Gabourey Sidibe — the acting novice who earned an Oscar nod for her portrayal of a horribly-abused teen mom in the 2009 film Precious — won’t be Voguing anytime soon.
With everyone from Howard Stern to Jessica Simpson is weighing in on the debate over her weight, PopEater Gossip Guy Rob Shuter cites fashion industry tattles who say Ice Queen Anna Wintour has no plans to find a Vogue cover slot for the Harlem-born star. Snitching stylistas claim editors recently rejected the idea of having Gabby cover the respected Fashion Bible because she’s overweight.
“She’s a joke in the fashion community. What she wore on the red carpet at the Academy Awards wasn’t a dress, it was a tent,” one chatty source from the magazine reportedly blabbed to Shuter. “Vogue is venue where designers debut their best new pieces. All are of which are one of a kind and sample size. It would be impossible to get a regular-sized girl in those clothes, let alone Gabby…”
Last spring, Wintour — known for her thin-frame and frosty presence — stressed that Americans have an obligation to address the growing problem of obesity.
“There’s such an epidemic of obesity in the United States, and for some reason, everybody focuses on
anorexia,” Wintour told Us Magazine as the time. “We need to spend money, time and education on teaching people to eat, exercise and take care of themselves in a healthier way. It [has gotten people] provoked, which is really the point.”
Gabourey’s mother recently defended her plus-sized daughter telling RadarOnline.com: “The truth is Gabourey would like to lose some weight but the reality is that she would not have gotten the role of Precious if she had not been heavy. As her mom I would like to see my daughter healthy, but if she didn’t lose weight that’s not a problem either – it runs in our family.”
This is the second time in just two months that Gabby’s been passed over for an appearance on the cover of a major American magazine. Harper’s Bazaar was forced to decry allegations of racism and “sizism” when it featured an all-thin, all-White ensemble of young stars for its annual Young Hollywood Issue last month. Many fans thought Sidibe, who turned in such a powerful performance as a debut deserved a spot on the cover.