Jameela Jamil was body-shamed by a d-bag while she was working out at the gym

2018 San Diego Comic Con - The Good Place - Photocall

Jameela Jamil is best known to American audiences for her role in The Good Place. She was already a celebrity in the UK though, where she was known as a TV presenter, music-journalist-type and DJ. She lives in LA full time now because of her TV work. Also, if you follow the gossip, you know that Jameela has made some headlines this year for trashing the Kardashians for being crappy role models, and she also reminded everyone that Emile Hirsch is a violent psycho.

Well, it seems that Jameela has a regular gym in LA, and she works out regularly. She’s like me, in that she’s not working out for any particular aesthetic reason, she’s working out because it helps her decompress. She has anxiety, and I get that completely – I think I would probably be called “high strung” and working out regularly just helps calm me down. Jameela was at the gym a few days ago and a dude walked up to her and told her she “could look so amazing” if she did different workout to “improve her body.” Oh, God. This video is NSFW for language, because she drops a few f-bombs.

She tells the whole story:

“I was just leaving the gym and a man I did not know approached me and asked me what I’d just been doing…. I told him I had been cycling because I have anxiety and that’s why I come to the gym. And he decided to tell me, without prompt, that he sees me around and thinks ‘oh what a shame, she could look so amazing,’ and there’s so many different things I could do to improve my body… So he essentially walked up to me and body-shamed me in the middle of the gym. Don’t do that. Don’t walk up to someone and impose your belief of what you think they should look like onto them. Don’t do that to women, don’t do that to men, don’t do that to anyone ever.”

Jamil also speculated that behavior like this prevents people from going to the gym “because they’re afraid of being judged… I don’t like walking around thinking that people are looking at me and analyzing what I should or shouldn’t look like. I’m comfortable, I enjoy my body. I enjoy my curves. I’m also, by the way, a U.S. size 6 to 8, so if that’s how I’m being spoken to at the gym, you can imagine what people say to people who are larger than that.”

“To that man… don’t walk up to a woman ever again and say anything like that. I don’t need your advice. I don’t want your advice. I didn’t ask you for your advice as to whether or not you think i’m good looking enough. Just f—k off.”

[From People]

Ugh. I have stories like this. The worst was a female trainer at my gym who dissuaded me from doing some leg weight exercises because I was “doing them completely wrong and they won’t work on you anyway.” It was a pretty simple machine and I was using it properly, she just wanted to nitpick me and be an a–hole. Jameela is right about all of it, there are those awful people with nothing better to do than say sh-t to women working out for their own reasons. When you’re at the gym, just mind your business. If a dude comes up to you like this, tell him to suck it. Tell him off. Or better yet, go straight to the floor manager and try to get the douche kicked out.

2018 San Diego Comic Con - The Good Place - Photocall

Photos courtesy of WENN.

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83 Responses to “Jameela Jamil was body-shamed by a d-bag while she was working out at the gym”

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  1. Lucy2 says:

    I briefly wondered if he did this intentionally because she is so outspoken on body positivity, but now I think the guy was just a douche. I’m really glad she stood up for her self, and shared this to help others.

    • NotSoSocialButterfly says:

      Yes, just another misogynistic, negging, douche-bro who she should have laughed at, and then pointed him in directions to improve his brain.

    • raincoaster says:

      Honestly, I think he was probably hoping to sign her up as a client. These douchebags are always surprised when negging doesn’t work, commercially or socially.

  2. Queenb says:

    I wondered if it was a trainer. They will do that to get a customer. Like when those MLM ladies try to bodyshame people into buying their tea.

    • Franny Days says:

      What a crap way to sell his services if he is a trainer. Could have went with oh well you know lifting weights helps a lot with anxiety let me know if you want a free session blah blah. She told you she was at the gym for her anxiety bruh and you criticizing her body is not helping her with anxiety and taking away from the place she comes to decompress. What a moron!

    • ItReallyIsYou,NotMe says:

      I was going to say that he might be a trainer too. Still a d-bag move, but maybe it would hurt a little less to know that he had an agenda.

      • OldBeeyutch says:

        This doesn’t sound real. I’m a trainer and would never solicit, not like this or in any form. Sorry ,no, it sounds like a “what if” narrative that throws an entire industry under the bus.

    • It’sJustBlanche says:

      That’s the thing I hate about trainers and why I don’t go to one. I’d rather just watch what they do with other people and incorporate that into my routine for free. I don’t need their body shaming and their BS.

    • Sherry says:

      I thought the exact same thing. A personal trainer trying to get business in a douchey way.

      @It’sJustBlanche – That’s why I follow KimK, Shay Mitchell and Halle Berry on Instagram. Especially Halle because she and her trainer will demo their workouts in her stories. On Fridays Halle and her trainer answer questions. It’s like getting a free session with an expensive personal trainer!

    • lucy2 says:

      I thought this as well, and have heard multiple stories of trainers doing that. To me, that’s the WORST way to get clients, and will not only turn people off, but they will tell their friends.

      • Pamela says:

        Yup. Embarrassing to admit, but that kind of thing would have me run home, and stay on the couch eating ice cream out of the carton for weeks. I prefer just being completely left alone when it comes to diet/exercise, but if I am going to receive advice of any kind…it has to be positive and supportive. There is a gym in my town where I sometimes go, the instructors of the classes are all women, and they are all super sweet and encouraging. You will get your ass handed to you, get a GREAT workout, but I never feel down about what I couldn’t do…and always am happy about how well I kept up. (or kept up as best I could) SO MUCH MORE MOTIVATING and appropriate.

  3. Jay says:

    She owed him literally ZERO explanation. I hate that this happens!! It’s nrvef happened to me but I’m still so happy that I installed a gym in my basement. I have adjustable dumbbells that let me do a full body workout, bands, some yoga blocks and a fotstool to help with certain weight exercises, a treadmill, and a bike. It cost me less than $500. Very pleased.

    • mrs.odie says:

      This has happened to me. I was in the gym working out and a man came up to me and said, “You’re not even really out of shape. You could do certain exercises and really look good.”

      As if I were only working out because I thought I WAS out of shape, and that my goal was to “look good” to him. If I don’t work out, my anxiety and depression eat me from the inside out.

      • Meg says:

        this is the message many but not all men seem to get from society about women: that we’re all just trying to look cute for them. it’s male privilege. its the excuse some men use when harassing women, ‘well she wouldn’t have worn that if she didn’t want attention so she may be saying no to me but she wants my attention.’ I also wonder if this man was negging her in an attempt to hit on her. insecure guys do this in the hopes the woman will subconsciously want his approval.

      • It never ceases to amaze me how much certain men think their opinions matter.

  4. Eliza says:

    Jameela is gorgeous. Tall and trim. The fact anyone would go up to her to change her routine is crazy. The man has some issues if he doesn’t see perfection.

    Now I think it’s negging. Because honestly she’s perfection and this guy knew she’s out of his league

    • SK says:

      This!!! Her body is insane! WTF kind of warped society are we living in where someone can feel okay body-shaming in general but even worse body-shaming someone whose body is just about bloody perfect!

      • Exactly! I just saw her on her show the other day for the first time. I couldn’t believe how gorgeous she is, and this is the first thing I read about her? This is crazy, what a jerk!

    • Jay says:

      IA re negging. Straight men are so weak.

    • girl_ninja says:

      It doesn’t matter that she’s tall, fit and gorgeous. She could be short and squat, it’s not that ridiculous man’s place to step into her space and comment about her body.

      • Eliza says:

        @girl_ninja I didn’t mean to imply strangers should correct anyones body at the gym if less than perfect… no matter shape, size, status (ie pregnancy), etc. it is inappropriate and disgusting behavior.

        My comment was simply me bemused that someone would correct Jameela who is our societies beauty standards. And that it wouldn’t surprise me if it was negging.

    • girl_ninja says:

      The harshness of my comment is not directed towards you at all. It’s directed at the douche bags who think they have a say in how women should look. Its tired and ridiculous.

    • cannibell says:

      Seriously. She is stunning. The guy who would say that to her deserves to have any woman he wants to date run – in the opposite direction.

  5. Mrreow says:

    People can be so weird and gross. I love my gym. It’s just a bunch of “nerdy job” introverts and we all just scowl at the gym equipment with headphones on and avoid eye contact with other humans.

    I wouldn’t trust myself not to throat punch anyone who came into my bubble with a douche-bro attitude like that. She’s a much better woman than I.

    • AlmaMartyr says:

      It would break my heart if something like this happened at my gym. I love my gym, it’s one of my favourite places to be and oddly one of my safe spaces. I go there a lot because it helps with my anxiety and insomnia. I’m quite large and would be devastated to be body shamed. Luckily I’ve never had anything (other than people commenting that I’m working hard). For me, it just beggars belief that anyone would think this is appropriate.

    • TheHufflepuffLizLemon says:

      I love mine too-but for the opposite reason ha. It’s all team oriented, a mix of strength training days, HIIT days, and MetCon days, and you go through the exercises in circuit style with teammates. It’s also REALLY small and really intimate, so there’s no risk of anyone ever taking a picture of you failing miserably, or body shaming you, or anything. Brian (owner) would have them out on their ass so fast their head would spin. The only pics allowed are when they take the occasional team pic-I’m currently in a Facebook ad lol.

      • Mle428 says:

        My gym is also super small, and I can’t imagine any of the trainers bodyshaming people. I pay quite a price for my no-frills gym, but at least we’re all there to get down to business.

  6. Kat says:

    I don’t understand these people. I have no desire to comment on other people’s workouts or body. I go to the gym and bring my two toddlers with me. One day a guy told me that if I keep working out I’m going to wind up with a third kid because my husband won’t be able to keep his hands off of me. I was disgusted but frozen with shock in the moment and could only laugh nervously. I know that wasn’t body shaming but it made me extremely uncomfortable.

    • Enormous Coat says:

      You got harassed and that’s awful. What he said was gross – & I hate when people try to package those comments as compliments. We all go to the gym to work out. So unless advice is sought, mind your damn business (but then these people wouldn’t be creeps if they got that). Ugh.

      • elimaeby says:

        Agreed, 100%. You were trying to be healthy and someone sexualized you when you were not looking for it. I’m so sorry that happened to you.

    • lucy2 says:

      Yeah that’s flat out harassment.

    • Kurtz says:

      It’s not just men that do this. I am fat and I go to the gym five or six times times a week. Once I missed my regular Friday so I went Saturday. I hadn’t been on a Saturday because I was told ages ago that Saturday was “posers” day. You know the sort, lot’s of mirror gazing and photographs. So I was doing some weights (I may be fat but honey I can dead lift 140 kg) and as I was moving to a different area some dear young “ladies” in full makeup, not a bead of sweat, made pig noises at me amid much laughter from them and a few men around them. I started to tear up, I was so upset, and started to leave… I thought “NO! I am going to stay here and be done!” So I went back and finished my workout and went home and never went to the gym on a Saturday again.

      • BeanieBean says:

        Oh, that’s terrible. So sorry you went through that. I’m not sure I’d go back to that gym on any day of the week.

      • Kath says:

        OK. My. God. That is horrific. I’m so sorry that these disgusting people did that to you. You should have reported them to the gym manager and had them kicked out.

      • Trashaddict says:

        I’m sorry. Pretty doesn’t make one pretty. Kindness does.
        My suggestion would be to recruit as many people like you to the gym as you can – safety in numbers and give the stuck-up narcissists a clearer world view.

  7. Kristy Gardner says:

    God forbid a woman walk around the world and do things with her body like she’s an autonomous being. I’m surprised he don’t go a step further and ask her about the goings-on of her uterus.

  8. Anh says:

    Just pre an aerobics class, an unattractive, older (thinner) woman came up to me and tut tutted at my body. She pointed out an extremely thin woman and admiringly said that that woman was a lot bigger when she first started coming to classes. I couldn’t believe that a woman would work that hard to look that thin. (She was the type of person that if I saw on the street, I would just assume had trouble keeping weight on.) But afterwards, I was left appalled that a woman would come up to me and TUT TUT MY BODY. Who the hell did she think she was? I also had a woman who had prominent and much facial acne scar tell me that the freckles on my face were too prominent. Boy, I wish I had expressed what my immediate reaction was, which was to chortle in disbelief and point out her massive and prominent acne scars. I was raised to not speak back but it has really led to people saying/doing things like this and me not speaking back. I am SO MAAAAAD!!!!!

    • paranormalgirl says:

      embrace the freckles, for they are glorious (freckled ginger here)

      • Anh says:

        Aaaaw, thanks so much. Also wanted to say that chick above is absolutely gorgeous. She honestly has my idea of The Perfect Body.

    • Meg says:

      I was raised to be passive too and it’s not healthy. it’s more than okay to say something along the lines of ‘I don’t want to be spoken to like that. please refrain from commenting on my body. if i want advice i’ll ask you.’ the person will most likely respond with anger as most jerks who act like this do but hold your ground, you and your feelings matter. if they continue, contact a gym employee as it’s harassment

  9. Dietcokehead says:

    Wait…what?! She’s stunning as she is.

  10. paranormalgirl says:

    The gym body police are the worst. THE WORST. I now have a home gym and I have a few friends who come over to work out with me because I simply can’t deal with people.

    • Jaded says:

      I too have a home gym. I gave up going to a public gym decades ago because I have a rather large bosom and I got everything from guys talking to my boobs to deliberately bumping into them to out and out comments on them (i.e. “Hey amazing tits!”). F*ck ’em all, they probably have tiny d*cks.

      • OriginalLala says:

        the “amazing tits” line happened to me at the gym and I have never stepped foot in a co-ed gym since. I go to a women’s only dance studio now and I get to learn new skills, have fun, and get my workouts in at the same time – win win.

      • Meg says:

        seriously? that is awful. the messages men get that women don’t have boundaries and it’s totally ok to say things like that ‘because it’s a compliment.’ seriously? mind your own business.

      • InquisitiveNewt says:

        @Jaded @Originallala I had something similar – out in a bar with my then-best friend and he nipped off to chat to someone; in that brief interim some drunk bozo came up to me and said “sorry, I just have to tell you that you have absolutely enormous breasts”.!!!! As if I’d, you know, never bought a bra before. But seriously, who does that?? What purpose could it possibly serve besides asking for a slap?

  11. EscapedConvent says:

    I’m amazed that anyone would say this to anyone at all. A total stranger walking up, unbidden, to make a comment on her body? Jackass.

    But this lady?! Tahani?! She is so beautiful and stunning, it’s hard to believe that anyone has a negative thing to say. But that’s not really the point. He should worry about his own workout and shut up.

    I wonder what she said to him at the time, when he was there insulting her.

  12. Vanessa says:

    I don’t even understand an iota of the mindset that someone would need to think they’re entitled to just freely think their opinion of how someone else should look was worthy, and the. To feel compelled to share that with the person. Honestly, what must it be like to have a typical male brain with that ego and insensitivity?

  13. dirk says:

    What an a-hole: she’s extraordinary looking. It’s great to be healthy but I’m so sick of peoples’ obsession with being ripped and taut and vacuum packed into their skin.

  14. Chaine says:

    No guy at any gym should say anything about any lady’s body if he doesn’t know her. It’s just creepy. Some man at my gym came up to me and said he has been watching me work out and that he can tell I am doing a good job because I am in much better shape than when I first started. I was just floored, who is this person and why is he approaching me? I feel unnerved now every time I am at the gym and see this guy because I feel like he is watching me. It turned something that was a neutral place to take a break and do something for myself, into a space that feels unsafe.

    • Amy says:

      I say report him! My gym here in Europe has a super strict policy and would at least give him a warning.

  15. Veronica S. says:

    I used to attend a fairly expensive gym (I worked at a place where I got a huge discount), and because it was a pricier gym, this kind of behavior was explicitly banned. If you were actively harassing people, you got kicked out. If I were her, I’d speak to the management.

    • lucy2 says:

      Good point, and this goes for people here who are reporting similar issues. If you have been harassed, and feel that you can go to the management to make a complaint, do it.

      • Meg says:

        this is part of why context is huge because i’m sure the men who were involved in these situations were thinking, ‘what? i’m complimenting her!’ You’re not her girlfriend, you’re not even an acquaintance let alone a friend. Unsolicited comments about someone’s body shows you’re disregarding their boundaries. These women are in public and you are showing that you ‘watch’ them regularly to the point you know their bodies are changing so now that woman feels inspected, judged and policed when she didn’t ask that of you. a college friend of mine was expecting around the holidays and could not believe the unsolicited touching she experienced from people without so much as a warning or asking if they could. at one point she said she’d let them know if the baby was kicking and didn’t want to be touched right then and her relatives had the nerve to complain. people really feel like womens bodies are public property that all have the right to comment on, touch, tell us what we should and should not do with them-no boundaries what so ever. its an attempt to take our power away.

      • Veronica S. says:

        My feeling is that this should be standard protocol at any gym. People are paying to use your equipment and space. Give them the respect of a harassment free area. At my gym, there were posted rules saying you couldn’t even grunt loudly while weight lifting – clearly targeted at certain types of male body builders.

  16. Insomniac says:

    Did you see her follow-up Tweet? She posted a picture of herself eating a cheeseburger at the gym, dedicating it to the asshole who shamed her.

    (And because this is the Internet, some idiot in the comments promptly scolded her for promoting unhealthy eating. Good lord.)

  17. kgeo says:

    This is so unhelpful. I was doing bjj, and my body looked amazing, but I was training to compete and with 2 kids and a full time job, it was a time suck, plus my workout schedule was so rigid. If I was a little late leaving work or didn’t have dinner prepared, it stressed everyone out. I quit for other reasons, but have been cycling and running again and the stress level has come way down in our house. I was just looking in the mirror and really missing the results of bjj, but what I’m doing now actually works for my life, plus, I really enjoy being outside when I am working out. It’s not all about having an amazing body.

  18. FluffyPrincess says:

    Step back from Tahani, you cretin! I absolutely adore her on The Good Place–she looks amazing! WHY do people feel the need to do this type of stuff?

    Honestly, why can’t people MIND THEIR OWN BUSINESS? You worry about you, Mr. Jerkface, and let Jameela live her best life WITHOUT your much unneeded input! Damn man!

  19. Happy21 says:

    I’ve never had an issue at the gym but so much more enjoy getting my workouts in at home!

  20. Izzy says:

    Clearly this man is:
    A) A lousy pickup artist.
    B) Stupid.
    C) Both.

    #ByeFelipe

  21. Valerie says:

    Not the same thing, but it was weird: I was out for a walk the other day. I live near a tennis court, and this guy was coming out of the park on his bike. I looked straight ahead, purposely avoiding eye contact (I wasn’t wearing sunglasses), and continued in the direction I was going. When he got close enough, he called out, “Come on, pick up the pace!”

    I fake laughed and said I was on my cool-down. He just kept riding; didn’t even stop. At that point, I’d been walking for almost an hour, and I’d done a lot of walking that afternoon. I walk fast, so I don’t know if he was joking about that or if he really thought I was dragging my ass. In any case, wtf? I’m pretty thin, so I don’t know if he was even trying to body shame me, but I felt weird about it for a while after. How about we just don’t comment on women’s bodies.

    • Amy says:

      Don’t you just hate the fake laugh so many of us do…to what? Make the guy more comfortable as he makes us UNcomfortable? You did nothing wrong, just reminded me how often I do the fake laugh, when I want to just glare or report behavior.

      • Valerie says:

        I walked away thinking the same thing! Why did I laugh — TWICE? We’re so conditioned to just go along with things. I did put an edge in my voice when I answered, but I still softened it with a little “haha.” Ugh. Men can be so annoying.

  22. Leigh-Klein says:

    I loved that little video she did. The f-bombs were very appropriate. You’re totally forgiven! 😀

  23. paddingtonjr says:

    There is absolutely no reason for someone to comment on a stranger’s appearance, workout habits or food intake in public, especially a place where people go to relax or release stress. I am overweight, but love to dance and take classes at a studio where you will see males and females of all ages, including children, sizes and abilities. My young step-daughter takes a ballet class that is at the same time as my modern dance class so I usually take her out for a snack afterwards, even when it’s not our weekend with her, before taking her home. One day she wanted to go to Cheesecake Factory. When the waitress dropped off the cake, she winked at my step-daughter and said “don’t eat too much of this, you don’t want to end up like your mommy,” nodding towards me. My 7-year-old step-daughter looked right at the waitress and said “I hope I grow up to be like my step-mother. She’s beautiful, smart, kind and loves to dance, just like me.” Then she got up and said “I’m not in the mood for cheesecake after all. Let’s go somewhere good.” I couldn’t have been prouder of her than if I had birthed her myself!

    • AllieInSanDiego says:

      Your step-daughter sounds like a phenomenal young lady and exactly the type of person we need in this world. The audacity of that waitress to make a comment like that, in front of you and to a child no less. There is no reason to shame anyone in this day and age, we should all be lifting each other up and as women advocating for each other. I’m so sorry you had to face a situation like this and I hope you know that you are helping to raise an amazing little person and that speaks volumes about the wonderful mother you are!

      • paddingtonjr says:

        Thanks! She’s quite feisty and her teenager years will be interesting, but she will stand up for herself and others with a poise and confidence that constantly amazes me. Unfortunately, since she and her brother are first-generation Iranian-American (both my husband and his ex came to America as children), they’ve had to deal with a lot of discrimination and nasty people. Luckily, their parents taught them not to listen to negative people and to help others. I just try to reinforce that and support them as much as I can. We all, male and female, just need to appreciate the differences in our world and lift each other up.

    • Kit says:

      Holy shit. I cannot believe a waitress said that. She must be on a great wage because she clearly has no need for tips.

  24. phaedra says:

    There are probably morons in every industry, but the morons in the fitness industry are particularly vocal. Give a moron a 3-hour training and suddenly they are the All-Knowing, All-Seeing Goddess of Health and Wellness. And they are happy to share their wondrous gift with the world, even if you never asked for it. I say this as a personal trainer myself. The ones who insist there is just one path to wellness for everyone, they’re either selling something or they’ve been indoctrinated into a cult. Avoid them: wearing headphones deters them sometimes, but not always.

  25. Killjoy says:

    I’m just here to say I love Jameela Jamil and hope her career continues to blossom, and that she becomes a regular celebrity gossip fixture. She was really funny on a recent episode of Nicole Byer’s ‘Why Won’t You Date Me?’

    And, f that dude.

  26. Murphy says:

    This has happened to me, I was on an elliptical and this guy wanted to sell me a personal training package. Like yeah I’m going to hire you after you just said all that you dum dum.

  27. laura-j says:

    What world do we live in that a woman that looks like THAT is body shamed by anyone? I’d love to see a picture of Mr. Perfect looks like. I’m feeling thining hair and for sure a small… ego.

  28. Mere says:

    Last week I learned that Steve Buscemi and John Waters are different people. Today I learned that Tahani is not engaged to Nick Jonas. And I am so happy! Although somewhat sad that Tahani is not bffs with Meghan and Harry, which had made so much sense… until the engagement news.

  29. Parigo says:

    I LOVE The good place and can’t wait for season 3! Best ensemble cast on TV.

  30. A says:

    This reminds me of a time I was shopping, and the owner of a store (male) told me that I should be wearing heels because it would push my ass out and make it look better.

    Right, I should spend my day ,where I’m walking for 5 hours, in heels, all so random males could possibly think my ass looked better for them?

    Some men really do think that women are just objects that exist for their pleasure.

  31. Imissobama says:

    It would have been awesome if she turned to him and said, “Really? I’ve thought the same thing about you! I can give you some great tips.”

  32. mtam says:

    I hope she told him to kindly f*ck off right to his face. What an asswipe.

  33. Snowflake says:

    For some reason, men think it’s ok to comment on a woman’s body. Why do men think their opinion matters? I’ve had similar stuff from men and women. I lost weight, my aunt said I should do some treadmill, it will slim my hips. Cause they grew up w the skinny supermodels and that’s their ideal. That’s not mine. Why oh why do people do this? I hate meatheads who think we need or want their advice

  34. CairinaCat says:

    Should tell him you have some emails in your junk folder on how he can take care of his unfortunate small penis size, grow it larger.
    That you can forward them to him.

  35. Yes Doubtful says:

    I don’t know who she is, but I love her message.