Okay seriously. Melissa McCarthy in “Bridesmaids” completely won us over. She absolutely killed in that movie! You may not know this, but she’s been on the scene a lot longer – the comedic actress appeared back in the ‘90s! Her role in “Gilmore Girls” gave her more of a name, and she was recognized in many American households.
But McCarthy always was on the heavier side, and well, she wasn’t always happy about being cast as the plus-sized actress who was funny. Stereotypes eh? The actress-comedienne hit her breakthrough with her weight, though: in 2016, McCarthy lost 75 pounds without the help of gastric bypass surgery! She just worked hard and got where she wanted. You go, girl!
Paul Wall - 130 Pounds
Rapper Paul Wall made quite a bit of noise on the scene, particularly when he entered. But just at the beginning of his career, the rapper just about hit 320 pounds. At such an alarming weight on the scales, he was urged to lose weight in some way because his heart wasn’t going to be able to take it much longer.
He underwent gastric sleeve surgery. Following the procedure, Wall had to also adopt a strict diet that focused on balance and a lot of fresh fruit and veg, as well as being relatively low in carbs. With a consistent approach, Wall managed to lose a staggering 130 pounds! It seems that after his experience, there’s no going back, as he continues to maintain his newly adopted healthy lifestyle!
Marissa Jaret Winokur - 60 Pounds
Ah, yes, "Hairspray!" What a film! Taking the lead role in the musical was actress Marissa Winokur. The actress, who won a Tony Award for the Broadway adaptation of the colorful and very fun musical extravaganza, won hearts! However, she had a bit of a problem.
Always on the heavier side, Marissa was almost admitted with a medical emergency due to her weight. Her cholesterol shot up to an alarmingly high level, and her doctor advised her seriously to lose weight. She went on a restrictive 1,200-calorie diet and exercised her heart out. But hey, the final result was worth it: Winokur lost over 60 pounds!
Mama June - 200 Pounds
Ah yes, who could forget the reality TV series "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo." If it were us, we’d leave it far behind in reality TV trash land, but hey… it’s kinda addictive. Dammit! Anyway, the matriarch of the show, Mama June, is next up on our list of celebs who piled on the pounds. However, Mama June always had an issue with her weight and was the brunt of many jokes due to her obesity. She sure showed the world and the haters when she dropped 300 pounds after gastric sleeve surgery.
Mama June was an exception – sometimes, gastric sleeve surgery is a more viable option when the weight loss is more than substantial. She then went on to go under the knife and had some excess skin trimmed, as well as a boob job just to make her feel, well, good! You can see all the deets on her own show: "Mama June: From Not to Hot."
Drew Carry - 80 Pounds
Decorated comedian and industry heavyweight Drew Carey rose to prominence with his show “Whose Line Is It Anyway.” This particular show also made him one very wealthy man. Did you know that in 1998, Carey was listed by "Forbes" as the 24th highest-paid entertainer? That year he earned $45 million, as well as $750,000 per episode for “The Drew Carey Show.”
Anyway, despite the cash inflow, there also seemed to be a lot of food going in without much exercise to expend those calories! After being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes (the lifestyle kind), Carey took charge of his health and decided to focus on dropping a few pounds. The comedian was determined, however, to do things the natural way, without the assistance of surgery. So he buckled down and lost 80 pounds. Sayonara Type 2 diabetes!