Funnier Fat? Celeb Dieters Lose More Than Weight

Star Jones and RoseanneEver notice how some of your favorite celebs lose more than just weight when they go on a health kick? Being healthy should definitely be a priority, but there's no doubt that sometimes jokes get bigger laughs when they come from bigger bodies.

In their quest to avoid becoming another plus-sized comedy casualty like Belushi, Candy or Farley, some stars have had to sacrifice their funny bone in order to shed their big bones.

Check out which celebs traded being fun for being fit.

Star Jones
Star Jones

Star Jones Reynolds has dropped 150 pounds and gone from pleasantly plump to frighteningly freaky. Unfortunately, it seems that along with the fat, she also had all the fun sucked out of her, too.

Ever since Star announced her engagement to former bachelor Al Reynolds and started her dietapalooza - things have gone downhill.

First came the criticism for commercializing her wedding plans on "The View," followed by rampant rumors questioning Al's sexuality - which Star vehemently denies. The final straw may have been the fact that she has never revealed how she drastically lost all her weight -- a point that soon to be "View" co-host Rosie O'Donnell has been very vocal in critiquing. And after ABC let Jones go, even Barbara Walters admitted "the audience was losing trust in her. They didn't believe some of the things she said."

One thing is for sure: whether fat or thin, Star will continue to be the butt of jokes.

Al RokerAl Roker

As a 320-pound weatherman, Al Roker made finding out what was "going on in your neck of the woods" a jolly good time.

In his big days, Roker routinely appeared on comedy staples like "Seinfeld," "Will & Grace" and "Saturday Night Live." But ever since he lost 100 pounds via gastric bypass surgery in 2002, Al has become somewhat of a comedy black cloud.

Furthermore, his new camera-ready look has led to more serious interviews and segments on the show -- like interviewing former fatty Star Jones Reynolds on Friday. While we're all for a healthier Al, we just wish he'd take a cue from his weight loss and lighten up.

RoseanneRoseanne

Whether trading barbs with the rest of the Conner clan on her TV show or famously butchering the Star Spangled Banner, no woman was funnier than Roseanne in the 90s.

Famous for her plus-size domestic goddess chic, Roseanne and her self-titled series spent six years in the top five in the ratings. After the show went off the air in 1997, Roseanne lost weight, went blonde, had plastic surgery and saw three projects get cancelled or die a premature death.

While she make look slightly more glam, sadly, the funniest thing about her career these days is that she barely has one.

Ricki LakeRicki Lake


Ricki Lake first garnered nationwide recognition playing overweight characters in campy, over-the-top films like John Waters' "Hairspray" and "Cry-Baby."

Those stints and a little thing like a 125-pound weight loss led to her role as a trashy talk show host. Throughout the 11 seasons of her self-titled talk show -- that's right, 11 -- Lake's low-rent topics proved to be more tragic than anything else.

Since the show's demise in 2004, Lake hasn't regained any of the weight -- or her career.

Tags: Al Roker, AlRoker, Ricki Lake, RickiLake, Roseanne, Star Jones, StarJones

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(Page 2 of 3) Previous 15 Comments | 1 | 2 | 3 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

16. It is my opinion that Star was persecuted for trying to improve her health. It is not the publics business to know everything about her personal life especially when it comes to ones health, it should be her decision to tell or not to tell. It’s funny how society loves you when you’re fat and happy but when you become skinny and savvy, the table turns. “The View” was wrong in not renewing her contract, and their excuses for doing so were a bunch of lies. Finally to the show has just gone down hill, and if they thought there ratings were bad with Star, just wait until Rosie get on the show, the rating will really plummet…Needless to say I won’t be watching the show anymore.

Michelle Jordon

Posted at 4:05PM on Jun 30th 2006 by Michelle

17. She looks fake & freaky!!!!!

Posted at 4:55PM on Jun 30th 2006 by Sandy

18. Star Jones was wrongly treated. I adore her. I believe that her comments regarding her faith in God is probably what got her axed. I am no fan of Rosie--God help us!!

I love Barbara Walters--but she made a bad move here. I would think and hope that the African-American population would band together, and ban this show.

Posted at 5:22PM on Jun 30th 2006 by Gwen L. Mills

19. I have never been a huge Star fan, but I did occassionally watch The View. And I have to say that I was disappointed with Barbara Walters the other morning. She has known for MONTHS that Star was being let go! Why was she so upset the woman left the show on her own terms?

I was laid off from a job three years ago. My manager called me into his office one morning, gave me the news and asked me to PLEASE finish the rest of the week. I thought he had a lot of nerve! He had just told me the company didn't want me and a couple of my collegues there anymore and to make bad matter worse......my last day was supposed to be DECEMBER 21st !!!

I didn't even finish the remainder of the day! I walked out of his office, grabbed a box, and IMMEDIATELY started cleaning off my desk. I said goodbye to him and my friends and walked out!

Barbara and the powers that be at The View should be glad she stayed around for a long as she did having THE KNOWLEDGE she was going to be fired!!! Are they that stupid?!

Posted at 6:19PM on Jun 30th 2006 by Tina

20. Creepy McSpookster - The mayor of Yuckville, home of the heebiejeebies!

Nuff Said

Posted at 11:42AM on Jun 1st 2007 by Kelly

21. Look for me the issue isn't Star's weight or the fact that her contract wasn't being renewed. As she herself said, that's business! What I do believe started the big brouhaha is that there was an apparent agreement as to when the announcement would be made and Star violated that agreement. If you've been watching Star lately you HAD to know that she wasn't herself...you could tell she wasn't happy. Anyone can understand that in these circumstances Star might not be able to "go the distance" - sometimes you just can't wait it out - even if it is only two more days. However, I think it was incumbent upon Star to go to Barbara and Bill that morning and tell them that she couldn't go it any longer and that she needed to get it out of the way on that day. Star could have then spoken with Joy and Elizabeth before the show so they wouldn't have been blindsided too. I have a lot of admiration for Star on many levels; but I do think the Diva bit got old and she could have handled this better. Hopefully we all learn from our mistakes.

Posted at 7:50PM on Jun 30th 2006 by Janet

22. With the exception of Al Roker the rest of the people in this article where headed downhill even before they lost the weight. As far as Star Jones is concerned along with losing the weight she also lost her mind. She knew she was being let go and just decided to be messy about it.

Posted at 8:54PM on Jun 30th 2006 by Glen

23. C'mon folks. Don't be so hard on Star. It must be hard to be married to a gay man (unless, of course, you're another gay man)!

Posted at 11:12PM on Jun 30th 2006 by Sidney

24. I never watched the View because of Star Jones. On Larry King she was so fake and condescending as if she was some huge "star". I am enjoying all the Schadenfreude right now - she will find out just how many "fans" she really has - far, FAR fewer than she thinks. She looks creepy and acts creepy, and I agree it is since she hooked up with her "husband" (who is SO gay who do they think they are kidding??) she has been a self-centred drama queen. Shame it seems that African American women will defend her no matter what. Please ladies! There are SO many other more worthy "sisters" out there to follow and support. As for Star, PLEASE JUST GO AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted at 11:23PM on Jun 30th 2006 by Mona Lisa Wessel

25. I think Star jones was treated very unfairly by Barbra walters and ABC.
For a woman who is rumoured to have slept her way to the top(Walters)she is in no position to judge others. Like a recent article I read stated the View was promoted as a show for women, an example of women supporting each other and at the first sign of trouble they sell Star down the river. I never liked the women on the view except Star and Meredith and, now they are both gone I will not ever give that show 1 second on my tv until the day I here that the show has been cancelled. Rosie is a jealous bitter person who cannot stand to see anyone loose weight. She came out and blasted Kirsty A. when she started loosing weight with Jenny Craig, but Kirsty had enough sense to ignor her. I predict that with the three toxic loudmouths Rosie, Joy and Elizabeth and the hypocrit and back stabber Barb, the show will be cancelled soon.

Posted at 8:35AM on Jul 1st 2006 by eve

26. What? God it sucks to be a girl. It's stupid articles like this that give people the idea that girls can either be a) pretty or b) funny, smart, multidimensional, etc... Just cause you threw in the token male doesn't make it not sexist.

Posted at 11:40AM on Jul 1st 2006 by mae

27. Your contract is not renewed - what does that mean?
It means we DO NOT WANT YOU which is a polite way of saying FIRED!
Was it part of her contract to discuss her health, medical treatment (plastic or otherwise)?
Was there nothing planned for Thursday's show but Star's announcement?
She was not wanted, she is gone so why the bitterness?
Why was her work history or personality issues aired on national television?
I do not understand why ABC & Barbara are so angry.
Control issues?

THE VIEW HAS LOST THE ONLY TWO INTERESTING PEOPLE ON THAT SHOW.
A CHANGE IS REALLY COMING!


Posted at 7:13PM on Jul 1st 2006 by Kathy

28. Star is a person just like you and I. We would not want the public or media scrutinizing every detail of our life and it is unfair to her. I think she is beautiful inside and out and deserves to share what she wants and to keep private what she wants to keep private. Hell Rosie O'Donnell isnt wanting to share with the world why she is Gay, now is she.

Posted at 8:25AM on Jul 3rd 2006 by Diedra

29. Kathy you are so right! Barbara Walter has some skeletons in her closet, and she is going to rue the day that she brought bad Karma on herself. I myself am a Christian but believe that what you sow you shall reap.

She planted some really foul seeds with the way she handled Star. It will come back to her. She will one day have to explain the color of her hair, a face lift or two. Whatever it may be, it will cause as much damage to her, as she did to Star. Heck, many people right now are starting to question her integrity and moral ethic. She no longer has the face of a sensitve and straight forward journalist, but more so as a disceptive and manipulative jealous old bag.

Posted at 8:31AM on Jul 3rd 2006 by Diedra

30. I thought this was yesterday's news. Why is it still
a topic of interest? There are really important
things in the world-this is nothing and they are
nothing.

Posted at 11:38AM on Jul 3rd 2006 by Gina

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