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Celebrity Feuds
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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(Page 6 of 8) Previous 15 Comments | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Most Recent | Next 15 Comments

76. I was excited to see what the designers could do under these circumstances! It truly was a challenge becuase they were not used to this size model. More than most designers today dress for the average woman size 0, which is deff. NOT AVERAGE. The judges were only commenting on how the clothes looooked, on the plus size models. You could design a string bikini for someone who weighs 250lbs? I think for someone to stop watching the show because of this, is super insecure.

Posted at 12:45PM on Aug 28th 2006 by Jaime

77. Kathy,
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.
A voice representing us, needed to be heard loud and clear!
The insensitivity of Heidi, and Tom...I'm not surprised. Just say it in the privacy of your own home. Don't send these messages out to girls. It's enough that they suffer from anorexia, bulimia, low self esteem, and body image problems.
Your comment about Heidi's new daughter was so right on!
We love you. Keep up the good fight.
Sasha

Posted at 11:38AM on Aug 25th 2006 by Sasha Miller

78. To answer number 40's question "Who de[c]ided being a 2 is healthy and being a 12 isn't? Ummm...they are called doctors, nutritionists, physical therapists etc.

Posted at 12:07PM on Aug 25th 2006 by S

79. #68 i know on the beach some 250lb porkers that wear bikinis and it looks freaking hilarious on them and disgusting.

Fashion is high energy, fast paced and rude and you have to be stick thin. Adrianne Curry (america's top model, season #1 winner) even said its tought to be a model you have to have 0 body fat.

Kathy needs to get over comments and move on, she should have been out walking or working ot at the gym rather than sitting on her BIG butt watching tv.

i just hear wah wah wah when it comes out of fat women's mouthes about skinny comments. Fashion isnt realistic so get over it and if you think it is then that is your sad mistake.

s

Posted at 2:20PM on Aug 25th 2006 by sherri

80. I love Kathy and i am glad she complained. Plus size models are beautiful women that are not put in a size 0-12 package. In fact most women do nto resemble a "perfect package", i do not know about most you but i would like a model who represents me

Posted at 3:13PM on Aug 25th 2006 by brenda

81. Cat, I thought about what you said in your post and as I said I am not in total disagreement. However, I separate health and visuals. Does ridicule promote weight loss better than encouragement? I don't think so. People should be encouraged (for their health) to be like you (diet wise, not ridiculing wise)... to watch their weight to prevent diabetes, to be fit, to love themselves enough to want to live long and well. By the same token, kind people can and do encourage those with a more hardened heart to see the beauty in everyone and to encourage those who find themselves doing things that run contrary to happiness and health to rechannel toward... the light.

You seem like a person that wants the best for people, I just think maybe you are going about it in a nonproductive way. Best of luck keeping diabetes at bay.

Posted at 3:17PM on Aug 25th 2006 by Shannan

82. I must say reading the comments have been interesting even some who claim to be plus -sized have brought into society's ideals and excuses to be a size 0, 2 or 4. While i am not advocating obesity, I think people should be less hard on themselves and just opt for being healthy. l have seen enough skinny persons starving themselves to death just to fit into what they believe white america considers beautiful. This is not healthy. Size 0, 2 and 4 is certainly not average. Heidi's comment was uncalled for. She is certainly not that small herself. In fact she is a big girl what offsets that is her height. I read somewhere that she has a 24 inch waist, please!

Posted at 6:41PM on Aug 25th 2006 by omarie

83. #71 there isn't such thing as 0 body fat......I know girls that are size 0 ,2 and 4...They are to skinny and have no shape...I would take a 12 and up woman any day...................

Posted at 7:08PM on Aug 25th 2006 by bob

84. Chris, author of comment No. 1, sounds like a swell guy.... if your idea of a swell guy is akin to Jason Patric's character in 'Your Friends and Neighbors'.

YIKES.

Posted at 10:44AM on Aug 26th 2006 by Liz

85. Yeah tatooed neck was far more rude, than Heidi, or Tims comments......Kathy would not have been so sensitive had she not finally lost weight......right! He treated Angelas mother, I, believe...that's who she was very disrespectful.........no doubt because he dislikes Angela so much....fact of the matter.....he did make her mother look very matronly, which is what the poor woman told Tim in the first place...............do I make any sense here.....

Posted at 9:38PM on Aug 25th 2006 by Val

86. Much obesity in this country comes from the hormones they slip into the beef, to produce more milk, poultry, to produce eggs...and the terribly altererd food that we eat....young girls, and boys bodies in fact are maturing faster than 20 yrs ago.....BUT there are size 10-12..women that are healthy and happy with themselves...morbid obesity is another subject...sorry west coast girls that you have never met anyone larger than a 6-8..."like oh my god" we must live on the east coast....and guess what I have friends that are size 14.......wow we should find a circus....wait until you turn 40-50 we'll talk your 4-6 size then.....it doesn't last forever,welcome to the real world..........just a little snobish.....

Posted at 9:58PM on Aug 25th 2006 by Val

87. #40.....I agree 100%....as for [36] jib......... you must be 10 years old....you sound stupid......making a comment like that..."I don't know anyone larger than a 10"......you need to get out more.....get off the swing set....take a walk...........wow

Posted at 10:09PM on Aug 25th 2006 by Val

88. Hey, what's with all this filthy language? Why not try to keep it as clean as possible? I mean, really!!

Posted at 10:45PM on Aug 25th 2006 by Sally

89. I totally agree #15 living animals ARE NOT fashion accessorys! I think the fashion industry should embrace more woman and men of all different shapes and sizes. Variety is the spice of life!

Posted at 1:14AM on Aug 26th 2006 by Becci

90. BTW that Michael was so RUDE to Angela's mother! I was so hoping he would be elimated but I guess they will keep him around a little while longer for the ratings. His mother is the reason why he is such an ass!

Posted at 1:16AM on Aug 26th 2006 by Becci

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