UPDATE: Tyrese's 'Fat and Nasty' comments - Keeping it Real or Keeping it Real Insensitive?

This week Tyrese Gibson came under fire over some comments he made regarding overweight people in an interview he did with AllHipHop.com. Below is Tyrese's explanation for why he believes that fat people are fat:

AHH: What kind of responsibility do you feel as an entertainer, you have to inspire people to live healthier lifestyles?

Tyrese: No two situations are the same. If you are fat and nasty and you don’t like the way you look, do something about it. It’s simple.

When you take a shower and you put your fat, nasty body in the shower and by the time you get out, the mirrors are all steamed up so you don’t look at what you did to yourself. That may sound offensive or insensitive but ultimately, you are big as hell because you have earned that sh*t. You worked your a** off to eat everything in sight to get big as hell.

If you got a problem with the way you look, then you need to do something about it. Excuses sound best to the people that’s making them up.

Credit: Huff Post Black Voices

Well ok Tyrese, tell us how you really feel. Sheesh. I can only assume that Tyrese is referring to all overweight people as it appears that he is making very generalized comments about a particular group of individuals. I think that calling individuals 'fat and nasty' is very harsh and insensitive and he could have definitely worded his response in a more sensitive, politically correct manner. However, Tyrese is entitled to say what he wants, however he wants and he always does. I follow him on twitter (@Tyrese) and he's no stranger to rants (or poor grammar). One minute he's on a soapbox preaching positivity and love and light (hence his twitter name 'Vision Implementer'), the next minute he's 'reading' folks.*shrugs*   

However, I applied Tyrese's comments to my own personal weight loss struggle and I must say that I can relate to some of what he says (name calling excluded). I've known for years that I needed to do something about my weight but I put more energy into making excuses for why I couldn't lose the weight then I did into actually losing it ('excuses sound best to the people that's making them up'). I definitely earned every single pound that I am working so hard to lose right now by eating poorly and not exercising. Now, I do believe that everyone's struggle is different. Some people have health issues which make weight loss very difficult for them. Some may have other issues beyond their control which makes weight loss more complex. I think Tyrese's statement that 'no two situations are the same' is dead on. We are all different and it's important to acknowledge your own personal situation and figure out what you can do to change it. 

'If you got a problem with the way you look, then you need to do something about it'. I am Tyrese, but thanks for the suggestion. 

As for calling people 'fat and nasty' though, Tyrese can have ALL the seats on the bus from his 1994 Coca-Cola commercial. #haveaseatsir

How do you feel about Tyrese's comments? Is Tyrese being honest or insensitive? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

UPDATE: This past weekend I received the direct message above from Tyrese via twitter. Apparently, he saw this post and wanted me and the readers to know what he really meant by his 'fat and nasty' comments. Judging by his message, he obviously did NOT read my post, since I said I agreed with some of his points, and the fact that he instructed me to read my own post (sir, I wrote it and I know what I said), but I digress. I personally understand exactly where he was coming from, I just think that his delivery was poor. 

 To be fair to Tyrese, read here tyreseonline.com/home/press/mens-health-spread to see what he says he meant by his comments and you decide if he should remain seated on the bus, or if we should let him off at the next stop. 

Corrin K. Jones

twitter: @SweatHeartBoss

www.shopsweatheart.com