A lot of people have the misconception that celebrities have it easy. Many of them do, at least from outward appearances. However, that doesn’t mean that they never have any challenges that they are required to overcome, not by a long shot. The truth is, they might even have a few more challenges than most other individuals, largely because they are celebrities. If you really stop and think about it, there isn’t anything they do that isn’t under a microscope. Doing something as simple as going out and buying groceries becomes a monumental task for them, often to the point that they simply prefer not to get involved with going out in public at all if they can help it.
If you were to stop and think about your own life, consider how much more challenging it would be if everything you did made the tabloid headlines. That would be frustrating, to say the least. It gets even worse if you stop and think about things of a more personal nature, such as struggles that you prefer to keep private suddenly becoming public. If you’re like most people, there has been at least once or twice when something that you would have far preferred to keep private ended up being told to the wrong person. Before you knew it, everybody knew your personal and very private business. The only way to ensure that this never happens is to refrain from sharing any of your most personal secrets with anyone else.
This might be easy enough to do if you live a private life to begin with. If you’re a celebrity, it’s virtually impossible unless you want to become a hermit. Everything you do is fair game. That involves every struggle you ever have, every relationship you’re involved in, and everywhere you go. There isn’t anything that you say or do that can’t eventually show up on the evening news or in some newspaper. Most people don’t really want every aspect of their lives put out there for the whole world to see, but for some individuals that make their living as actors, musicians or sports stars, that’s the way it is.
Many of the people on this list have experienced similar situations. This particular list deals with 20 celebrities that have had weight loss surgery. A lot of them were very open about the topic and were more than happy to share their own personal struggles as well as the solution that they finally arrived at when it came time to deal with it. However, some would have far preferred that no one ever know that they went through the surgery in the first place. This is especially disturbing when you consider the fact that medical records are supposed to be kept private. In reality, no one is supposed to know what any other person is doing from a medical standpoint, regardless if they are a celebrity or not.
Nevertheless, this news did indeed make it to the tabloids. All it really takes is a few simple clicks on the internet in order to find a whole host of individuals that have had this procedure done. It’s important to restate the fact that not all of them made the choice to make this public. It just goes to prove that no matter what goes on in your life, if you are famous, everyone else is going to know about it before you even think about making it a reality. It’s not a very comforting thought, especially for those Individuals that would prefer to live a more private existence.
Being a celebrity is never exactly easy, especially when it comes to keeping one’s privacy. Thanks to the Internet, it’s virtually impossible. There is nothing that can’t be posted online and it makes it virtually guaranteed that the general public is going to know about anything and everything that a famous person does, no matter how hard they try to keep it private.
As far as the weight loss surgery goes, most of these individuals on the list will tell you that it was one of the best decisions they ever made. A lot of them struggled with issues concerning their weight for their entire lives and had tried virtually everything else involving diet and exercise. Still others had actually taken steps to get their own nutrition counselor and they still couldn’t lose weight. For most of these individuals, the weight loss surgery was considered a last resort. For the most part, it has been effective, although there are a couple of people on the list that still struggle with their weight today. If you want to know who was had the procedure done, all you need to do is keep reading.
1. Anne Rice
If you’re a big fan of novels that have an air of both horror and mystery, you already know who she is. She is a perennial favorite on the bestseller list and you can find her books available in practically any place that sells novels. Most people might not have been aware that she actually went through weight loss surgery, especially considering the fact that she is an author and isn’t frequently featured on camera like many of the other celebrities on this list. However, she had no problem coming forward in the hopes of inspiring other people that were going through similar struggles to do the same thing.
2. Rosie O’Donnell
O’Donnell has always been very forward about everything that occurred in her life. In fact, she’s never really made any real attempts to hide much of anything. Getting weight loss surgery was no different. She chose to have it done for a number of health reasons. She had previously had some cardiac scares, as well as concerns about diabetes. Therefore, she made the decision to get her health under control by getting her weight down. By all accounts, she considers the surgery successful and is glad that she did it.
3. Sharon Osbourne
She had the surgery sometime ago and her reason was for improved health as well. The truth is, a lot of people completely forgot that she ever struggled with her weight to begin with. She is definitely one of the most obvious success stories when it comes to weight loss surgery. Since she had the procedure done, she has lost the weight and kept it off. Today, she looks like the picture of health.
4. Roseanne Barr
Most people are very familiar with Roseanne Barr because of the sitcom that was so popular during the 1980s and 90s. During that time, her weight fluctuated a great deal and during many seasons, it seem to be ballooning out of control. As she grew older, she started to have problems with her health and eventually made the decision to have weight loss surgery. The surgery changed her life. She was able to lose so much weight and keep it off that most people wouldn’t even recognize her.
5. John Popper
As is usually the case when it comes to people deciding to have weight loss surgery, there were some health concerns involved. Sometimes people decide to have the surgery because they are attempting to prevent something from going wrong with her health and at other times, they can already see that they are starting down that path and they simply don’t know what else to do in order to stop it. Whatever the case might have been for Popper, the surgery seems to have worked.
6. Al Roker
There was a time when Roker would host the early morning weather and in reality, he was quite heavy. It didn’t seem to be an issue for him for a number of years, but all the while, it was adversely impacting his health. Eventually, this started to become more and more apparent. When it seemed as though he had already tried all of the diet and exercise programs with little or no success, he finally made the decision to get weight loss surgery. Since that time, he has lost a tremendous amount of weight and has dramatically improved his overall health as a direct result of his efforts.
7. Mariah Carey
Most people at least vaguely remember when this singer struggled with her weight. Since she had the surgery, she admits that it was a tremendous struggle to get up on stage and try to be active during her performances when she was so winded that she could barely get the words to her songs out. She also admits that it was an emotional blow to be struggling with weight during a time when the focus was always on the individuals that were skinny and appeared to be healthy. Fortunately for her, she has really gotten her weight under control and she is taking charge of both her physical and emotional health.
8. Randy Jackson
Practically everybody remembers this American Idol judge. For the longest time, he was just a little bit heavy but he was one of those people that had a tendency to handle the weight well because of his frame. Over time, he started to gain a little more and a little more until he was obviously struggling with his weight. A few years ago, he finally decided that he had had enough and he made the choice to get weight loss surgery. His weight loss has in fact been dramatic. Not only that, he’s managed to keep the weight off for a few years now.
9. John Daly
A lot of people have a hard time remembering when John Daly was overweight. Nevertheless, he himself admits that he made the decision to have the surgery done, and his decision was as much for health reasons as anything else. The surgery was obviously a success, and most people were never even aware that he had the procedure done in the first place.
10. Carnie Wilson
Wilson has always been a popular musician, but she has struggled with her weight for much of her life. She admits that there were some emotional issues going on, as well as issues related to substance abuse. As a result, her weight tended to fluctuate a great deal from year to year. As she got older and her metabolism begin slowing down, her weight started to increase more rapidly. Despite other attempts to get it under control, she eventually made the decision to go ahead with the weight loss surgery because those prior attempts weren’t working. Today, she is much slimmer and healthier than she has been in the past.
11. Chris Christie
Most people don’t consider state governors to be celebrities, but Chris Christie managed to make so many evening talk shows that he became something of a celebrity in his own right. His rather Infamous bid for the White House also helped with him become more well-known than other governors. Unfortunately, the scene he became most well-known for was his weight. Christie was dramatically overweight and for the longest time, he would claim that it didn’t bother him and he had no intention to do anything about it. However, he eventually made the decision to have the procedure done right around the same time he made his bid for the White House. He is one of the individuals that doesn’t seem to have lost a great deal of weight since he had the surgery, although he has slimmed down somewhat. Only time will tell if he will continue on with that Trend or if he will gain the weight back, as weight loss surgery is not a surefire solution.
12. Brian Dennehy
While twenty-somethings may not have the foggiest idea who Brian Dennehy is, people that are older will remember him as one of the most prolific character actors of all time. For his generation, he seemed to show up everywhere. He guest starred on dramas and even hosted his own show for a time. While he was always a big man, his weight started to get out of control as he aged. Unwilling to allow that to continue, he made the decision to do something about it.
13. Caitlin Van Zandt
The Sopranos star didn’t always seem to have troubles with her weight, but eventually, it became an issue. This happens to a lot of women. Even those individuals who have typically been able to eat practically anything they wanted and maintain a healthy weight often find themselves gaining weight as they approach middle age. This can make it hard for them to keep their weight at a healthy level, even when they are doing everything right. The truth is, some women struggle to the point that they restrict their diet extensively and they spend hours exercising, only to see little if any improvement. In some cases, women can do all of these things and still continue to gain weight despite their efforts. In situations such as these, medication is usually the first defense against weight loss. If it fails to be effective, weight loss surgery is typically the only solution left and may in fact be the only one that is truly effective.
14. Khaliah Ali
Even if you don’t know who she is, you’re undoubtedly at least familiar with her name. The daughter of Muhammad Ali struggled with her weight for a good portion of her life. Eventually, she topped the scale out at more than 300 lbs. At that point, she made the decision that something drastic had to be done. That is when she chose to get weight loss surgery and she really hasn’t looked back since then.
15. Graham Elliot
It might not surprise you that a chef would also love to eat. After all, most people think the two go hand-in-hand. In this particular case, the celebrity chef had a difficult time controlling his desire for food. Diets only work if you’re able to stick to them, and sometimes it just isn’t a possibility. Eventually, he decided that this type of procedure would be his only option and he made the decision to go ahead and have it done. Today, he is a much healthier and happier individual because of his decision to take charge of his weight gain and do something about it.
16. Lisa Lampanelli
People have a tendency to think that comedians are always funny. After all, they’re funny when they’re on stage, just like Lampanelli. Most comedians will tell you that they are far from funny all the time. If you really stop and think about it, no one can be funny all the time. It just isn’t possible. However, there is something much darker that is usually involved in these particular cases. The overwhelming majority of people that are really funny have developed that sense of humor as a way of dealing with terrible things that have happened in their lives. Some people would even consider these individuals as being damaged. It seems like the more difficulties they went through in their lives, the more they’re able to turn that into something that makes an audience laugh. However, that doesn’t mean that they’re always okay with it all. Unfortunately, comedians usually struggle with a lot of very dark emotions and sometimes those emotions push them to the breaking point. In Lampanelli is case, the emotions caused her to eat in order to try to feel better. Fortunately, she realized the struggle she was in and made a decision to do something positive in order to change it.
17. Lauren Manzo
Being on a show like The Real Housewives of New Jersey can’t be easy. Nobody really knows how much of that stuff is completely scripted and how much of it is ad-libbed, but the drama never seems to stop. Billed as a reality TV show, people seem to flock to this type of drama for one reason or another. Manzo herself admits that she had drama in her own life, which is largely how she became overweight in the first place. Fortunately, she was capable of recognizing this and learning how to make healthier choices.
18. Mama June Shannon
Years ago, there was a television show that would air about young people that were involved in beauty pageants. This is where people got their first taste of Mama June. Her daughter was in a lot of the pageants and she would regularly appear on the show. At the time, she was extremely overweight and the problem just seemed to be getting worse season after season. At some point, she was approached about doing another television show that would chronicle her weight loss after surgery. She agreed to do it, and she has lost a tremendous amount of weight. Most people could look at two pictures of her side by side, one before the surgery and one after the surgery, and not even realize that they’re looking at the same individual.
19. Gabourey Sidibe
If you watch the television show Empire, you’re familiar with her work. She struggled with weight throughout her entire life and no matter what choices she made, the situation never seemed to get any better. Eventually, she decided that weight loss surgery would be the only option she would have in order to live a healthy, normal life. She has lost quite a bit of weight, but she hasn’t lost as much as most people would expect after a procedure like this. Unfortunately, there are a small number of individuals that have the surgery done and then either struggle to lose weight or end up gaining most of it back anyway. With that being said, there is always hope that she will be able to get her weight problem under control, just so she can be healthy.
20. Star Jones
There was a time when Star Jones was very heavy. That’s been several years ago. She decided to have weight loss surgery and she has lost so much weight that she both looks and acts like a completely different woman. This is good news for her as far as health is concerned. However, she used to be a much more approachable and compassionate person, or at least that’s how it appeared. It seems like the weight loss surgery boosted her confidence, even to the point of making her difficult to be around. She has unfortunately gained a reputation as one of the more difficult individuals in Hollywood and as a result, most people don’t really want to work with her any longer. Of course, who knows what really precipitated the issue or who is truly at fault. In Hollywood, it’s always somebody else’s fault.
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