Does 'Precious' have a problem?

"I woke up one morning, looked in the mirror, and thought: 'I look like Precious'"

David Alan Grier's statement on a recent Adam Carolla Podcast caught my attention.

For those who may not know, Precious stars Gabourey Sidibe as Clareece "Precious" Jones, an overweight, illiterate African-American teen in Harlem. The actress has been nominated for an Academy Award for her portrayal of Precious.

The critically-acclaimed movie has brewed a controversy over its star's weight.

Is big and beautiful a bad thing?

Well, I've come to find out that what people think looks good, or at least is tolerable, doesn't always mean it's healthy. Put another way, so many people are so used to seeing overweight and obese people that they have come to look past it. I know I have a tendency to do that.

Oh, there's a 300-pound person...maybe it will all work out for him and he'll become an NFL offensive lineman.

Go to the CDC's Body Mass Index Calculator to see for yourself. Take my starting weight when I proclaimed myself The 50 Pound Guy:

Height: 6 feet, 1 inches; Weight: 230 pounds...

"Your BMI is 30.3, indicating your weight is in the Obese category for adults of your height. For your height, a normal weight range would be from 140 to 189 pounds. People who are overweight or obese are at higher risk for chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol."

What the hell? No, man, I'm "pleasantly plump!" Chicks dig guys with multiple chins, right?

If I was juiced up like a "Jersey Shore" guido, maybe I could justify the 230 pounds. Sure, I wouldn't mind playing middle linebacker for the New Orleans Saints, but I'm not in that kind of shape. Some fat guys like to wear T-shirts that read, "I'm in shape...round is a shape." That's the shape I was in, and it was getting worse.

Now that I weigh 213 pounds, I'm merely Overweight, according to the BMI.

Once I get down to 189 pounds, I will be in the Normal category.

What does all of this have to do with Precious? Who knows, I just needed a hook for this article.

Thanks for readin'!