Kudos to Ashlee Simpson-Wentz for defending her big sister’s good name reputation for having a smokin’ hot bod against recent media scrutiny.
Apparently Jessica Simpson has put on a few pounds during her venture into country music stardom, but rather than completely fail to notice a little weight gain by a celeb who’s not even that in our faces anymore and dedicate more time to, I don’t know, economic bailouts or something that matters for the survival of our country, Fox News found plenty of room for this brilliant piece of journalism: Jessica Simpson Shocks Fans With Noticeably Fuller Figure.
Sure, it was in their entertainment section. But really, who cares? (And while we’re on it, who were these fans that were actually “shocked”? Aware, fine - but shocked?)
I guess Fox News felt they wouldn’t truly be living up to their whole “we feature the most fair and accurate reporting on the entire planet” facade if they didn’t notify us each time someone traded up a size in jeans.
So many people are plagued with poor self-esteem, low self-confidence, depression, and a whole host of other mental health issues when it comes to their weight and body images. Ashlee isn’t ignorant to this fact, and she even kicks it up a notch by asking reporters and fans if these are the kinds of things they’d want the women in their lives to deal with:
Is this something you would say to your wife, daughter, mother, grandmother, or even a friend?
I seriously doubt it.
How can we expect teenage girls to love and respect themselves in an environment where we criticize a size 2 figure?
Questions, perhaps, we should all ask ourselves.
Of course, Fox did do a few more pieces after Ashlee lashed out, but they were mostly videos that either laughed about the situation or laughed it off - nothing worth posting. I could have overlooked something, though.
Fortunately, Jessica’s doesn’t seem to be one who sits around bemoaning the scales new results. According to the same Fox News article, she told Harpers Bazaar:
“Curves are better [...] I don’t get the whole rail thing. It’s not good for your heart, it’s not good for your mind; it’s emotionally destructive, it really is.”
It seems like Jessica’s got her priorities straight, but it’s still nice to have baby sister taking her side.
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From Psych Central's World of Psychology blog:
Minding the Media: 5 Things Jessica Simpson’s Curvy Controversy Reveals - World of Psychology (February 10, 2009)
Is there some reason you blew off the fact that CNN reported this non-story as well?
We get it, you don’t like Fox News. No problem. But if your agenda is really the broader issue of mental health and removing its stigma, narrow political commentaries on this or that news outlet aren’t going to get you there.
While you’re at it, make sure to take some pot shots at E! Online News and US Weekly, while you’re adding CNN to the list.
@ YB A - Sure, there’s a big reason (and it has nothing to do with liking or disliking Fox, I’m afraid). The Fox News article is the article Jessica’s sister Ashlee referenced in her blog. Had I read the CNN “report,” I would have referenced it as well. However, you should understand that referencing every article from every news source that “reported” Jessica’s weight gain would not have made any one party any less guilty of being ridiculously shallow.
While helping eradicate stigma and promoting mental health awareness are indeed two of my goals and Celebrity Psychings, covering celebrity-focused issues that have the potential to trickle down and affect the rest of us non-famous folk is a goal, as well. Witnessing the media blast a celebrity’s weight gain in headlines has much potential to do just that.
I’m sorry, but responding to one news report rather than every single news report isn’t taking a potshot; criticizing someone’s weight gain, however, is.
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