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Najimy Says Auf Wiedersehen to "Project Runway"

Kathy NajimyKathy Najimy won't be watching "Project Runway" anymore.

The former "Veronica's Closet" star is upset with "dangerous" comments made by Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn on last week's episode pertaining to plus-size women.

Najimy, who over the years has lost 160 lbs, sent a passionate e-mail to Bravo exec Andy Cohen, who is a friend of Kathy's, outlining her grievances with the episode, which Cohen has since posted on his blog.

Kathy took particular issue with Gunn calling one of the runway models "zaftig" (pleasantly plump) and Heidi's comment that an outfit made a model look plus-size, which Najimy believes implied that plus-size was "the ultimate of horrors."



In the e-mail Najimy points out how these comments, along with societal pressure to be thin, are particularly harmful to the body images of young girls.

Najimy adds "And I especially hope that Heidi Klum's beautiful daughter never has to grow up in the self-hatred and self-mutilation that occurs when girls and women are suffocated by irresponsible, dangerous comments like the ones Heidi made..."

On his blog, Cohen came to Klum's defense by saying "Heidi cares a lot about little girls watching the show and about the image that we project."

Last night's episode lightly touched on the topic by having the contestants design everyday outfits for "everyday women" and featured the designers' own mothers and sisters as models.

While Kathy may not be watching anymore episodes, by the looks of "Project Runway's" plus-size ratings this year, it looks like everybody else sure is!

Tags: Heidi Klum, HeidiKlum, Kathy Najimy, KathyNajimy, Project Runway, ProjectRunway

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1. SETTLE DOWN YOU FAT F***

Posted at 3:05PM on Aug 24th 2006 by chris

2. The so called "zaftig" model stands at a measurement of 34-26-36!! WOW she sure is "fat" NOT!!! I lost my Tim Gunn love when he showed his "concerns" over the hefty model being able to wear the design. hisss-booo!!

Posted at 3:06PM on Aug 24th 2006 by Goeze

3. It's not like they called the girl a "fat pig". Compared to the other models on the cat walk she had a little more meat on her bones.

Calm down Kathy, go back to the land of the has beens.

Posted at 3:09PM on Aug 24th 2006 by chris aukland

4. I watched the episode and the only thing I found offensive were the clothes.
Someone somewhere is always going to be offended. "It is impossible that offense should not come" Get over it!

Posted at 3:10PM on Aug 24th 2006 by Momma

5. Well, I have to agree with Kathy on some levels. I watched the episode, and Heidi did act a little out of line. The girl that was modeling the dress clearly did not look at all like a plus sized model, and if she did, so what? I did not know the show had a size-stipulation on the models and what sized clothes the designers created. I also think we have enough problems with eating disorders and self-esteem in this world, and we certainly don't need more and more comments like that being made by someone in the spotlight. I guess everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Every size is beautiful, and everyone has a right to have fashionable clothing.

Posted at 3:10PM on Aug 24th 2006 by amelia

6. She's being hypersensitive. A regular model is not supposed to look plus size - unless she is in a plus size fashion show. The object of high fashion is NOT to make a skinny person look overweight. duhhhh Who wants to buy clothes that make you look bigger then what you are.

Posted at 3:12PM on Aug 24th 2006 by Jennifer

7. Heidi's a bitch. I felt sorry for the girl she took down with her comments as well. I hate Heidi though, so I expected that SH*T out of her ignorant german mouth.

Posted at 3:15PM on Aug 24th 2006 by Wha?

8. Let's face it models are size 0. Anyone over a 4 in the industry is considered fat. Anyone over the size of 10 is fat. I'm fat at 5' 10' and size 16. I just carry it better than most since I am so tall. We have to stop candy coating fatness and just get off our a**es and work out and eat right.

Posted at 3:15PM on Aug 24th 2006 by Lisa

9. leave it to a man to call someone a fat f***..........i think she has a great point granted she is being a little dramatic. however i'd like to see a pic of chris to see if he's a fat f***

Posted at 3:15PM on Aug 24th 2006 by Brandy

10. You GO Kathy! I totally agree with you.
I had an eating disorder years ago, thank God I have a wonderful husband and loved ones to help me. Because I was killing myself to look thin...it was not worth it.
All sizes and shapes are beautiful...too be Too Thin is just as unhealthy as being obese. And these models are way too Thin....
I admire Kathy for saying all the things I have been saying for years.

Posted at 3:19PM on Aug 24th 2006 by Linda

11. I watched lastnights show and I thought the jerk with the trashy tats on his neck should have been kicked off.....Just because a woman isn't a size 2 doesn't mean she can't dress nice...He made her look terrible....Wake up people most woman are size 12 and up.........

Posted at 3:20PM on Aug 24th 2006 by bre in la

12. I think that comment was horrible. What a shame that people cant share an opinion without cursing. Hollywood cares more about skinny people. Such a shame.

Posted at 3:22PM on Aug 24th 2006 by Tami

13. I have read the comments on this site as well as the ones made on www.bravotv.com at cohen's actual blog. it is obvious the difference in not only intelligence, but also character, when reading the responses. between the bravotv readers and this gossip site's readers, apparently bravo has a better audience.
"fat f*uck?" she is entitled to her opinion, as well as i'm sure you get pissy at certain things throughout your day.
heidi did make it sound as though being "plus-sized" was the worst, most disgusting thing she could ever imagine. she has no brains, nor does she have any empathy for anyone else. i'm not surprised she said anything along those lines. remember after jay mccarroll had his own after-the-fact show on bravo showing what he was up to after his win? heidi asked him to design her dress for the emmys. he killed himself trying to get it finished since it was such a last-minute request, and she ended up not even wearing it at all. she made rude comments toward his design (which was beautiful), saying it was "inappropriate" and "costumey," when she wore the most hippie/gypsy/stupid-looking dress ever to the actual awards. she never did apologize to jay either. didn't even have the balls to call him herself and give him her reasoning behind the rejection.
she is so stuck on herself. she shouldnt judge fashion; she doesnt even dress herself. she should stay just a pretty face and let the real pros do the job. i cant stand her.

Posted at 3:30PM on Aug 24th 2006 by Paige

14. Project Runway has never featured plus size models. If the outfit made that model look plus sized, it wouldn't fit into the program. That's all. However, the "zaftig" comment by Gunn is something different. I think most of them have been catty about something at one time or another---and not just about weight! I guess they have to care more about ratings than being nice.
As for Heidi, does anybody else here find her voice REALLY, REALLY annoying? They play a clip of her laughing loudly during breaks, and she sounds demented.

Posted at 3:38PM on Aug 24th 2006 by Welly

15. This is the second Project Runway faux pas; the first one was calling small dogs "the hottest new fashion accessory". Shame shame shame to BravoTV and NBC! The corporations that advertise on all NBC affiliated channels will be getting NONE of my business.

Perhaps, Kathy (being a celebrity) can get a public apology from Bravo for both of their faux pas.

Dee

Posted at 3:45PM on Aug 24th 2006 by Dee

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