Katharine's Secret Struggle

Posted Jul 27th 2006 7:00PM by TMZ Staff

Katharine McPhee: Click to watchThe "American Idol" contestant opens up about her struggle with bulimia in an interview with sister and "EXTRA" guest correspondent Adriana McPhee. After building up the courage to tell her mother about her eating disorder, Katharine joined a program, which she says was overwhelming.

"I remember the first day, my first meal when I sat down with the other girls, I cried at the table," she said, "It was just like going face to face and seeing all the other girls struggling at the table and seeing myself actually wanting to eat as fast as I could to get out of there."

Now that she's fully recovered and back on the "Idol" tour, McPhee is happy to be seen as a role model to those in similar situations.

"If I can help somebody, you know, get help and go work on their eating disorder, that's great. If I can cheer up somebody by going to a concert one night, that's great. That's what I'm in it for." And the best part to McPhee - "I feel like I can eat whatever I want."

Filed under: TV, Music, American Idol

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1. Katharine is VERY LUCKY. She was able to recover. I have a family member who has struggled with an eating disorder since the age of 8. She is now 17. It will be a LIFE LONG BATTLE and every day is another day of worry for her parents. She has been in and out of the hospital and nearly died. At her worst she weighed 69 lbs at 5'1 inches tall. I am sure the damage she has done to her body over the years that is irreversible. The struggle is on going. This disease effects people from all walks of life. If she can help just one person.Her effort will be worth it.

Posted at 8:17PM on Jul 27th 2006 by it might help to get the word out

2. Katherine was the guest host today (727/06) on The View....while Kathy Griffin was discussing her recent weight loss, she joked the "starving yourself is the best way to lose that last twenty pounds" and OMG Katherine agreed with her. With a straight face.

Posted at 9:42PM on Jul 27th 2006 by ems_wench

3. Katharine did not make it to the Idol tour tonight - so I would have to say she hasn't joined the tour yet.

Posted at 9:51PM on Jul 27th 2006 by Linda

4. Katharine did not join the Idol tour tonight after all.

Posted at 9:52PM on Jul 27th 2006 by Linda

5. Kat McPhake is such a egotistic, daddys girl, spoiled, Scientology brainwashed, phoney, lying, twisted, lazy, stupid, talentless, piece of self promoting bullshit artist. In fact, that is the ONLY kind of artist she is! I hope she fades off into the sunset and we never have to see or hear her lying crap again!

Posted at 2:45AM on Jul 28th 2006 by Vicki

6. I commend her on telling her story. But I do think she is a bit of a diva. She was lucky she got as far as she did. I don't buy it that she was resting her voice, I'm sure she had better things to do than be associated with a show that made her famous.
And please, if you want to help your sister get a career, don't let her do interviews again. She sucks.

Posted at 6:17AM on Jul 28th 2006 by so what

7. She is just getting her extra press she was working on. This is an old story about her and actually...nothing new for being wanting to be famous. Yes, us "common" people are struck with it too but we just aren't news hounds.

Posted at 6:49AM on Jul 28th 2006 by OriginalKat

8. Oh please, when will her 15 min. of fame be up? Soon, I hope!

Posted at 8:02AM on Jul 28th 2006 by Jeannette

9. Oh, is she really a scientologist? If she is then I will never buy anything she sells.

Posted at 10:37AM on Jul 28th 2006 by crazy

10. she is NOT a scientologist. she has explained it to the viewers a thousand times via numerous mediums = radio interviews, tv interviews and write ups. and if you listen closely to her voice at the view, her voice was really not at her best. If you will compare her last performances with that of the view, its really different. Just by listening on the first notes, you could tell, she really suffered from voice problems.

Posted at 11:32AM on Jul 28th 2006 by Gee

11. She is not a great singer, she's marginally pretty and she's got no personality. I'm with Jeanette - ready for the clock timer to go off.

Posted at 12:14PM on Jul 28th 2006 by Christina

12. She is so amazing and talented, opinonated and smart and beautiful. I think that she is going to have an amazing career in music and movies, you all just wait and see. Go buy her single Somewhere over the Raibow and My Destiny!

Posted at 1:07PM on Jul 28th 2006 by Eli

13. Yeah whatever - I think it is all excuses anyways - Good lord, Oh I can't join the tour - I am sick - But she isn't sick enough for her 41 year old father....oh I mean boyfriend to go swimming and all that crap.

I AM GLAD SHE DIDN'T WIN

Posted at 1:13PM on Jul 28th 2006 by Julie

14. tick ,tick ,tick, your time is almost up and can you pleeeeeeeease stop singing that same song!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's getting real old.

Posted at 3:27PM on Jul 28th 2006 by catt

15. WHEN WILL THIS GIRL FIFTEEN MINUTES FADE. I AGREE WITH YOU JULIE (#16).
SHE NEEDS TO GO AWAY AND I AM SO GLAD THAT SHE DIDN'T WIN AMERICAN IDOL. SHE ISN'T EVEN A GOOD SINGER AND THAT SONG "SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW" IS GETTING OLD AND TIRED REALLY FAST.
SHE COULDN'T JOIN THE TOUR BUT SHE HAD TIME TO PROMOTE AND BE THE FACE OF SOME NEW HAIR LINE. WHEN WILL KATHRINE REALIZE THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE HOW VAGUE AND STUCK UP SHE REALLY IS?
ON ONE OF HER INTERVIEWS WITH EXTRA A DAY OR TWO AFTER THE AMERICAN IDOL FINALE WHICH IS A WHILE BACK SHE EVEN SAID AND I QUOTE "NO ONE GOT ME HERE I GOT HERE ON MY OWN" {I WONDER HOW HER FANS FELT} SHE EVEN CLAIMED THAT STEPHEN SPEILBERG WANTED TO TALK TO HER AND THEN SHE SAID "MAYBE COMING SECOND ISN'T SO BAD AFTER ALL" SHE IS SO UNGRATEFUL AND SHE SHOULD BE GLAD THAT SHE MADE IT SO FAR IN THE COMPETITION.
KATHERINE IS A DIVA, HAS A BIG EGO AND IS SO FULL OF HERSELF.

Posted at 7:27PM on Jul 28th 2006 by Diamond

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