a giant ruse and that Sookie would pop up at some point. After a lot of back and forth, Melissa has confirmed that she’ll be in the reunion. She told Ellen“ We figured out that I’m gonna go back and do it and I am so excited.”
I loved this top she wore on Colbert
Photo Credit: Getty Images and WENN and Fame/Flynet Photos
Can you imagine someone writing “tractor-sized” and “hippo” about, say, John Goodman? Nope. Critics who attack the size/shape/appearance of actresses are beneath contempt.
Rex Reed has always been the a-hole when it comes to being a critic. Not that it is okay to write the way he does but I was not at all surprised that he wrote it. Didn’t know he was even relevant anymore.
The origin of that kind of open contempt is usually unacknowledged self- loathing. Just bear that in mind. It helps me to have a bit of pity for their behavior.
I’ve heard plenty of critics mock fat men.
Roger Ebert once called Chris Farley “the man with the size 22 neck.”
Owen Gleiberman, reviewing “Only the Lonely,” said “it’s supposed to warm our hearts that a lardo like John Candy can get a conventionally attractive woman like Ally Sheedy.”
Hollywood Bitchslap described critic Harry Knowles as “beyond obese,” mocked the fact that he was using a wheelchair, and said he smelled like “a combination of urine and ass.” They also referred to him as “the Ginger Lump.”
I’ve heard similar mean comments said about Kevin James, Zach Galifianakis, Josh Gad, etc. John Goodman got his share of nasty remarks when he was on “Roseanne.”
What kind of adults react this way? I would describe as school yard bullying except they have a huge public platform to spew their crap. They should be censured.
By most people’s standards (not that she should care) Melissa is a ravishing woman. Loved her as Sookie, so glad she has the success she deserves!
Melissa – don’t listen to haters. I like you because of your humour and personality.
Your sweet personality makes you one of best looking in Hollywood.
I love the way you put this, Maya.
What makes someone beautiful is a kindness from within.
Some of the most “gorgeous” women I know who treat people unkindly or walk around as though the world owns them a debt don’t represent beauty to me at all.
And why is it that beauty is defined by ones appearance?
No one has control over how we’re born – it’s not a personal accomplishment to be revered.
Anyway…Melissa McCarthy is a beautiful woman…her appearance is beautiful and so is her heart.
She’s the real deal.
And super talented on top of that.
How many Hollywood women can say they’ve achieved THAT?!
Thanks Bella and yes – who says beauty is only defined by outer features?
Looks may attract you in the first place but it’s the personality that makes you stay.
I am glad to see someone like Melissa who is talented, intelligent, sweet and although not conventionally good looking but attractive has made it to the top without being a bully, rude and stuck up.
Nice way to respond to Shumer’s ridiculous reaction to that magazine spread. Which, IMO, was internalized fat hatred. Just like your coworker, who ‘really likes gay people, is totally ok with them’, but would lose their minds if anyone thought they were gay.
I didn’t realize why these women wanted to abolish ‘plus-sized’. Then Amy said her piece. Now I think I get how distasteful it is and I’m even more firmly on the side of the ever well-spoken Melissa.
YES! She’s got a lot of class, Melissa! She doesn’t respond with snark or vitriol. We’ve got a lot to learn from her, and she’s a true role model.
geez , im so over it, move on already, if you’re confident in your skin, what does it matter if you get called this or that ? there is far more important issues in the world !!!
It matters not for her but for the young girls who are not as confident as she is. I read the article that was in the link, that’s why she confronted that a-hole critic. His BS rolled off her back, but she was talking a stand for other women/girls who aren’t comfortable in their own skin yet.
Exactly.
Vanessa-you’re barking up the wrong tree as McCarthy is someone who doesn’t acknowledge her size until someone like Reed forces her to. She’s not one to whine or cry about it, instead she looks for solutions like opening up her own clothing line.
Jeez. I don’t know how anyone can find fault with how she handled being criticized by a bunch of aholes. She was nothing less than gracious.
Why are you commenting on celebrity gossip then? There are much more important issues in the world!
gee Vanessa, I think you should be directing your disdain at the critics and others who are constantly body shaming people and judging them based on their appearance.
I think she is confident enough in her own skin that I don’t think she’s personally bothered by the insult, but I think being called a female hippo is pretty mean. That kind of insulting is going too far. I don’t get why a professional reviewer/journalist would write that. Actually, I’m not even sure why someone would say that about someone behind their back either. It’s too much.
Why do some people (like Michelle Bachmann for example. Not saying that you’re just like her, but that is an argument she made about another group of people once, and it’s a popular argument that’s used a lot to derail a lot of conversations) always think that being comfortable in one’s skin or okay with themselves/other people who fall under a category means being okay with disrespect, stereotypes, or unequal treatment? If someone went around with the mentality of “Well that person/those people/I am x, whatever people say has to be quietly accepted,” wouldn’t that be more like just agreeing with it or giving it a pass?
I said these exact words in the post about AS. Stop categorizing everything, it’s not needed!
Gilmore Girls: the mom was THEE most annoying character. She’s awful, self-centred and overly sarcastic! The rapidly-paced banter was dizzying; no one talks that fast! McCarthy was the only good part.
Yep!
I have a friend who talks just like her, so…*shrugs*
Maybe my friends are just wittier and more clever than average? 😉
It’s funny, I didn’t really watch the show the first go round. I think I saw one episode and was so annoyed, I stopped watching. When it popped up on Netflix, I gave it another go and completely fell in love. I’ve watched it multiple times through now. Realism is not it’s strong point, but charm and an overabundance of cultural references are. There is so much talking = there is SO MUCH in there!! PLUS it is solidly feminist, which I appreciate in a light, humorous teen show.
I would love to hear the behind the scenes story on what made her change her mind re: Gilmore Girls
I get the impression that it really was a scheduling conflict. The last I had heard before today was that she said she had not even been asked, so I don’t think it was a matter of her changing her mind and more of a matter of negotiation on scheduling and salary. They’ve already started shooting it, so I’m sure her part can’t be very big. I guess we’ll have to wait and see!
I think the issue goes a lot deeper than whether you’re thin or not. Women are taught by our society, from the minute they are born, in many different ways, that their most valuable assets is their appearance. That unless they were lucky enough to look a certain way, they are less. It’s done to us, and we learn to do it to ourselves. That’s what needs to stop.
+1000
+1.
She is a hero, not to mention super, super talented.
The more I hear of her, the more I admire her.
I LOVE Kristen Schaal. She is so funny. I loved her on Flight of the ConChords.
Melissa is amazing and beautiful.
Happy she will be on the Gilmore girl thing, may watch it.
Honestly what matters about her is she is talented. I will say that if women in Hollywood want to get upset about sexism and unequal treatment by the media the discussing their weight, diets, hair and makeup routines should be what they go after not the red carpet #askhermore free $15000 dress thing. During promotion is where they should be asked more.
Yes!!! I just saw that she announced it! I’m so stoked!
OH MY GOD YESS!!! I’m so happy she’ll be in Girlmore Girls again!!!
YOU GO GIRL.
She is awesome, beautiful, funny, smart, and has terrific eye-makeup.
I love her – she is funny, smart, sweet, and beautiful. I fell in love with her the first time I saw Sookie and I am so happy she’s going to be in the Reunion! (And, on a very superficial note, I love that grey sweater on her.)
Yeeeeeesssssssssss! So excited for gilmore girls!
Says the woman who caved to pressure and lost over 50 pounds “for her health”
I don’t doubt she lost weight for her health. I’m sure part of it was what people said about her but I don’t imagine that her doctor was telling her, as an obese woman, that she was healthy.
Now if Melissa all of a sudden was 120 lbs I’d totally side eye her and call her a hypocrite but she is just trying to be the healthiest version of herself.
Why does losing weight have to mean she “caved to pressure”? I’ve lost weight before. I wasn’t “caving” to anything. I wanted to lose some weight. I’ve gained some weight too. Should we all assert our happiness in our own skin by putting on a few? Owning your body means you get to decide what to do with it and should be able to do so without having to endure comments from the peanut gallery. This comment is ridiculous.
The way people feel about their own lifestyles and their own bodies at different points in their lives can shift.
I just read that 50% of people who live in California are pre-diabetic. 70% of them will get diabetes if they don’t make changes in their lifestyle.
Being overweight is a huge risk factor of getting Type 2 diabetes. Statistically many more people suffer from health issues and/or die from being overweight than being too thin.
I know over 50% of Americans are obese and we think we must cater to them. But it is not healthy to be overweight. Being overweight can be just as dangerous as smoking or drinking too much.
You can embrace your obesity, but realize it might be killing you. And telling our kids it is ok to be fat is complete PC nonsense.
ItDoesn’tReallyMatter…It is true that being obese is unhealthy. It is true that type 2 diabetes is rampant. It also true that that developing shame and feelings of deep inferiority and self-loathing can kill just as fast, if not faster. There must be a way to teach our kids to be healthy, but not ashamed they aren’t Holllywood/Insta perfect. I, and countless other girls, spent years of my life (starting at 10) hurting myself and my health to get “thin enough”. I just wanted to be pretty and skinny. Even though I was taught that brains mattered more than anything, I fixated on weight instead. It almost killed me. I would rather have my daughter be happy and a bit overweight than go through what I went through. What I put myself through. I won’t argue your stats or facts, because they aren’t wrong. I am just saying that Melissa and others who are “plus-sized” like Ashley Graham and Nadia etc. are helping alot. When I was a young girl NO ONE in media/print was ever anything except very thin. I’m glad these women are here and taking charge and owning their bodies. Young girls/women need to see this-I know it would have helped me.
So the solution is to treat overweight people with derision until they are shamed into losing the weight? Well, as long as we’re doing it for their own good…
Do you honestly think not calling a fat person a hippo is “catering to them”? No. It’s just not going out of your way to be f–king horrible to someone.
I dunno. I wish Melissa and her efforts the best, even though my opinion is the best way for women to free themselves from body shaming comments is not to give a good goddamn what some dumbass/concern troll says, and live your life. The fundamental change is not to stop people from shaming you, but for YOU to stop shaming you and embrace ALL of who you are. You can eat well and exercise like a champ and not look like an athlete or still be what concern trolls call “heavy.”