When and why did Sally Struthers get so obese? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Yong Fang · 11-13-2013, 09:20 AM

When did Sally Struthers begin to be overweight, and then grossly overweight? I wonder why this happened? Did she have a child and never lost the weight and gained? Did she turn into a food addict as comfort for possibly a faltering career? I know that she was married and divorced, and again, food can be abused like alcohol or a drug. It makes people feel good.

Its funny to see a show you saw as a child as an adult, and see the characters differently, and Sally Struthers was really cute, and basically stayed the same weight from 1971 to her Gloria show in the early 1980's. By the 1990's, she was obese doing commercials for a charity to feed starving kids in Africa. Even the cartoon South Park lampooned this. Sort of a big irony.

I guess from her DUI arrest picture that she is still a big woman. Meathead is also fat, unlike his father Carl (Rob Reiner is a Meathead so......). As I just think about it, Meathead was an original insulting name. What was the story behind it? Probably some writer came up with it as a staff meeting and stuck.

So why did Sally get so huge?

Mr. Television · 11-13-2013, 02:06 PM

She sure hasn't aged well.

Tap Dancer · 11-13-2013, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yong Fang

So why did Sally get so huge?

Only Sally knows. I'm sure food does play a role, as it does most of the time. But weight gain can also be caused by medications and menopause.

Yort · 11-13-2013, 05:00 PM

She was such a pretty little thing.

cleverfun3000 · 11-13-2013, 07:10 PM

This is why I never get into what a celebrity looks like NOW. I enjoy him/her when they were at the TOP of THEIR GAME. So many, many celebnrities age horrifically and they barely look like a shell of their distant former selves. Actually, it's quite depressing to see the way the men and women stars of the 60's and 70's look today. So rather than make myself gag, I go back and look at their shows when they were a pleasuree to watch and SEE.

TheCars1986 · 11-15-2013, 09:11 PM

Remember in the 90's when she was doing those infomercials for starving children in Africa? Well instead of shipping the food to the starving kids she ingested it all. Henceforth, she became obese.

In all seriousness, she's 66 years old. She's not Jack LaLanne. She looks good for 66, IMO.

littletydramon · 08-27-2014, 12:04 AM

She got a DUI? Yah, South Park really parodied this whole topic. Lol

biffbronson · 08-27-2014, 05:42 AM

I do think changes came more quickly for Sally than for most of her contemporaries. For example, Arlene Golonka was extremely hot in the early '70s, and was still a hottie when she appeared on Matlock as we approached the 1990s. It wasn't until years later when she appeared on King of Queens that her appeal had definitely diminished. Meredith MacRae is another example of someone whose looks endured very well on into the '80s. Unfortunately for Sally, it's as with the general population: For some, change comes too soon.

Bonniegirl · 08-27-2014, 02:20 PM

I think it is just her weight that is the problem. He face stayed pretty I think. She doesn't look really old or bad in the face at all.

Sally is a short girl, and she was kind of busty and curvy even when she was thinner. As girls like that get older they tend to put on weight, more than a taller, lanky girl would! And if she likes her food a lot and isn't a fan of exercise, well there you go!

comedyfreak · 08-28-2014, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cleverfun3000

This is why I never get into what a celebrity looks like NOW. I enjoy him/her when they were at the TOP of THEIR GAME. So many, many celebnrities age horrifically and they barely look like a shell of their distant former selves. Actually, it's quite depressing to see the way the men and women stars of the 60's and 70's look today. So rather than make myself gag, I go back and look at their shows when they were a pleasuree to watch and SEE.

I can see what you mean, take Martin Lawrence for example. In the 90's he got popular and was in shape and now that he's in Partners nearly 20 years later he's overweight and can hardly move now. He won't need much padding if he does another Big Momma's House. Back on topic Sally started gaining weight when she guest starred in AITF Season 9 and later on her own show.

Mood Ring · 08-30-2014, 03:28 PM

I'll take a wild guess...

Food.

TVFactFan · 08-30-2014, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mood Ring

I'll take a wild guess...

Food.

Or no love life which led to depression which led to eating a lot of food lol

WalterTheDrinker · 11-04-2014, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yong Fang

Meathead was an original insulting name. What was the story behind it? Probably some writer came up with it as a staff meeting and stuck.

I believe Norman Lear's dad called Norman that when he was a kid.

Hughsgirl · 11-05-2014, 10:49 AM

She wasn't the only one who gained weight and a lot of it - Rob Reiner did as well!

Margarita · 11-05-2014, 12:06 PM

A Lot of actresses have eating disorders when in their "prime" and once you have had anorexia or bulimia for so long, your body rebels and throws you into the overeating disorders, which are caused from the same reasons as the anorexia and bulimia.

That would be one guess. Auto immune disease would be another....

11-13-2013, 09:20 AM	#1
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,073	When and why did Sally Struthers get so obese? When did Sally Struthers begin to be overweight, and then grossly overweight? I wonder why this happened? Did she have a child and never lost the weight and gained? Did she turn into a food addict as comfort for possibly a faltering career? I know that she was married and divorced, and again, food can be abused like alcohol or a drug. It makes people feel good. Its funny to see a show you saw as a child as an adult, and see the characters differently, and Sally Struthers was really cute, and basically stayed the same weight from 1971 to her Gloria show in the early 1980's. By the 1990's, she was obese doing commercials for a charity to feed starving kids in Africa. Even the cartoon South Park lampooned this. Sort of a big irony. I guess from her DUI arrest picture that she is still a big woman. Meathead is also fat, unlike his father Carl (Rob Reiner is a Meathead so......). As I just think about it, Meathead was an original insulting name. What was the story behind it? Probably some writer came up with it as a staff meeting and stuck. So why did Sally get so huge?

11-13-2013, 02:06 PM	#2
Mr. Television 23 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,133	She sure hasn't aged well.
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08-27-2014, 12:04 AM	#7
littletydramon Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 18, 2001 Location: WI, USA Posts: 339	She got a DUI? Yah, South Park really parodied this whole topic. Lol
	__________________ Tyler

08-27-2014, 05:42 AM	#8
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,493	I do think changes came more quickly for Sally than for most of her contemporaries. For example, Arlene Golonka was extremely hot in the early '70s, and was still a hottie when she appeared on Matlock as we approached the 1990s. It wasn't until years later when she appeared on King of Queens that her appeal had definitely diminished. Meredith MacRae is another example of someone whose looks endured very well on into the '80s. Unfortunately for Sally, it's as with the general population: For some, change comes too soon.
	__________________ In memory of lovely Erin Moran 1960-2017 ~ Missing you "For you are beautiful ~ And I have loved you dearly ~ More dearly than the spoken word can tell..." "What's the word?" (Paul Martin) ~~ "I don't want money for nothing." (Timmy Martin) -- Lassie ROCKS! WORD UP "It's just a dugout that my dad built... In case the reds* decide to push the button down..."*

11-13-2013, 05:00 PM	#4
Yort Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 13, 2010 Location: Springfield, IL Posts: 39	She was such a pretty little thing.

11-13-2013, 07:10 PM	#5
cleverfun3000 Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 18, 2008 Location: Manhattan Posts: 1,685	This is why I never get into what a celebrity looks like NOW. I enjoy him/her when they were at the TOP of THEIR GAME. So many, many celebnrities age horrifically and they barely look like a shell of their distant former selves. Actually, it's quite depressing to see the way the men and women stars of the 60's and 70's look today. So rather than make myself gag, I go back and look at their shows when they were a pleasuree to watch and SEE.

11-15-2013, 09:11 PM	#6
TheCars1986 #VLSKMS Forum Fanatic Join Date: Nov 22, 2008 Location: Maryland Posts: 8,607	Remember in the 90's when she was doing those infomercials for starving children in Africa? Well instead of shipping the food to the starving kids she ingested it all. Henceforth, she became obese. In all seriousness, she's 66 years old. She's not Jack LaLanne. She looks good for 66, IMO.

08-27-2014, 02:20 PM	#9
Bonniegirl AKA Hazel Horvath Forum Addict Join Date: Jul 10, 2014 Posts: 65,744	I think it is just her weight that is the problem. He face stayed pretty I think. She doesn't look really old or bad in the face at all. Sally is a short girl, and she was kind of busty and curvy even when she was thinner. As girls like that get older they tend to put on weight, more than a taller, lanky girl would! And if she likes her food a lot and isn't a fan of exercise, well there you go!

08-30-2014, 03:28 PM	#11
Mood Ring Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Aug 28, 2014 Location: East coast Posts: 468	I'll take a wild guess... Food.

11-05-2014, 10:49 AM	#14
Hughsgirl Member Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 22, 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 804	She wasn't the only one who gained weight and a lot of it - Rob Reiner did as well!

11-05-2014, 12:06 PM	#15
Margarita Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Oct 24, 2014 Posts: 51	A Lot of actresses have eating disorders when in their "prime" and once you have had anorexia or bulimia for so long, your body rebels and throws you into the overeating disorders, which are caused from the same reasons as the anorexia and bulimia. That would be one guess. Auto immune disease would be another....