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This post is part of a series on celebrity spokespeople who ended up doing serious harm to the brands they were hired to promote, or vice versa. See how we rank the 20 top spokesperson fiascos.
Okay, to begin with, I should be completely honest: I'm a definite Kirstie Alley fan. I've watched her since the beginning, since she walked into Shelly Long's shoes on Cheers and took the show to a whole other level. I watched as she began to mature gracefully in Summer School and the Look Who's Talking movies, and even stayed with Veronica's Closet for way longer than I should have. Over the years, I watched her bloom, blossom, expand her horizons, umm...
Okay, yes, I also watched her gain a lot of weight. Somewhere between the overripe evil of Gladys Leeman in Drop Dead Gorgeous and the impressive avoirdupois of Fat Actress, Kirstie Alley definitely put on some serious pounds. When they started shooting her in low light with dark clothes, I had my suspicions; when Fat Actress debuted, there was no longer any doubt.
Still, I was rooting for Kirstie, and I was happy when she got a gig working for Jenny Craig (a division of Nestle, VTX:NESN). While I'm not sure that weight loss is for everyone, I have no doubt that, for Kirstie Alley, it meant the difference between being gainfully employed and using her royalties from syndicated TV shows to buy herself an island and a bunch of muumuus. I hoped that the marriage between Kirstie and Jennie would thrive and be, if not fruitful, at least healthy.
Then the hammer fell, as Jenny Craig decided to let her go. Given her still-voluptuous dimensions during the Oprah show, some sources, including the National Enquirer, assumed that she had been fired for gaining weight. Jenny Craig spokesman Scott Parker was vague about the reasons for her departure, but was quick to note that Kirstie was still using the company's maintenance program.
Another possible reason for Alley's dismissal might have been her association with the Church of Scientology, which has its own detoxification and weight-loss plan. However, regardless of whether Alley left because she was gaining weight or because L. Ron Hubbard told her the secret to slimming down, she was still out the door.
Her replacement? Plus-size diva and former Pizza Hut pitchwoman Queen Latifah, who has pledged to lose 5-10% of her body weight. As long as she stays away from the Scientologists and the stuffed crusts, this should be a match made in heaven!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
7-17-2008 @ 2:40PM
RUTH said...
I AM A LONG TIME FAN OF KIRSTIE ALLEY,I LOVE HER AND THE PUBLIC DOES TOO,SHE IS SWEET,AND LOVING ,AND LOVES CHILDREN,I HAVE NO DOUBT WHATSOEVER SHE IS THE SAME IN REAL LIFE,AS ON THE SCREEN,GIVE HER A BREAK ,PEOPLE LOSE,AND ,OR GAIN FOR DIFFERENT REASONS,STOP KICKING HER WHEN SHE IS DOWN,AND HELP HER UP AGAIN,MY WHOLE FAMILY LOVES YOU KIRSTIE,AND ANYTHING YOU PLAY IN .
STOP TAKING PEOPLE OFF TV BECAUSE THEY GAIN OR LOSE WEIGHT ,PUT ON A SHOW SO THEY CAN SAY WHY ...
7-17-2008 @ 2:42PM
donna said...
you can say no wrong about kristy alley..I love her personality and acting.....some people are ment to be over weight just a little.....although I am always keeping my weight down for health reasons....I know I would be happy if I did'nt have to watch every carb.....but such is life...
7-17-2008 @ 2:45PM
rcasch1 said...
I love kristy alley......her hair, personality, looks, acting she can do no wrong.....
7-17-2008 @ 3:36PM
Kitty said...
It's hard to keep weigh off. I know I lost 60 pounds a year ago myself. But my DNA didn't change, just my body, so I developed a new way to cook that allows me to eat. (I'm always going to eat) Go to http://www.KittysLoseWeight.com and see! I call myself an RFP (recovering fat person) and I always will be. You don't just suddenly wake up without food issues if you've had them all your life.
7-17-2008 @ 2:51PM
Me said...
Wow, Nothing like kicking someone when there down. After all theres nothing else in this world to talk about (Food prices, gas prices, people losing there homes, prisoners getting better care and food then the public) NICE!
7-17-2008 @ 2:52PM
Rocko said...
You people are nuts, truly nuts. This woman defines the word "pig." Hollywood stars are some of the dumbest people I have ever encountered, having only one thing going for them; their looks. Whether they are famous for being really good looking or really ugly, it's the look that pays the bills. She just couldn't stay away from the burgers and so she falls. It's her own damn fault and she is not, she is not beautiful. She is FAT and disgusting.
7-17-2008 @ 2:57PM
Anne said...
You are a very beautiful woman whatever your weight happens to be at the time. Your hair is stunning and you have a wow of a voice.
There is good reason the Olsen's are twins, it needs two of them to build the beginnings of a real person.
7-17-2008 @ 3:02PM
rodney said...
she still fine
7-17-2008 @ 3:02PM
Kristina said...
I don't think she should have been fired.
7-17-2008 @ 3:14PM
marie armato said...
kristie Alley is a loud, fat pig...and she doesn't deserve the press she gets...
7-17-2008 @ 3:25PM
PupPee said...
How did Bruce Watson manage to post this in the future? "Posted Jul 21, 2008" Spooky!
7-17-2008 @ 3:26PM
thekleys said...
Guess what? Kirstie is just another human being like the rest of us. Even though she probably has a lot more money than most people have (non-movie stars) she still has problems. I, personally
think she has gotten more beautiful as she ages. Fat, skinny or just right - she is a great actress. I would love to see her make a movie just as she is and just be herself. She obviously has low self-esteem which plagues all of us. I wish her blessings and good health. Thank you AOL for printing my thoughts about Kirstie.
7-17-2008 @ 3:32PM
tavernier344 said...
Who cares? Paying attention to this stuff has turned us into a nation of idiots. Kirstie can go jump in a lake or find a legitimate job that suits her talents, like at McDonalds. My attention is drawn to this only by the curiosity of seeing how many dimwits are attracted to this stuff.
7-17-2008 @ 3:33PM
tavernier344 said...
She is a slob - what a waste of time!
7-17-2008 @ 3:36PM
Ginger said...
It isn't 'healthy to be that much overweight.. Time to 'stick to a diet!
7-17-2008 @ 3:40PM
GRANDMAJ said...
KIRSTIE....
LOVE YOU DEARLY, BUT..... PLEASE LOSE THE WEIGHT, JUST FOR YOUR HEALTH. YOU DON'T WANT TO HAVE A HEART ATTACK AND LEAVE YOUR KIDS WITHOUT THEIR MOM!
AND LOSE THAT SCIENTOLOGY CRAP.....THOSE PEOPLE ARE NUTZ!!!
7-17-2008 @ 3:42PM
john thompson said...
I have always been a fan of kirstie...I always thought she was a beautiful open-minded woman. And talented. I had a girlfriend who resembled her quite a bit during her 'Cheers' episodes, and through her movies. She was idolized by alot of people, and yes she had weight issues. My girlfriend, now my wife lost weight because she was compared to kirstie...One thing though, she didnt have all the millions of dollars kirstie had or still has, or a career like hers to do it. She wanted to feel better about herself.
If you ask me, with the millions of dollars kirstie has, and if her career was on the line and she made a commitment to lose weight, why should it take an endorsement from Jenny Craig to do it? She has alot more opportunity than other people do. So I do not feel sorry for her at all. Sounds like she just got lazy, and didnt stay focused on her diet. She should know she is in the public eye all the time. I do not feel sorry for her whatsoever. If she was to lose her acting career because of her being overweight....then so be it. Think about it. If we all had millions and millions...I could live happy being fat, but if given the opportunity with her money, and given the option to slim down, and make more? And then not follow through? What does she have to fuss about? It is her own fault, and maybe she needs a little kick in the butt to take her down a notch off of her pedestal, she thinks she sits on. She may need a bigger one now.
7-17-2008 @ 4:11PM
steph said...
Who gives a fuck if Kristy Alley got fired. She was on Jenny Craig and gained weight AGAIN, how do you fuck that up?
maybe if she wanted to keep her job she'd lay off the ho-ho's and keep to her diet.. its not that hard when your rich, can buy a physical trainer, and have healthy food delivered to your house 24/7..
unless she was eating a weeks worth of jenny craig food in one day..she should have NOT gained that weight back.
if only we were all lucky enough to have a shit load of money and pay for a personalized chef to lose weight, it would be a miracle, but no, she had to be a loser and fuck everything up for her self.
and ya know, i like Kirsty Alley, but come on.. if other people in hollywood can keep if off for they're jobs, then she can too.
7-17-2008 @ 4:17PM
Eva said...
Kristi, best to lost weigh is MOROZNIK, herb.
7-17-2008 @ 4:28PM
Rocky said...
Another possible reason for Alley's dismissal might have been her association with the Church of Scientology, which has its own detoxification and weight-loss plan. However, regardless of whether Alley left because she was gaining weight or because L. Ron Hubbard told her the secret to slimming down, she was still out the door.
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Just show's you what Scientologists do. They spend thousands of dollars a month, plus give at least 10% of their earnings to the church and for what..........To get fired like Alley and that jerk, Cruise.......They call themselfs a church (give me a break)