Simon Cowell tells Demi Lovato to lose 20 lbs, thinks it’s ‘healthy’ despite her ED


This story is in Star Magazine, so I hope it’s not true or is just exaggerated somehow. Because if it’s true, it’s kind of despicable. The story goes that X-Factor boss Simon Cowell has told judge Demi Lovato, 20, that she needs to lose 20 pounds before the show starts shooting again in the fall. It was announced about a month ago that Demi is coming back, and they’re still looking for two more judges to replace Britney and LA Reid. All sorts of names have been thrown out there including Cheryl Cole (not happening), Jennifer Love Hewitt (really?!), Sharon Osbourne and Nicole Scherzinger. In the meantime, Simon is focusing on what he can control and he thinks that’s Demi. Harsh:

Just two and a half years ago, The X Factor judge Demi Lovato checked herself into rehab for cutting and bulimia – and she only just recently left her sober living facility. But Star has learned that her boss, Simon Cowell, is demanding she lose 20 lbs. before the show’s fall premiere! An insider says that although Simon loves Demi’s feisty attitude, he believes she has ballooned since the season two finale in December – and it’s bugging him. “Simon doesn’t expect Demi to be supermodel skinny, but he does want her to look like she’s in shape,” stated the insider. “He’s set a weight-loss goal of 20 lbs. for Demi and asked her to work hard on it through the spring and summer.” This sounds like an insensitive order to a young woman who has wrestled with body image issues – but the insider insists that Simon “is very supportive of her battles and is going above and beyond to make sure she loses weight in a healthy way.” Which must be reassuring, because it’s not like her job depends on his opinion or anything!

[From Star Magazine, print edition, May 13, 2013]

Demi has been very open about her battle with her body image and eating disorder, and if this is true it’s totally clueless of Simon to even bring it up, not to mention tell Demi to lose weight! Simon needs to sit the f down. He does seem like a clueless a-hole most of the time, though, and we all know he’s harsh. He probably thinks he’s “helping” her. I hope Demi is secure enough at this point to blow it off and/or to tell Simon where to stick it.

There’s another story about Demi in this week’s Enquirer. They claim that Britney Spears isn’t returning Demi’s phone calls and quote a source who claimed “Demi’s hurt that Britney doesn’t want anything to do with her any longer.” According to that version, Britney is upset that she wasn’t invited back on X-Factor so she shut Demi out. I’m not really buying that, but it could be the case. I tend to think that Britney is relieved she’s no longer on X-Factor. At least she doesn’t have Simon monitoring her body constantly.

Demi is shown with Simon in December. She’s also shown performing on 4-1 and 2-14 (with a hurt foot.) Credit: WENN.com and FameFlynet

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64 Responses to “Simon Cowell tells Demi Lovato to lose 20 lbs, thinks it’s ‘healthy’ despite her ED”

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  1. LondonLou says:

    Probably true and hysterical coming from the ‘Lord of Moob’. Also, he needs to get his money back on that face-lift as it’s apparently already sagging.

    • V4Real says:

      This is another story I’m calling BS on but if she appears 20 pounds lighter come Fall, then unfortunately I was wrong.

    • Ally8 says:

      Seriously, the most visually upsetting thing on that judging panel is his face. How about, she’ll work off the weight if he presents the show with a paper bag on his head, so we can’t see the hideous evidence of his end-of-life crisis?

  2. Dawn says:

    Well she should tell him to stop smoking so people don’t have to smell his stink. See how he likes that. Can’t stand him.

  3. truthful says:

    I loathe Simon, what a pitiful aging rich short man.

  4. mkyarwood says:

    TWENTY!? If she lost 20 lbs she’d be 5 lbs away from a Bosworth bobble head. She has a luscious pear body type, and is a bit short, so her legs will always look a bit rounder in photos. This is like people thinking KK has gained 60 lbs. Step off. She has probably gained 15. Not only do cameras add the ubiquitous ten, with digital, they add lumps and bumps and dimples and what have you as well.

  5. msw says:

    fk body policing. Whether or not this story is true, fk it all. When is this going to stop?

  6. MonicaQ says:

    I’d go in his office and eat oreos slowly and sensually in his face every morning.

  7. Faye says:

    Hollywood must be the worst place on earth for someone with an eating disorder. I’m a recovered anorexic, and there are times when I still feel the pressure, even though I’m “healthy thin” and not “scary thin” now, because of all the cultural bombardment out there. I can’t imagine how much worse it would be if you had a career where people were at you day and night about your weight.

    I hope she has positive influences in her life to help counteract morons like Cowell.

    • Keats says:

      Jeez, yeah i bet its pretty hard outside of Hollywood too. Glad that you’re recovered 🙂

  8. Lemon says:

    I think she looks fabulous. I really think TV skinny is such am ugly look. I work in NYC I would regularly see soap actresses and on air news ladies and they look tragic in real life.

  9. Swack says:

    He is either really stupid or doesn’t care. Telling anyone, much less someone who has an eating disorder, to loose weight is lower than low. I’d be careful, because if he decides at the last minute not to have her back (and yes she has probably already signed the contract), she could use this as being fired for being overweight (according to Simon) and he is setting himself up for a law suit.

  10. Adriana says:

    Really? I think Demi is gorg but she needs to loose wieght she was way prettier when she was skinny.Dont hate me I just speaking my mind. I think Demi has the same body as our beloved Kim. She looks more like Kim than the Jenner girls

    http://www.posh24.com/photo/1141814/demi_lovato_kim_kardashian

    http://images.eonline.com/eol_images/Entire_Site/2011103//293.mystyle.split2.lc.110311.jpg

    • Faye says:

      The point is not whether or not Demi looked better thinner, or even whether she should lose weight based on a “healthy ideal” for her height/body type. The point is that telling someone who has a history of eating disorders that they should lose weight is an incredibly cruel and harmful thing to do, and can be a trigger for the ED to become active again.

      Think about it this way — if someone was a recovering alcoholic and you thought they were “more fun” when they drank, would you encourage them to drink? Why would you want to encourage someone’s self-harmful behaviors? Simon Cowell should know better.

      And I’m sorry, but while Demi might not be thin, she is in no way comparable to Kim Kardashian.

    • Erinn says:

      OMG. I hope you’re kidding. What the hell do you mean “when she was skinny” the girl is still quite thin! The photos you posted are her at the same weight – the one of her in the dress has her completely pulled in, likely with spanx. It’s a form fitting dress. You can’t compare a form fitting dress body with a loose fitting outfit. It doesn’t work.

      To me she really doesn’t look much different now than she did then. I think you’re ridiculous to claim that she NEEDS to lose weight. Just speaking MY mind.

    • Lisa says:

      It isn’t her fault.

      Treatment doesn’t always teach patients to strike a balance between the two extremes. They scare you into thinking you should never exercise vigorously or turn down a piece of cake, because then you’re not fully recovered.

      • Faye says:

        Where do you get your information from? I underwent treatment (outpatient) for anorexia as a teen, and my amazing therapist and nutritionist helped me to learn to eat and exercise healthily. I never even approached being overweight, and am thin in a healthy way to this day. Nobody ever said to eat cake and stop exercising. WTF. I’m sorry to be so harsh, but someone with ED could be reading your post and not getting help because they think treatment facilities want to fatten you up.

    • jaye says:

      You’re so right, Tarheels. Anyone who thinks Demi Lovato either a boob or a troll spoiling for a fight.

  11. Keats says:

    Um…if this story ISNT true then someone at Star has a lot of explaining to do for baiting someone with documented body image issues. Disgusting.

    • Faye says:

      I usually have little sympathy for celebs, but I do regarding this issue. They just can’t win when it comes to tabloid weight covers. Either they are lambasted for being “Scarily Thin! Family and Friends are Concerned!,” or they have unflattering pics and articles talking about their (alleged) weight gains.

  12. Annemarie says:

    Well, it’s no secret that Simon Cowell is a douchebag, so I can believe this, though I still take it with a grain of salt. But if it IS true, then he can kiss Demi’s ass. She doesn’t need to lose anymore weight and how low can you be to body shame a woman who’s been through hell with her eating disorders?

  13. berry says:

    Simon Cowell and Goop should be friends and they can look down their noses at everyone not looking as “healthy” as they should be.

    • adriana says:

      Simmon should be hanging out with Leo DiCaprio two of the most shallow men everrrr!

  14. Jm says:

    Sorry but I have to disagree. The girl is making millions for the job. A big part of that is her appearance. I am not skinny myself, but I don’t appear on tv in tiny clothing. If I did, you can be sure I’d lose that “last 20 pounds” stat.

    • adriana says:

      +1000

    • Chordy says:

      I’m sorry, but why are only very skinny bodies acceptable for being on TV? Why are we supposed to look away in horror when we see some meat on a woman? She’s making millions as an expert judge and coach to her team, not just fit into size 2 dresses. No wonder eating disorders are such an epidemic these days.

    • squeakie says:

      i totally agree, i am about demis size/body type now (currently trying to lose weight/get in shape) and if i had to be on tv or wearing gowns on the red carpet i would defiantly be trying harder!

    • blaize says:

      A society of body-shaming can’t rightfully be surprised when weight-based bullying and eating disorders happen to teens and preteens.

      Since Demi Lovato has a history of bulimia, what if she relapses and isn’t able to just stop at losing 20 pounds healthily?

  15. Deanne says:

    This coming from a man with huge moobs, who wears lifts and has a lamp installed under his judging station so that his sagging jowls are less visible. Demi looks healthy and beautiful and if this is true, Simon should look in the mirror first and tell his chubby, little self, to shut the hell up.

    • Barhey says:

      Hollywood is so like that though. People there might call themselves feminists but they are far from it. The vince vaughn types (overweight older men) always get gorgeous and young wives/girlfriends. But of course its ‘balanced’ because the women are total ‘shrews’ and the men are just so hilarious. Simon is just living up to the stereotype.

  16. TheOneAndOnly says:

    Interesting take jm, but can someone tell me why Simon is regarded as a music guru in some quarters, it’s not like he has discovered another Aretha, Ella, Jimi Hendrix, Beatles, James Brown, etc. – isn’t his most recent “discovery” One Direction. He’s a huckster, isn’t he?

  17. becky says:

    mmmmm…. have u seen brits latest bikinis pics? let simon monitor it all he wants! girl looks amazing

  18. molly says:

    he’s got a cheek hasn’t he! he could do with losing 20lbs for starts on his face never mind about his flabby body !!!!

  19. Asdfg says:

    I know i’ll probably get screamed at for this but… I wish she’d embrace her curves! She’s always soo covered up these days! Makes you wonder if she really is “happy” with her weight? I dunno… She get on my nerves and she looks pregnant in that 1st picture!!! Just sayin… LOL

    Simon needs to lose a few lbs himself!!!!

  20. loveisthecoal says:

    If I were Demi, my response would be “sure, as long as you also get those man t*ts lipoed off and lose that protruding gut.”

    I’ve struggled with an eating disorder for most of my teens and early adulthood, and while I don’t like to pin all the blame on others, a large reason for it is because of people like this–boyfriends who’d say “shouldn’t you be eating salad?” when I was already a size zero and threaten to dump me if I didnt lose more weight, family members who’d constantly police my thighs, etc.

    I’ve finally, FINALLY begun to accept that at 5’2 with a naturally curvier build, I am never going to look “skinny.” I suspect Demi has a similar height/body type. I hope she realizes that this is OKAY. I’m getting to a point where I’m more able to just say “f that noise” to people who want to police my body. I really hope that after going through treatment, she’s able to do the same.

    Phew…sorry for the rant, but stories like this just INFURIATE me.

  21. Lisa says:

    He says with his own gut pressed firmly against the table.

    This isn’t in defense of him AT ALL, but as far as advice goes in eating disorder clinics, a lot of dieticians lead their patients to gain too much weight. Then they tell them it’s healthy and that they should ~trust the process. “No, it can’t be those gummy bears you ate for lunch, because they can be part of a healthy balanced diet!”

    • Faye says:

      Again, your information is totally, utterly wrong. No certified, registered nutritionist would lead a client to gain too much weight (and they certainly wouldn’t encourage the eating of gummy bears for lunch). If anyone is reading this and needs treatment, DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS. A certified nutritionist will help you be healthy, and will not encourage you to be fat or eat junk food.

      • Lisa says:

        A nutritionist might not, but hospitals employ dieticians. Different training. I was only speaking from my own experience, not to deter anyone from seeking treatment. I said some, not all.

        Edit: to respond to your other post. The dietician I worked with unfortunately rigidly enforced the food guide and acted as if turning down cake was you “giving in” to your disorder. Some days, you just don’t want the cake! Not all refusals are restriction. A lot of the people in my group later said that they felt that approach did nothing to foster self trust (ie not thinking “Am I relapsing because I ate broccoli at lunch? Didn’t have the pop?” etc), and that is one of the most important skills in recovery.

  22. atorontogal says:

    What an insensitive asshole! He could stand to lose 20lbs too. Maybe he should go back across the pond and the Brits can worry about him. (Sorry to all British people)

  23. F5 says:

    It’s showbiz.. she should be used to it.

  24. Lisa says:

    @Chordy Because it’s a subtle putdown. If I’m misunderstanding, I apologize. It’s just that when you get into saying things like “we need to see x type of woman on TV because real women have meat on their bones!” it’s still dictating what it means to be a woman. That’s not the best argument for body diversity/acceptance.

    • Chordy says:

      No, what I was saying is that whenever there’s a woman on TV that doesn’t have one specific body type, some people act appalled that she’s allowed to be viewed by the public. Her job on this show is to use her talent and experience. People act like she’s somehow shirking her professional duties because she might be slightly larger than a size 2, whereas men like Simon Cowell are not accused of a lack of professionalism based on their appearance. It’s an unfair double standard. Plus, Demi is actually incredibly beautiful. We as a society need to expand our ideas of beauty for the good of the whole, because we’re destroying our girls with these unfair standards.

      ETA: I wasn’t saying X type of women should be on TV bc she has meat on her bones in place of thin women, I’m saying people overreact when they see a slightly thicker girl because they’re not used to seeing a thicker girl. Thick girls, thin girls, tall girls, short girls, able-bodied, disabled, cis-gender, gender queer-they should ALL see themselves represented in media.

      • Lisa says:

        Thanks, I wanted to make sure it was just a matter of wording.

        I hardly think Demi would draw outright disgust from people, but you can never be too sure. I think we’ve actually regressed in some ways as far as representation goes. 80s and 90s TV seemed more diverse (the Cosbys, Queen Latifah on Fresh Prince, etc), more willing to break stereotypes, then suddenly it just kind of… stopped. It wasn’t a perfect utopia – Martha Wash couldn’t even appear in her own videos because she wasn’t skinny! – but I feel like some effort was being made. Now it’s straight up criticism everywhere.

  25. Jules says:

    I think Demi looks perfect. Weight has too much importance attached to it.

  26. Grant says:

    I keep hearing that Cheryl is the one that’s going to replace Britney. I don’t know why she would, considering her unceremonious sacking but I thought she was quite charming on the few episodes where she was a USA judge.

    Another potential replacement for Britney that’s being thrown around is Kelly Rowland. I don’t really think it matters who replaces Britney, I think this show is going to go the way of the dodo after one more season.

  27. yuck says:

    demi is such an ugly, nasty skank

    • Joanna says:

      how do you know that? did you sleep with her? no? then how do you know? and so what, even if she did sleep around, what does that have to do with you? just don’t get the need to be so rude about someone you don’t even know.

      • Brittney says:

        Very well might have… wouldn’t put it past Wilmer to troll posts about Demi on the (hopefully) off-chance she’d read it and feel worse about herself.

  28. Lulu.T.O. says:

    He needs to loose 20 lbs of bad toupe.

  29. blaize says:

    Simon does have a reputation for being a jerk (although some people- like my mother, who has a bit of a crush on him- would just say that he’s real and gives honest criticism. I think the truth is somewhere in the middle: sometimes he’s just being real, other times he’s being a jerk). But star magazine also has a reputation for spreading half-truths, exaggerations, and sometimes flat-out lies. It would take a MAJOR jerk to say something like that to a girl who battled an eating disorder and a breakdown. That’s heartless.

    We’ll see. For some reason I don’t think Demi would be quiet about this if it was true. I hope it’s not true, for the sake of Demi’s health.

  30. jwoolman says:

    Did he really say this? Demi looks fine to me. She looked really scary in her skinny phase, toward the end of her time on Disney and before she slugged a dancer on tour. He’s not skinny himself. If he really expects anyone else on the show to lose weight, maybe it should be a matching deal… Maybe he loses 2 lbs for every lb lost by a smaller person.

  31. SydneySpy says:

    Really? Is that the worst thing a woman can be? A couple of pounds overweight, fat, or even obese? Do beauty, intelligence, a strong work ethic, generosity, education, expertise, compassion, kindness, humour, humanity etc., all go out the window because a woman is carrying a bit of extra weight? What have we come to?

    Simon, luvvie, you might be shrewd in business, but all the birds you pull are simple slags interested only in your money and what you can do for them or give them. They laugh behind your back at your stink, your creepy face, your manboobs and wobbly gut. And you should hear the disparaging comments they make about having to shag a plastic-faced old man who needs the blue diamond to get, and keep it, up. Oh, Si, you really are a pathetic, sad old git.

  32. LaurieH says:

    I’ve never heard of an eating disorder referred to as “ED”, so when I first glanced at the headline, I thought “Demi Lovato has erectile dysfunction?” LOL!

  33. Mew says:

    It’s totally out of line to tell anyone like that to go losing weight. If it’s true, I hope Lovato smacks him hard.