Tyra Banks & Body Image

Give a girl a talk show and she loses her mind.

I think Tyra Banks is as cute as a bug's ear, but WTF?

In September, Tyra had a sonogram on her show to prove that her breasts are real. RU kidding me? Despite a bajillion rumors, whether her twins are real or not is no one's business and to use medical technology to prove something that is obvious is just doggone crazy! The new tv season started in September, right? I guess, the more outlandish the shows the better...cuz afterall it's about the ratings ya'll...

But the body image madness doesn't stop there...

Coming up on the Nov. 18 segment of her show, Tyra will help others pursue "a beautiful booty."



(AP photo)

She will reveal her own "dimpled butt" and receive an endermologie treatment on the set. OKAY -- I can't even type that sentence without laughing. No one in their right mind should KNOWINGLY reveal their "dimpled butt" -- EVER, I MEAN EVER, on national tv! Let alone have treatments on it for the world to see. But, call me crazy -- I do find peace in knowing she HAS a "dimpled butt" -- is that a nice way of saying -- she has cellulite like you wouldn't believe?

For real educational body image tv, check out Tyra's show on Monday, November 8th. She's going to illuminate a sensitive body image issue that affects nearly half the people in this country -- obesity. According to AP radio, Tyra will go undercover as a 350-pound woman to see what it's like to walk around obese. Said 31-year old Tyra, "It seemed like the last form of open discrimination that's OK, and I decided to put on a 350-pound suit myself and live that life for a day and see what happens."

Banks said she was shocked at the reaction. "I started walking down the street and within 10 seconds, a trio of people looked me right in my eye and started pointing and laughing in my face," the talk-show host said. "I had no idea it was that blatant."

Wow, are we truly that insensitive in this country? Our nation's unrealistic nymphet-as-the-norm obsession has resulted in an increase in eating disorders and a rise in poor body image acceptance. Research shows at one time or another, at least 75% of Americans have been on some kind of diet. Studies indicate 59% of men and 51% of women are overweight and even more troubling, 20% of men and 25% of women are considered obese.

Yep, Monday's show should really be an interesting, heart-breaking, eye-opening look at our society. If you tune in...give me a shout.

Okay, so....if YOU had a talk show, what body image issue would you tackle? What insensitive body issue comments have people made to you or others you know? What medical test or treatment would you perform on yourself? Who knows, Tyra just may see this and use your idea!

For the most part, I respect Tyra. She is an America's Next Top Model tv-hosting, cat-walking, vogue-posing, Victoria's Secret-modeling enigma who is notorious for "keeping it real". She does a lot to boost self-confidence in women and she draws positive attention to women and body issues. Yet she works in an industry that does a lot to undermine women and healthy body image. But I guess if you want to effect change it's good to be tackling the problem as an "insider." GOD BLESS TYRA, I love her -- and her "dimpled" a&^!