# Is "Precious" star Gabourey Sidibe so obese she is in danger of early death? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 12, 2010, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-precious-star-gabourey-sidibe-so-obese-she-is-in-danger-of-early-death/532214 "2010-03-12T07:14:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-precious-star-gabourey-sidibe-so-obese-she-is-in-danger-of-early-death/532214/21 "2010-03-12T19:34:41Z")
She’s fat?!? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-precious-star-gabourey-sidibe-so-obese-she-is-in-danger-of-early-death/532214/22 "2010-03-12T19:45:31Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I saw her interviewed on Craig Ferguson, and she was charming and _hilarious_. She has a hell of a career ahead of her. > [@BrandonR](#): > > So does craft services. I’m not sure where you’re going with this. I watched a show recently that had an 18 year old boy die from his weight (his parents really pissed me off afterwards, spouting about how it was God’s will and all - no, dumbass, it was his being 500 pounds and his body just giving up the fight). Is Gabourey going to die immediately? Probably not, but she really is into morbidly obese territory, the key word there being “morbid.” I’m fairly sure she doesn’t need a jackass like Stern to point it out to her, though. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-precious-star-gabourey-sidibe-so-obese-she-is-in-danger-of-early-death/532214/23 "2010-03-12T20:06:03Z")
That is certainly one morbidly obese woman, but at least she’s not Howard Stern. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-precious-star-gabourey-sidibe-so-obese-she-is-in-danger-of-early-death/532214/24 "2010-03-12T20:16:17Z")
My feeling is Sidibe won’t have a long, varied career if she remains fat. Hollywood is the industry that cast a babe like Michelle Pfeiffer to play an unglamorous, lonely, over 40 waitress in “Frankie and Johnny” in 1991. Even an industry like opera which for years has been known for fat ladies singing now has an emphasis on skinnier singers like Angela Gheorgiu and Anna Neterbko. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-precious-star-gabourey-sidibe-so-obese-she-is-in-danger-of-early-death/532214/25 "2010-03-12T20:20:56Z")
There are definitely niche roles for people of her size. Hurley on \*Lost \*comes to mind. Maybe she’ll stake claim to be the go-to actress when an obese woman is needed. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-precious-star-gabourey-sidibe-so-obese-she-is-in-danger-of-early-death/532214/26 "2010-03-12T20:27:44Z")
There’s always been roles for fat actors. It seems, tho, that there’s fat white men -\> fat black men -\> fat white women -\> fat black women. You do have your Mo’nique and your Queen Latifa (who didn’t do more until she lost weight), but even Eddie Murphy and Tyler Perry couldn’t be bothered to cast fat black women. They cast themselves. The only overweight black woman that comes to mind when I consider mainstream shows and movies is [Loretta Devine](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loretta_Devine) from _Boston Public_ (among other things). ---
**Author:** ![HorseloverFat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8e8cbc/32.png) [@HorseloverFat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HorseloverFat)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-precious-star-gabourey-sidibe-so-obese-she-is-in-danger-of-early-death/532214/27 "2010-03-12T20:39:30Z")
> [@](#): > > Increased Health Risk of Premature Death > > According to CDC researchers, an estimated 300,000\*\* American deaths a year are related to obesity, but see note, below. The risk of premature death rises with increasing weight. Even moderate weight gain (10 to 20 pounds for a person of average height) increases the risk of death, particularly among adults aged 30 to 64 years. Individuals who are obese (BMI greater than 30) have a 50 to 100 percent increased risk of premature death from all causes, compared to individuals with a healthy weight. [http://www.annecollins.com/obesity/risks-of-obesity.htm](http://www.annecollins.com/obesity/risks-of-obesity.htm) ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-precious-star-gabourey-sidibe-so-obese-she-is-in-danger-of-early-death/532214/28 "2010-03-12T20:45:51Z")
> [@BrandonR](#): > > So does craft services. Well done sir. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-precious-star-gabourey-sidibe-so-obese-she-is-in-danger-of-early-death/532214/29 "2010-03-12T21:00:58Z")
Can someone please link to Stern’s similar diatribes about John Goodman? Or Louie Anderson? or that Pinette comic? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-precious-star-gabourey-sidibe-so-obese-she-is-in-danger-of-early-death/532214/30 "2010-03-12T21:12:39Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > There are definitely niche roles for people of her size. Hurley on \*Lost \*comes to mind… Did they ever explain why he never got skinny on the island, BTW? ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-precious-star-gabourey-sidibe-so-obese-she-is-in-danger-of-early-death/532214/31 "2010-03-12T21:25:36Z")
When you are a very good actor, Hollywood will write for you. The girl is good. So far…I haven’t seen her in anything other than that wretched film, but she was good. I have heard older female actors say that there are no roles for older women. Of course there is. That is why Streep is nominated for an Oscar every year. Sigourney Weaver pulled their card on that one, too. She said, I’m sorry ladies, I don’t have any trouble finding roles. If you are good, there will be roles. Fat black women are not going to be over represented in film. But there will be roles for the great actresses, dating all the way back to Hattie McDaniel and before. I used to crack up at Stern in the 90s. I wonder if he is still funny. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-precious-star-gabourey-sidibe-so-obese-she-is-in-danger-of-early-death/532214/32 "2010-03-12T21:35:35Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Did they ever explain why he never got skinny on the island, BTW? It’s complicated. ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-precious-star-gabourey-sidibe-so-obese-she-is-in-danger-of-early-death/532214/33 "2010-03-12T21:51:27Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > When you are a very good actor, Hollywood will write for you. The girl is good. So far…I haven’t seen her in anything other than that wretched film, but she was good. > > I have heard older female actors say that there are no roles for older women. Of course there is. That is why Streep is nominated for an Oscar every year. Sigourney Weaver pulled their card on that one, too. She said, I’m sorry ladies, I don’t have any trouble finding roles. > > If you are good, there will be roles. Fat black women are not going to be over represented in film. But there will be roles for the great actresses, dating all the way back to Hattie McDaniel and before. > > I used to crack up at Stern in the 90s. I wonder if he is still funny. I think one of the differences with Sidibe is that she just looks like a “fat girl”. Her features are such that she doesn’t necessarily look like she’s supposed to be heavy. Mo’nique, Queen Latifa, Cameryn Manhiem, etc., all look like girls who naturally predisposed to be heavier, and are therefore still attractive. Sidibe is more on par with someone like Kirstie Alley, who looks great thinner, but terrible heavier. ---
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-precious-star-gabourey-sidibe-so-obese-she-is-in-danger-of-early-death/532214/34 "2010-03-12T22:18:10Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > She still looks a lot healthier than, for instance, Nicole Richie or Lindsey Lohan. You might want to update your “Hollywood unhealthy” list and remove Ms Richie. Since becoming pregnant with her first child she seems to have turned it around. Although by most SDMB member standards she’s positively bone-thin while in actuality she’s quite healthy looking now. Lindsey Lohan, on the other hand, seems to always be a safe bet. As far as the OP: Ms Sidibe is clearly morbidly obese (if not super obese), but it seems she’s already lost some weight (according to an appearance on Oprah) and I doubt she cares what Howard Stern thinks. She seems to have great self esteem and (like mentioned earlier) I’m sure she’ll lose weight if she is going to continue to try to be an actress. Howard Stern probably isn’t even a blip on her radar and good for her. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-precious-star-gabourey-sidibe-so-obese-she-is-in-danger-of-early-death/532214/35 "2010-03-12T22:43:42Z")
Even if she was thin, her chances of finding roles would be less than great. Black actresses have a hard time regardless of their size. Especially if they can’t readily be used as commerical sex symbol. That still doesn’t mean Stern isn’t being jerky by throwing shade on her aspirations. But with Monique, Oprah, Loretta Divine, Latifa, and the Pine Sol lady out there, it’s not like fat black women _can’t_ get work. Statistically they probably have a better shot at it than fat white women. I actually wouldn’t be surprised if her casting potential wasn’t higher as a fat woman than if she were of normal weight. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-precious-star-gabourey-sidibe-so-obese-she-is-in-danger-of-early-death/532214/36 "2010-03-12T22:54:34Z")
> [@you\_with\_the\_face](#): > > Even if she was thin, her chances of finding roles would be less than great. Black actresses have a hard time regardless of their size. Especially if they can’t readily be used as commerical sex symbol. That still doesn’t mean Stern isn’t being jerky by throwing shade on her aspirations. > > But with Monique, Oprah, Loretta Divine, Latifa, and the Pine Sol lady out there, it’s not like fat black women _can’t_ get work. Statistically they probably have a better shot at it than fat white women. I actually wouldn’t be surprised if her casting potential wasn’t higher as a fat woman than if she were of normal weight. Full Disclosure: I haven’t seen the film. I was wondering if there is a bit of stereotyping going on here, as it’s hard to imagine a white woman of her weight getting such a high profile movie role. Are we much more ready to accept morbidly obesity in Black women than in White women? ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2010, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-precious-star-gabourey-sidibe-so-obese-she-is-in-danger-of-early-death/532214/37 "2010-03-12T23:15:54Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Full Disclosure: I haven’t seen the film. > > I was wondering if there is a bit of stereotyping going on here, as it’s hard to imagine a white woman of her weight getting such a high profile movie role. If Precious were about about a fat white woman, then sure that would happen. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape was cast with a hugely obese white woman. > [@](#): > > Are we much more ready to accept morbidly obesity in Black women than in White women? To a degree I think so, yes. White actresses have to be thin and cute and pert so they can play the love interest. Black actresses, on the other hand, infrequently get called upon to play the leading lady in any movies expected to rake in a lot of money at the boxoffice. So they face less pressure to be a size 0. What makes Sidibe different than Monique et al. is that she is so young. She’s not old enough to play the role of the Mama or the magical nanny; she’s at the age where her white counterparts are vyying for the love interest roles. But since I doubt she’d be a shoe-in for those roles even if she were skinny, she has the potential to fill a niche no other actresses credibly can. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-precious-star-gabourey-sidibe-so-obese-she-is-in-danger-of-early-death/532214/38 "2010-03-13T00:18:30Z")
She is a good actress, but in real world terms (and I speak as a person who has had his fair share of being fat) she’s not simply “fat” she’s freakishly fat bordering on monsterous. Unless a role is written for someone who is an obese freakazoid work is likely to be somewhat scarce. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-precious-star-gabourey-sidibe-so-obese-she-is-in-danger-of-early-death/532214/39 "2010-03-13T00:24:46Z")
> [@Sateryn76](#): > > I think one of the differences with Sidibe is that she just looks like a “fat girl”. Her features are such that she doesn’t necessarily look like she’s supposed to be heavy. Mo’nique, Queen Latifa, Cameryn Manhiem, etc., all look like girls who naturally predisposed to be heavier, and are therefore still attractive. Sidibe is more on par with someone like Kirstie Alley, who looks great thinner, but terrible heavier. Uh . . . am I the only one who finds this paragraph pretty offensive? If so, nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2010, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-precious-star-gabourey-sidibe-so-obese-she-is-in-danger-of-early-death/532214/40 "2010-03-13T00:26:47Z")
Nevermind indeed. I just finished reading the thread and that wasn’t the most offensive post by a long shot. This kind of thread is invaluable for allowing the resident trogs to show their true stripes, to mix a metaphor. Now I have to go take a shower. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-precious-star-gabourey-sidibe-so-obese-she-is-in-danger-of-early-death/532214.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-precious-star-gabourey-sidibe-so-obese-she-is-in-danger-of-early-death/532214.md?page=3)