Photoshop much?

by Lauren Messiah (Subscribe to Lauren Messiah's posts), Posted Jun 18th 2007 at 12:25PM

This is a post

Filed under: CELEBRITY STYLE, Celebrity

Here is the thing about Photoshop -- we all know it exists but we are typically fooled by it and are constantly obsessing over how we want to look like "that." Sad ,but true. Every so often the Photoshop gods and goddesses get a little pixel happy and they aren't fooling anyone. In fact, they are just plain insulting to us loyal readers and to the celebrity being photographed.

Photoshop insult of the month is Elle magazine featuring a "thin" Kelly Clarkson on the cover. When the issue of Elle arrived in my mailbox I wasn't even sure who it was. At first I said to myself, "Why is Mandy Moore on the cover again, she was just on two months ago?" Then I said, "WTF, is that Kelly Clarkson?! I am not reading this trash." Unfortunately, I had to open the magazine for the sake of this blog post. As anticipated, the whole spread is pretty pathetic.

C'mon, this isn't even remotely convincing. Not only did we just see big Kel stomping around the American Idol Finale stage barefoot and plump, but she has been all over the tabloids (also looking plump) acting like a total diva. So Elle, if you are listening, better luck next time -- either show 'em big or just get 'em small.

Filed under: CELEBRITY STYLE, Celebrity
Tags: diva, elle magazine, ElleMagazine, kelly clarkson, KellyClarkson, music

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)

Ryan 6-18-2007 @ 1:25PM

I agree that the Photoshop thing sucks, but calling her a diva? Ew. If by diva you mean standing up for her right to make the music SHE wants to make then god, I wished we had more divas in the music world.

Michelle 6-19-2007 @ 12:17PM

I'm a little confused about this post - For sure Kelly
Clarkson is not a size 2 as portrayed on the cover, but referring to her as "big Kel stomping around" seems downright insulting and deprecating.
I agree that she is no Paris Hilton (body wise) but come on now. It's
actually refreshing to see a youthful celebrity who hasn't fallen
prey to the Anorexic Nicole Richie Syndrome.

I dislike PhotoShop body editing as much as the next person, but perhaps, better grammar and/or phrasing in your posts, as well as a willingness to accept all shapes and body sizes seems to be the most stylish and classy thing to aspire to instead of "constantly obsess(ing) over how we want to look like "that"".

Amy 6-19-2007 @ 8:12PM

I totally agree with the above posters. Kelly Clarkson isn't as skinny as the photoshopped image, but she sure isn't huge. This post of yours just doesn't make any sense.

BrittneyPoo34 6-19-2007 @ 8:14PM

Did anyone consider that they may have taken the pics months ago and saved them until they got the article together?? She was thin last summer.

beautiful_intelligent_dork 6-19-2007 @ 8:29PM

just because someone is not a size 2 or a size 4 does not make them big, and for you to get mad because she looks good does not make it right to diss her by saying she was stomping around on stage. people are always bashing people because of their size, no wonder we have all these eating disorders. i'ts because of people like you. and Britneypoo34 is right, they may have just taken these sometime last year and decided to put them up now. sometimes the covers don't work out when they plan on having them. next time make sure you know what you are talking about before you make yourself look ridiculous.

Ruth Thomas 6-19-2007 @ 8:27PM

Michelle; Very well said. I agree 100%.

alfryda jens 6-19-2007 @ 11:27PM

You are WRONG....this is NOT photoshopped. At the performance on the last Idol....yes....she had a little muffin top going on above the jeans ....this dress could totally hide her entire waist and down.
Get a life and shut up Lauren.

VaFashionista 6-19-2007 @ 8:36PM

LOL! I love this post! It's truly funny! Yes, I saw "big kel STOMPING" and pudge jumping around on the finale of idol, it was quite disturbing...I'm actually surprised noone made a viral video with her doing that and the lense shaking or something hahaha! I just think the cover is so ridiculously photshopped that it begs to be made fun of! I bet they just put her head on another body...LOL

lenny 6-19-2007 @ 8:37PM

if she was a size 0 you people will say she is too skinny and is she was a size 12 you people would say she is too fat. it doesnt matter what size you are people are gonna say something negative about you no matter what. too bad its got to be that way cause it isnt right. you go kelly no matter what size you are your voice rocks and that is all that matters!!!

furrgetmenot 6-19-2007 @ 8:38PM

Doesn't anyone realize how bad it is for one's health to make ridiculous changes to your body just to "look" better? It's unnecessary and foolish. I wouldn't want to literally "blow away" if I lost my appetite for a couple of days from some illness. Society needs to embrace normal, healthy women's shapeliness!

jzzyblue17 6-19-2007 @ 8:44PM

Wrong there is no way Clarkson was that thin at Idol in May she looked like she was preggo had to look twice to see who it was. The girl had hips that had spread.............................

Alex 6-19-2007 @ 9:54PM

Lauren, you should be ashamed of yourself. Kelly Clarkson is not fat, nor is she a diva; she is a beautiful woman who makes great music, the music SHE wants to make. The photo may be edited, I can't deny that because I don't know for a fact. But seriously, you have sunk incredibly low, all for the sake of a stupid blog post. Shameful.

kris 6-19-2007 @ 8:41PM

ok. yea i agree with michelle. kelly is not "big". she is average size. for you to insult someone like that is ridiculous. for all we know u could weigh like 400 pounds.

Terken 6-19-2007 @ 8:41PM

Compared to the photo on the cover of the mag - she is bigger - not BIG HUGE - just bigger - she is of normal size for an american woman as she is. - which I thinik is perfect The cover is obviously altered - however taking a closer look - the dress is at the upper waist - the skirt is full - this may be an untouched photo - you never know

Angelpie 6-19-2007 @ 8:49PM

I don't like the little boy figures on girls these days. Then they get boob jobs because being that unnaturally think causes your boobs to disapear. Who really likes this look? It's all points and angles. No feminine curves, shapely legs. Who wants to look like a little boy after you're 8? Why would men like women to look like little boys? Any ideas? I know, on their own girls would like to look like women. Skinny little boy bodies is gross. I like healthy and in shape. Curves. Legs that don't go up and down next to the bone. Yuck! Did you see that picture of that ex spice girl throwing the ball in a baseball game? A skeleton in shorts. You could get a cut walking by her. This has to be some sick mans idea of how women should look. Or maybe they wanted to see just how many stupid women would go along with starving themselves. Count the fools!

Laura 6-19-2007 @ 8:55PM

I find it interesting that everyone in Hollywood will get in front of a camera and talk about how refreshing it is to see the few stars out there that have curves and hips. The interesting part is that obviously the magazine companies feel otherwise or they would have known that Kelly is thin, and beautiful the way she is. The fact that they felt the need to photoshop her only sends out a message that she isn't ok the way she is. But the fact that you not only criticized the photoshop work, but referred to her as "big" only justified WHY they did photoshop her body. It's sick that anyone would refer to Kelly Clarkson as "Big Kel". From what I understood I thought people wanted to see more young healthy stars with curves, which is exactly what she is. It seems to me that she is in a no win situation. And what a shame that all the young girls that read your post now think of Kelly Clarksons body as "big". I am an adult and can read your post without being effected by it, however I can't say the same for the 13 year old that now thinks she is fat too. I don't think the magazine cover is distorted, I think your body image is. Maybe we should all be a little less careless of how our words effect others. Keep doing your thing Kelly, your fans love you from thin to "big" and everywhere between!

jeff campman 6-19-2007 @ 8:58PM

u r all losers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Crystal 6-19-2007 @ 9:09PM

Kelly, if you are reading this, don't mind this silly article! You look healthy, and great! Don't change a thing. I admire people like you and Kate Winslet don't mind having a little meat on them. All the little Hollywood waifs are all followers. You're a leader! Thank you for being a positive role model for young girls.

Jeanette 6-19-2007 @ 9:16PM

I don't think it is completely photoshopped. I have been doing photography for 15 years. Pay attention to the lighting affects going on in the background. There is a bright what is called "shadow" light in the on her back. She appears to have to booty or back. Also, your eye is drawn to the plunging neckline of the dress thus drawing your eye from the tummy to the cleavage. The strategically placed sash across her tummy is also a distraction to her figure. Placing that bright color against the warmer color is a trick of photography as well. I can make a size 14 like her look like a 10 with the right things.

SWIG 6-19-2007 @ 9:17PM

Ahhh...photoshop...that is why Oprah always looks thin on her magazine covers...then on the show, she doesn't look quite so thin. Don't get me wrong, I love Oprah, no matter her size.