Jessica Simpson Weight Gain Photos: More Thoughts on the Controversy

A few days ago, I was flipping through one of those Hollywood celebrity magazines, when I came upon a page about stars that suddenly appear shockingly thin. The magazine article showed pictures of an emaciated looking Tori Spelling and Lindsay Lohan (who has admitted to being bulimic in the past). I cringed when I read the following quote supposedly made by Tori Spelling, about the negative publicity surrounding her weight: "That's when you know you made it."

If media attention and a firestorm of controversy mean you've arrived in Hollywood, then actress/singer Jessica Simpson has certainly made it big. Jessica Simpson has been the subject of intense gossip and speculation since she revealed her newer, fuller figure at a concert a few weeks ago in Florida. At first it seemed like the press might have its fun with the cruel jokes and criticism of Jessica Simpson's weight and then move on to something else, but it turns out the media has no intention of letting up on Simpson.

Last weekend, almost every entertainment magazine had lurid headlines intended to humiliate Jessica Simpson for having the audacity to be a real person with a slightly fuller body type. The put downs would be hard for anyone to endure, but it must be particularly hard to suffer these taunts and then show up on stage and perform for a crowd. At a recent concert appearance shortly after the weight gain pictures were made public, Jessica Simpson had a bad night, forgetting lyrics, appearing disoriented and talking about quitting her career.

Immediately, the media weighed in: "What's wrong with Jessica?" As if they had to ask! After the bullying Jessica Simpson has endured from the press and the American public, I'm surprised she could muster the spirit to go out on stage at all. By all accounts, Jessica Simpson has only gained a few pounds, and I doubt she expected to be at the center of such a controversy over her weight.

As the story broke, it seemed like lots of celebrities in Hollywood had to throw in their two cents about Jessica Simpson's body. Even our President Barack Obama mentioned Jessica Simpson and her weight. How could Jessica Simpson and the size of her body become such a national issue in so short a time? And why does a woman with a normal body type, like Jessica Simpson, provoke so much cruelty and bullying in the media?

Perhaps it's because those who create and sell the top celebrity magazines, and Hollywood producers, casting directors and others involved in the entertainment industry have set a tyrannical standard of thinness that is expected of female stars, and heaven help the performers who step out of line and disobey the rules and gain a few pounds. Jessica Simpson gains a few pounds and now she's "fat" and possibly under consideration to be a Jenny Craig spokesperson?

It makes me wonder how as a society we can stop the madness. I think if we stop buying into our society's insane obsession with extreme dieting and thinness, and stop bullying our normal looking stars into becoming underweight, it would be a step in the right direction. For Jessica Simpson and other celebs like Tori Spelling, it's a sad state of affairs when the negative media attention over their size means they've "made it" in Hollywood.

Initially, I was pulling for Jessica Simpson to stand her ground and save her career, but not at the cost of her well being. I'm not sure the press will ever stop hounding her about her weight. I really wouldn't blame Jessica Simpson now if she wanted to give up on performing, have her privacy, and just lead a normal happy life away from the often cruel media spotlight.