Excessive Weight Of American Idol's Sligh May Lead To An Early Goodbye

Chris Sligh has the vocal talent, but will his obesity become a liability

Have you been watching Season 6 of the hottest show on television today--American Idol! You just gotta love a program like this where the dreams of being a famous music superstar are almost immediately realized overnight if you are fortunate enough to make it into the final 24 contestants with 30+ million people watching you each week.

Just look at what happened on Tuesday night's show this week.

Did you see that adorable little girl who started crying her eyes out when the singers were performing? These contestants have barely even been in the spotlight performing on television for about two months now and they have already developed a fan base of "groupies" following their every move and "Idol"izing them enough to cry over their singing! Only in America!

One of the reasons I am watching this season is to see my fellow Upstate of South Carolina resident Chris Sligh, who hails from Greenville which is just a hop, skip, and a jump from my hometown of Spartanburg, perform and cheer him on to become the next American Idol. He certainly has the chops for this competition, although I personally think Blake the Bodacious-Beatboxer and Melinda Doolittle the Background-Singer-No-More will both give him a run for his money.

With that said, though, I am and have been concerned about one thing regarding Chris since he first started progressing through the competition--his hard to ignore excessive weight problem. Yep, if you haven't noticed it before, Chris Sligh is pretty fat along with that now-famous big curly hair of his. If the tens of millions of people who are voting in American Idol can look past the image of Chris Sligh and judge him on his singing, then he may have a shot.

But at some point I believe his obesity will become a severe liability. I noticed somebody was holding up a sign on Tuesday night that said "Bringing Chubby Back" while Chris was singing, but I'm not so sure about that sentiment. While the "fat acceptance" movement people will probably enthusiastically agree with that statement and tell him to not be ashamed of his large size, the reality is Sligh's looks will begin to hurt him more than help him at some point no matter how good he sings.

Plus, remember this is a television show looking for someone who a record label can put out there in the public eye as a marketable product. At least with Clay Aiken, they got rid of the nerdy glasses and helped him look as polished as that beautiful singing voice he has. For Chris Sligh, it's gonna take some weight loss that livin' la vida low-carb could help him with. Unfortunately for him, it won't be quick enough to help him before his American Idol experience comes to an end.

While I'm confident Chris won't be going home for several more weeks at least, I don't think he'll get past the top five precisely because of his weight. The fact is there are prettier people left in the competition who sing almost as good as he does. When it comes down to it, looks will play a part as we saw the year Carrie Underwood won. She's awesome and has gone on to do extraordinary things in her short career so far, but would she have beaten Bo Bice if she wasn't a gorgeous blonde?

I sincerely hope Chris Sligh does endure to the end to make it into the final two, but I feel safe in predicting he at the very least he should outlast Sanjaya (if this kid doesn't go home tonight, then there is something SERIOUSLY wrong with this show!). The 17-year old Indian boy reminds me of another young teenaged contestant named John a few years back with the red hair and sang like a lounge singer.

Remember him? He kept getting in the bottom two week after week (like Sanjaya) and even beat out Jennifer Hudson to the shock of everyone to reach the top 5. Of course, he was booted out the next week, but people accused the show of being racist and thought Jennifer Hudson got cheated. In the end it all worked out since Ms. Hudson was recently given the Academy Award for Best Supporting Role for her performance in the movie Dreamgirls. See, it all works out in the end.

Although American Idol does not judge the contestants on their weight and it is possible for contestants who have been overweight on the show like Ruben Studdard (who has since lost a lot of weight on a vegetarian diet) and Underwood (who has DEFINITELY lost weight for whatever reason since she won--I thought she looked better BEFORE her weight loss), it still leaves the question about the long-term implications of whether being fat will hurt Chris Sligh when all is said and done.

In this incredibly superficial world we live in, I'm afraid at some point it will.

Ruben Studdard Goes Through Intensive Weight Loss Program, Becomes A Vegetarian

"American Idol" winner Ruben Studdard has lost 70 pounds in 2006

A few years back, everyone in America wanted to know the answer to just one question: Will it be Clay Aiken or Ruben Studdard? The tens of millions of "American Idol" fans were torn between voting for nerd-turned-stud Aiken with his Claymates club or the soulful R&B-crooning "The Velvet Teddy Bear" Studdard. In a close vote, Studdard pulled out the win of Season Two and went on to have great success with his debut album going platinum.

Life was good for Ruben except for one thing--his growing weight problem. My wife Christine always commented during that season of the hit FOX television show about how she was worried about Ruben sweating so profusely when he performed his songs. Sure, he sounded good, but he always looked like he was ready to drop dead at any moment. It's scary to think about something like that happen, but weighing over 400 pounds puts you at risk--GREAT RISK! She knew watching her own husband (ME!) battle with morbid obesity as well.

Apparently, like me, Studdard decided he had come to a point in his young life that it was time to get serious about his weight before it was too late. This year, at the age of 28, he did something very brave which was arguably the most challenging and lifechanging event of his life--he checked himself into a weight loss clinic to learn how to lose weight.

In an exclusive interview with the Associated Press, Studdard said his "family history of diabetes and high blood pressure" is what led him to the Durham, NC-based Duke Diet & Fitness Center for one month straight.

"I felt like it was necessary for me to combat those issues at a young age before it became a bigger issue," he told the AP. "I went to this place called Duke Diet & Fitness Center for a month and learned how to change my eating habits."

The $7,000 four-week weight loss program is exactly what Studdard needed to change his bad nutritional habits and lose 70 pounds off of his body to transform his mind and body into a smaller and healthier vessel that will make him live longer than he ever thought possible.

"It’s been wonderful," he exclaimed of his new lifestyle change.

Following his Duke experience, Studdard decided the low-calorie, vegetarian lifestyle is what will help him continue to lose weight and keep it off forever. Eating between 1,200-1,500 calories daily and giving up some of his favorite foods like chicken and French fries, he has learned there are "just as many healthy choices in food as there are bad choices."

"When I am ordering with a group I just look for the healthy choices," Studdard explained in the AP interview. "The working out for me [is the hardest part] because our schedule is so hectic."

That's why making time to take care of yourself is incredibly important no matter HOW busy you are. If U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice can make time for daily exercise, then so can you, Ruben!


"The Return" is the beginning of the comeback for Ruben Studdard

Studdard released this third album this week called "The Return" and sounds just as incredible as ever (despite the needless worries about how weight loss can impact your singing voice). I'm thrilled to know that he is likely going to inspire many people who also struggle with their weight to start doing something to get their health back.

I am so excited for Ruben and wish him continued success on his weight loss program. If it is something he can do for the rest of his life and he's happy with that, then more power to him! NEVER EVER EVER give up, Ruben! You've come way too far to give up on this now. YOU CAN DO IT!!!

CONGRATULATIONS, Ruben! Don't ever give up on the changes you are making at this moment in your life. Your life will be so much richer than it could ever be because you decided to take back control where it was once spiraling into a deep, dark pit of hopelessness and despair. NOT ANYMORE! Way to go and keep up the fantastic work on your weight. On behalf of all the readers at the "Livin' La Vida Low-Carb" blog, we are so proud of you. God bless you, my friend!