Gordon Ramsay, Chris Pratt and 7 Other Male Celebs Who Have Been Fat Shamed
Chris Pratt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Affleck and Jay Cutler are just a few famous men who have been body shamed.
OVERVIEW
Usually it's women who are body-shamed. But men sometimes also face criticism about their appearance. Just ask Ben Affleck, Chris Pratt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jay Cutler and a handful of other famous men who have been unmercifully mocked by the public (and some even by their own family) for how they look. Their stories are an important reminder that like many women, men, too, have feelings and struggle with body-image issues.
1. Ben Affleck
When Ben Affleck was photographed shirtless in Hawaii, revealing his beach body and a huge back tattoo, he became a target of social media trolls, journalists and bloggers around the world. "His gut is pooching outward in a way that, in a more enlightened country like, say, France, would perhaps be considered virile, not unlike the lusty Gerard Depardieu in his prime, but, in fitness-fascist America, tends to read as Homer Simpsonesque," reads a snarky essay in The New Yorker about the photo. But Affleck didn't go down without a fight, sending his message to the magazine via Twitter. "@NewYorker I'm doing just fine," he wrote. "Thick skin bolstered by garish tattoos." Nice comeback, Ben.
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2. Chris Pratt
You can't win in Hollywood. Just ask Chris Pratt, who has been both fat- and thin-shamed. After losing out on a major movie role for being "too fat," Pratt was inspired to get in shape and completely transformed his body. Soon after, he was the target of online bullies for being too thin. "So many people have said I look too thin in my recent episodes of #WHATSMYSNACK," the star wrote on Instagram. "Some have gone as far as to say I look 'skeletal.' Well, just because I am a male doesn't mean I'm impervious to your whispers. Body shaming hurts." Pratt then posted a "current selfie," which was actually a T Rex skull. So it seems like he managed to keep a sense of humor despite the body criticism.
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3. Jay Cutler
NFL player Jay Cutler was recovering from a football injury when his wife, Kristin Cavallari, innocently posted a vacation photo of the two in beachwear. Social media trolls targeted the athlete, leaving nasty comments like, "He looks so flabby," "The least toned arms in the NFL" and "WTF, did he eat himself." While Cutler himself never addressed the shaming incident, Cavallari came to her husband's defense by posting a more flattering image of him with his chest fully exposed looking "hot AF." Those trolls will think twice before messing with Cavallari's man again!
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4. Vin Diesel
"Fast & Furious" star Vin Diesel was bashed in 2015 after a series of paparazzi photos taken of him shirtless on a Miami balcony hit the internet. Sure, his arm muscles weren't quite as prominent as usual and his six-pack wasn't so pronounced, but the internet took its criticism to the next level. Throwing out phrases like "Fat & Furious" and "Nutella Drift" and, of course, "dad bod," the shamers unleashed nastiness at the action star. Diesel immediately spat back, posting a few photos of himself looking totally fit on social media. "It is amazing the response from the journalists who I have been talking to for the last two days in New York. Today one wanted to see the dad bod. Haha," he wrote. "Body shaming is always wrong!" Moral of the story: Unflattering photos happen to men too, so be nice.
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5. Russell Crowe
In early 2017 the "Gladiator" star was the target of body shamers, after photos of him playing rugby with some pals made their way around the internet. "A moment of silence for Russell Crowe's hot bod," and "Russell Crowe no longer looks like a Gladiator," jabbed Page Six. One of the alleged bullies was none other than Howard Stern, and Crowe's fans promptly alerted him that the talk show host "goofed on his weight" on social media. instead of getting defensive, Crowe responded with a sense of humor. "I can bench press young Howard … He cannot say the same …" the actor joked on Twitter.
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6. Wentworth Miller
The "Prison Break" star was the target of body shaming in 2016 after a meme featuring an image taken during his heaviest point (while he was struggling with depression) went viral on the internet. The star later used it as an opportunity to open up to his fans about his mental health struggle. "In 2010, at the lowest point in my adult life. I was looking everywhere for relief/comfort/distraction," he wrote on his Facebook page. "And I turned to food. It could have been anything. Drugs. Alcohol. Sex. But eating became the one thing I could look forward to." He ended up using the images as a way to empower himself. "Now, when I see that image of me in my red T-shirt, a rare smile on my face, I am reminded of my struggle."
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7. Gordon Ramsay
The celebrity chef was inspired to lose weight after his wife, Tana, more or less fat shamed him when he tipped the scale at about 252 pounds. However, the harsh words didn't land the longtime couple in divorce court. Instead, he was motivated him to get in shape. "I looked like a sack of st. I look at the pictures and think, 'How did Tana stay around?' Because Tana has gotten better-looking and more gorgeous. And there she is, getting in bed with a fat fk," Gordon Ramsay said. After his wife dropped the f-bomb, he started training for Ironman competitions and lost 56 pounds. If you are concerned about your partner's health, you might want to consider finding a nicer, gentler way to point it out.
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8. Val Kilmer
Like Chris Pratt, Val Kilmer (aka Iceman) has also been shamed for being too fat and too thin. After remaining silent for several years, he finally addressed the situation in 2014. "I have been urged by friends to post something about my perfect health and weight loss," he wrote on Facebook. "Can't win in this crazy town. Too heavy for too many years and now gossip says too thin!" In 2017, after revealing he had been battling throat cancer for two years, he clapped back again when social media trolls dubbed him too "old and fat" for a "Top Gun" sequel. "Sorry to disappoint but I'm 165 lbs now," he reportedly wrote in response. "And 55 is the new 50!!!" We think you are absolutely perfect for the sequel, Val, just the way you are.
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9. Leonardo DiCaprio
Yes, even Leonardo DiCaprio has been fat shamed. After photos emerged of the actor frolicking in the tropics with his supermodel girlfriend of the moment, Toni Garn, he was the brunt of some terribly mean jokes. Page Six even published the series of photos with the headline "The Great Fatsby? Bloated Leo swims with model," referring to him as "the whale of Wall Street" and slamming his "love handles" and "pot belly." The star never responded to the jabs, as he had more important things to attend to. You know, like dating supermodels, winning Academy Awards and saving the environment.
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What Do YOU Think?
Are you surprised that any of these stars have been body shamed? Do you think a lot of people aren't aware that men are also impacted by shaming? How should men respond to such situations?