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Teenage Girl 'Too Big' To Sit In Front at American Idol Taping

Posted on Apr 13th 2011 11:00AM by Hilary Walke

Filed Under: Diet & Weight Loss

A 19-year-old teenager who won six passes to attend a free taping of "American Idol" was forced to sit in the back row because she was "too big" to be seen in the front. Her father has told the press she wants a public apology from the people at this reality TV show.

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Ashley Kauffman was told she couldn't sit with her three other friends in the front row because she was "just too big, too heavy to be in front," according to RadarOnline.com.

If this were your daughter, what would you tell American Idol?

Michael T.
Shame on you American Idol, thank God I don't watch your stupid show!!

Lisa L.
If this is true then she is entitled to file a lawsuit - this is completely unacceptable!

Vanessa A.
You don't want to know what I would say!

Tanya R.
That is awful. They owe her an apology for sure.

Whitney O.
Not saying it's right, but they aren't breaking any laws. In the entertainment industry they have the right to pick and choose who they like and where they put them, based on looks, just like with models, actors, extras etc. It may not be right or nice, but that's the way it is.

Kelly N.
Unreal! That's so wrong!

16 Comment

Tags: babies, deathrisk, obese mothers, obesity

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Jonathan 4-13-2011 @ 12:35PM

You have to be in a certain age range to compete on the show. I think it was a cold/mean thing to do, but it is their show and they can do what they want with the audience. It wasn't like they didn't honor her pass. It didn't say, but I am going to guess it wasn't a front row pass.

marcuscb 4-13-2011 @ 2:42PM

Well, that would motivate me to lose weight!

shelley j cohen 4-13-2011 @ 2:54PM

So what's new? It never ends.

Michelle 4-13-2011 @ 4:03PM

They could have said that she was too big to sit in front bc she was blocking the view of others behind her and that would have been allowed. But just the vanity of being too fat for the TV views eyes -- that would be a pathetic excuse!

Eileen 4-13-2011 @ 4:57PM

Did American Idol make Randy sit in the back row before he lost weight?

MzBigD 4-13-2011 @ 6:42PM

Ignorance and prejudice at its best. Shame on all of you. She has the right to sit in front just like everyone else.

Max 4-13-2011 @ 7:47PM

Not a surprize; in 2007, at one of Chelsea Lately's first shows, I was placed in the back row (small studio, no big deal).I was next to a very attractive girl. They came up and asked her to the front, and an 'average' girl was placed in my row. They can do all kinds of discrimination without being blatant. It's all about appearance on both sides of the camera.

Avatar_Jack 4-13-2011 @ 8:28PM

As you all know the back row is a great place to sit when you want a/ to get a bird’s eye view b/ when you want to hide the horrible coffee stain on your dress c/ when you’re not really interested in the show d/ tend to have a tendency to be rude and say offensive things.

scallywagandvagabond dot com

Mike 4-13-2011 @ 9:53PM

Good for the producers

Bobert 4-14-2011 @ 3:07AM

Well, hate to say it, but maybe the young lady should take a good long look in the mirror. Unless there's some medical problem, she has a health problem that needs attention. People need to take care of themselves, just like the same issue that is growing in air travel. And the show has the right to put people where they want. Being grossly overweight is not an acceptable demographic.

sara 4-14-2011 @ 3:26AM

May be this will encourage the 13 year old to get healthier and lose the weight. Her daddy, instead of protesting Idol, should instead work on giving healthy eating habits to his daughter. Being overweight is not healthy. It is not just a matter of looks. Fatness causes all types of illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer..

Kellie 4-14-2011 @ 4:44AM

I don't this it's right at all. After all, if fat people like Kirstie Alley are allowed to DANCE on American Idol, why can't a large person SIT on the front row?? For pity's sake, talk about double standard!!

Kellie 4-14-2011 @ 4:50AM

I stand corrected; If fat people like Kirstie are allowed to dance on Dancing With the Stars, and the fact there have been many overweight contestants on American Idol, they should not refuse a large person the right to sit in the front row. I didn't make my first comment very clear.

Rudi 4-14-2011 @ 6:49AM

This is just another example of the message we are sending our young girls about what is acceptable for body image and what isn't. The producers and staff should be ashamed of themselves. Some of their contestants have been rather large, such as Rueben Studdard, and they didn't keep him off the show due to his size. I hope she sues!!

Angie 4-14-2011 @ 12:33PM

People are being really mean to this girl on blogs and stuff. I think it's disgusting how people think and how people put other people down. They wonder why these people crack and go postal.