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Ozempic and the related drugs are everywhere and seem to be firmly at the forefront of the pop culture and general public consciousness. I’ve even been getting unsolicited emails about it from healthcare providers. So far it’s mostly reality star and influencer types that have copped to using it, including the Real Housewives of New Jersey’s Dolores Catania. She appeared on Watch What Happens Live recently and host Andy Cohen asked about her weight loss. Turns out it was due to Ozempic and a viewer later called him out for praising her and other Bravo stars.
Andy Cohen’s comments about Ozempic are leaving a bad taste in the audience’s mouth.
The reality king, 54, was forced to respond to fans who accused him of “praising” celebrities who lost weight with the diabetes drug, which has been increasingly popular in recent months.
Cohen addressed the issue on his Sirius XM show “Radio Andy,” sharing a DM from one viewer who wondered why Ozempic has become a hot topic.
“Tonight was the third ‘Watch What Happens Live’ guest who I’ve heard you praise for losing weight and inquiring about Ozempic,” they wrote, calling out the host’s most recent interview with “Real Housewives of New Jersey” castmate Dolores Catania.
During last Thursday’s “WWHL,” Catania admitted to jumping on the Ozempic “bandwagon” after Cohen asked about her new look. “I wasn’t going to come to the [‘RHONJ’] reunion looking any bigger than anyone else,” she reasoned.
The Bravo ringleader actually ended up agreeing with his critic, telling listeners, “Well, you know what? This woman… she’s right.” He later acknowledged how weight loss talk can be a “slippery slope.”
Cohen did offer a minor defense, claiming he never complimented Catania’s weight loss, but merely noticed that she was “thin.”
“I’m trying to deliver the goods for my audience watching,” he explained. “I mean, if Dolores shows up looking 15 pounds lighter, I gotta find out how it happened.”
I mean, first of all, it’s Andy Cohen. Does anyone who actually watches his offerings expect him to have a sensitive view of weight and appearance (or anything, really) and expect him to do/be better? No. Andy deserves to be called out for a lot, but I don’t think this even ranks top 10, honestly. Maybe he ended up agreeing with his critic to keep the peace, but I actually think they’re both right. He maybe didn’t need to lavish such praise, but I don’t think he was wrong to ask about it. And one benefit of Andy asking is in this case it got us to the truth — Dolores admitted she used the drug to lose weight and didn’t instead claim it was diet and exercise. So Andy delivered the goods for his audience, like he said. And he’s right that it is a slippery slope when acknowledging weight loss because I think the vast majority of people actually do want their weight loss noticed and commented upon. Especially when those people are reality stars! Talking about their weight and appearance and techniques for maintaining are truly their bread and butter. How did I end up agreeing with and defending Andy Cohen here? But I really don’t think his actions are any more harmful than the many people who are taking diabetes drugs to lose an unnecessary 15 pounds and then lying about it.
I mean yes, it was an intrusive question…but I agree 100% on the scale of inappropriate Andy Cohen stuff this is pretty low lol! He is the kind of guy I think would stir bleep for free even if he didn’t have a show to do?!?
Ugh, these people. If they can’t lose 15 pounds through diet and exercise, especially considering all the personal trainers and gym equipment they can afford? Disgraceful. Don’t reward them with praise
Agree 100%, Carol.
Btw, AC is a garbage person himself.
Garbage is insulted at being compared to Andy Cohen …
what is the praise even for? congrats, you took a drug that others actually need and lost some weight? congrats for sticking yourself once a month? congrats for being so shallow that you don’t care how you lose weight?
@Carol Mengel says:
You’re absolutely right !
Or it shows that it is really hard to lose weight and keep it off, even with diet and exercise and lots of resources. There are a lot of other factors that can affect weight.
LOL the woman took a lifesaving drug to lose what, 5 or 10 lbs before her RHOB tv reunion???
And yet here we are, acting like it’s the same as a woman who is 50-100 lbs overweight, struggling with a thyroid condition. I mean COME ON. The above comments are absolutely right: this is a wealthy, well-off woman who clearly cares deeply about her appearance–enough to invest in a nutritionist and personal trainer to lose a few lbs before she goes on TV. All she has to do is exercise more and eat less–no need to take critical diabetes medication away from folks who need it.
Ain’t takin’ no drugs unless the Doc tells me to.
And so far my doc only asked me to cut back on sugar and take my vitamins.
I’m still trying to understand how the person made a name for themselves because he has never come across as anything but catty and nasty on what I’ve seen and heard. CBs, Please let me know if I am wrong in this assessment.
You’re not wrong. I don’t understand his appeal at all. He’s horrible, trashy, and a huge embarrassment. I don’t understand how people even watch his show.
He’s produced a bunch of television which made a lot of money for the network. I’m not saying he’s a good person, but he made a name for himself because he’s successful. The fact that we’re discussing one of his “creations” is a testament to that success.
He had made a lot of people a lot of money.
And he’s (among other things) a horrible misogynist.
Read The Andy Cohen Diaries and you’ll be shocked at how open Cohen is about what a terrible person he is.
Of course Andy did/said ANOTHER thing. He’s messy and problematic and it looks like he’ll never lose his platform.
With the ozempic fad there’s the toxic diet culture side of things, but there’s also the fact that it’s causing shortages for people with diabetes who need it and I feel like they should have been acknowledged in his apology.
I agree, Emily. I’m so tired of toxic diet culture, and I would *love* to live in a world where our bodies were simply our containers (pipe dream, I know), but the real issue here is using a necessary, life saving drug to satisfy the demands of vanity. In what universe does someone live where their right to be as thin as possible trumps someone else’s right to live?! #eattherich&selfish
Andy is trash.
People take drugs ALL the time to lose weight. Nothing new. The fact that folks can’t afford medication is the goverment and pharmaceutical industry fault. Period.
It’s not just that. The diet fad is using up supplies that actual diabetics need. That’s the real issue here. He is also a horrible person in general.
On the grand scale of things Cohen has said in the past that are offensive, this is the least of it. I for one am glad that celebs are having to own up to using meds for their weight loss. I’m tired of hearing the old “oh I just eat salads” or “I work out so hard”.
I’m not a Judge Judy on anybody’s weight, you do you. Everyone has their own journey and process. I’m not judgy on using Wegovy or workouts, whatever works for you. I’m just tired of the celebs making it look easy when it is not.
(Wegovy is strictly a weight loss drug whereas Ozempic is supposed to be used for diabetes. I hate that people who need it for diabetes cannot get it because it is mis-used as weight loss drug).