Sandra Lee says we’re ‘body-shaming’ Gov. Cuomo by discussing his body piercings

Andrew Cuomo gives support to Sandra Lee at the Tribeca Film Festival

New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo has never been more popular. He’s been calm and steady in the face of a global pandemic, even with NYC being the “epicenter” of the coronavirus pandemic in America. With his now national and international exposure, of course people are trying to make Cuomo gossip into a thing. Cuomo is probably single – he and Sandra Lee broke up last year after they were together for 14 years. But now people are curious about one thing: is Gov. Cuomo the kind of guy who has a body piercing? This is one of the photos which set off speculation a few days ago:

Embed from Getty Images

You really have to look, I guess, at his left nip, which definitely seems… like it might be pierced? Anyway, it was a thing on Twitter for about 24 hours, as punch-drunk quarantined peeps were examining photos of Cuomo in any kind of shirt where you could see his chest. People moved on to the next thing. But… not Cuomo’s ex, Sandra Lee. Sandra gave a somewhat bonkers interview about people were “body-shaming” Cuomo.

Governor Andrew Cuomo’s former girlfriend Sandra Lee has a message for “body shamers” speculating about his nipples, “Knock it off!” The governor set the internet on fire Tuesday with wild speculation that he had nipple rings, but his spokesman denied the public servant was into piercing. Chef and author Lee was with Cuomo for more than a decade before they announced their split last year; however, they have remained good friends.

Calling the speculation about what is under the gov’s shirt “nonsense”, a makeup-free Lee said. “I just want to say body-shaming is not okay — it is never going to be okay when people are out on the front lines working hard for all of our benefits, to then turn around and body shame. Shame on you, knock it off, do something to uplift people and make the world a better place not take cheap shots that are unnecessary. Have a great day and think about that for a little while.”

Lee is believed to be isolating herself at her home in California but has been in touch with the governor by phone amid the coronavirus crisis.

[From Page Six]

Real question: is it genuinely considered body shaming to wonder aloud if someone has a body piercing, especially when you can sort of see the outline of the piercing through their clothes? If it’s any kind of shaming – and I don’t think it is? – it would be mild kink-shaming more than body-shaming? If Cuomo has a nipple piercing, then people are going to be like “why? Nevermind I don’t want to know, gross!” That’s kink-shaming. But I guess it would be body-shaming if Sandra’s argument is that Cuomo is NOT pierced, he just has a weird bumpy chest?

Embed from Getty Images

Photos courtesy of Getty, Backgrid.

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58 Responses to “Sandra Lee says we’re ‘body-shaming’ Gov. Cuomo by discussing his body piercings”

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  1. Amelie says:

    I don’t see it as body shaming, I just see it as something stupid that people are obsessing over briefly. I think Sandra is more annoyed people are focusing on that during a pandemic, especially when Andrew has been on the frontlines of the crisis in NYC. But people are looking for things to distract themselves with.

  2. (THE OG) Jan90067 says:

    I don’t care what this man has pierced, tattooed, or stuck anywhere on his body. He is a voice of information and strength we are sorely lacking (and needing) in this nation, at this moment. I may not have agreed with everything he’s done as governor, but he is doing one hell of a job now! Stay safe, stay well, and stay strong, Governor!

    Our governor, Gavin Newsom is also awesome. His daily briefings aren’t getting the coverage because, thank God, we were able to learn from NY and lockdown that much quicker. He is pooling west coast states for purchasing power to get supplies, instead of our bidding against each other. I do think #TangerineTwitler actually gets a sadistic thrill out of seeing this madness go on…he feeds off what i can only guess is a “power rush”. We know he’s a sick b@st@rd!

    There are a few more Governors that are doing a fantastic job, as well. Thank God!
    #AmericasGovernors

    • hmp says:

      I’m actually genuinely confused. Isn’t Cuomo the same governor who after parts of CA went on lockdown, said he would block any attempt by the NYC mayor to make a shelter in place order? Yet now everyone likes him, even though that probably caused a lot of NYC’s problems in the first place?

      • Mari says:

        HMP, I agree with you. As a new Yorker (in queens, the worst hit borough), I wish we had a shelter in place order. This doesn’t seem like it will end. Its very scary. I do appreciate his calm demeanor during these stressful times, however.

      • SJP-NYC says:

        Shelter in place is a specific term with a specific meaning, Cuomo is doing much of the same things with different terminology. He is has been more proactive than the dumb ass mayor (who is doing a fairly good job) by closing the schools and now has locked up playgrounds.

        I wasn’t a fan, but I am now a fan of how Cuomo has handled this situation.

      • Christina Tamagni says:

        Initially he was saying they could never lockdown NYC altogether, like physically close the borders.

      • Nicole r says:

        It was the term shelter in place he was opposed to – we have a stay at home order. Very different lol

    • Dazed and Confused says:

      Thank goodness the governors are stepping up! Otherwise, we’d be so much worse right now.

      Laura Kelly, the governor of Kansas, has been doing a fantastic job. She was the first governor to move to online/distance/continuous learning for the remainder of the school year. That allowed us to be able to move forward with our plans instead of changes every couple of weeks. I’m just so glad we don’t have Brownback right now…(or ever really)

      • Emily Gilmore says:

        A school district in the Seattle suburbs was the first school district to move online due to covid 19. They transitioned on March 5th and was subsequently made fun of for over reacting. The superintendent is Michelle Reid if you wanted to look more into it.

      • WaterIsLife says:

        Yes, Gov. Kelly of KS was the first to place the entire state’s school districts move to online/distance/continuous learning for the remainder of the school year. She has stood tough against all the state’s GOPers who tried to fight it. I appreciate her tough decision making and keeping my children (and all employees in the schools across the state) safe.

      • Larelyn says:

        Exactly! Being from Kansas, Gov. Kelly’s direction threw my family into a tailspin, but it really put our state that far ahead in the game. When you look at Kansas numbers compared to any of our neighbors, we come out better save our neighbor to the north, Nebraska (source: worldometers.com). She made the difficult but necessary call regarding schools, then called for a statewide lockdown on Monday. I hope all the GOP trumpers in our state realize she’s making these calls in the best interests of our citizens. Our rural areas simply do not have the hospitals and other resources to support mass contagion.

        And another big shout out to Topeka Mayor Michelle De La Isla! Also a dem, she has the unsavory job of holding her city to task. As a Latina from NYC and PR, she is doing a phenomenal job keeping her city safe, regardless of the insults and attacks coming from the right.

        I’d like to give KS Rep Sharice Davids (D) props as well for repping my corner of Kansas and working with the state to get more tests for the hardest hit area of Kansas. It’s amazing how Kansas was once a solid red state, but we are getting the best leadership at this time of crisis from Democratic women!

      • Green_Eyes says:

        I am grateful we have Gov. Kelly also. Agreed if had Brownback… we would have a totally different scenario.

    • Kitkatdanke says:

      He is rejecting $6 billion in federal aid so that he can pass Medicaid cuts. This was in the WSJ yesterday. He is choosing to cut a program that would help the most vulnerable in a time of a public health crisis. All while refusing to raise taxes on New York’s wealthy, refusing to legalize weed and collect revenue from it, and while expanding pretrial detention by not addressing bail reform – which definitely adds to the deficit! Not to mention will exacerbate the grotesque situation at Rikers island right now.

      I understand NY has a budget deficit, but this is not the time for austerity, especially when he has not explored other options. I find Cuomo to be very disappointing, and I hope others look more into his record. He was also the “father of the subprime crisis” according to banking analysts.

      • Christina says:

        Thanks, Kitkatdanke. That’s all pertinent to the crises, and I will be looking more closely now. I’m in California, but I feel that it’s important to understand what other states and governors do and why. NY is a pretty conservative state with the biggest liberal city in the world within its borders. He answers to Albany as well as NYC. It’s impossible to keep up with everything, but this is important to know and to try to understand.

      • SJP-NYC says:

        Hard decisions are needing to be made and he is making them and doing a great job for the NYS/NYC in this crisis. Like any politician he isn’t perfect, but then again we will never get a perfect politician.

  3. whatWHAT? says:

    maybe it’s a third nipple? would that be considered body shaming?

    • Gil says:

      My thoughts exactly.

    • Fleur says:

      That’s not where a third nipple would be located. It would be lower on the chest. I can speak to this because I’m a genetic weirdo who has one. They’re lower toward the base of the solar plexus. And they’re not that bumpy or big, if you didn’t know what it was, it could theoretically pass for a scar. They don’t look like a full nipple, they’re tiny. Check out Lily Allen’s chat show admission about her 3rd nipple, she briefly shows where they are anatomically. I sort of hate having it and have thought about getting it removed, but i also really hate stitches even more (I worry about the stitches potentially getting infected- and then having a bigger problem over something that started as stupidly cosmetic)

      I think he has a nipple piercing and I love that idea because it’s sexy. Maybe it’s inappropriate but at least it’s something to think about that’s goofy and lighthearted amidst the death and fear

    • Yup, Me says:

      A third (or even fourth) nipple lands lower down the body, usually in line with the primary nipples. Like dogs and cats and cows and the like. It doesn’t usually show up as a conjoined twin on top of the other nipples.

      • Boo says:

        I have two extra nipples which for twenty years I thought were moles, so they look like moles, not nipples. And like everyone else says, they’re lower, under my boobs. I think I’ll use it as my conversation piece if I ever go on Jeopardy, what do you think?

    • FC says:

      It could also be just a lot of chest hair. My dad is an extremely hairy italian man and you can see his chest hair through his shirts.

  4. Erinn says:

    What a time to be alive. So many things I never expected to be discussing… but here we are.

    • Tiffany says:

      Right ???!!!

      Does Governor Andrew Cuomo have a nipple ring…is something I never thought I would be debating in my lifetime.

  5. Leducduswaz says:

    As the world fell, each of us in our own way was broken. It was hard to know who was more crazy. Me… or everyone else. -Mad Max

  6. Samanthalous says:

    Kinda reminds me of billions

    • Maria says:

      Hey me too! And for the record, I hope he doesn’t have that pierced. Gross and ouch. Sorry, not sorry.

  7. Flying fish says:

    Let’s try to remember that people are dying and are continuing to die.

  8. BUBS says:

    Pierced or not, Andrew Cuomo is a very sexy man…that goes for his brother Chris as well. And his steady leadership has made him more appealing. Heck, they’ve both replaced the Hemsworths in my book.
    In any case, I don’t care if Governor Cuomo has a piercing or not…I’m just thankful for his firm (and empathetic) leadership at a time like this!

  9. Louisa says:

    Some friends and I discussed this on SM for about 5 mins. It was a fun distraction from the horror of what is happening. We all loved him before and then after assuming he was pierced, I think the general consensus was we all loved him even more! I don’t think I was body or kink shaming. And until this post I had forgotten about it. I’m much more concerned with his daily briefings and what he has to say every day.

    • Christina says:

      Everything you said, Louisa. It looks like a piecing and made me like him more. I have friends with piercings, and it DOES look like he has one. Regardless, we will never be able to confirm, and he’s doing a much better job as governor now. That’s what’s important, but it DID distract me in a pleasant way for about 5 minutes from the sadness and fear.

      It sounds like he brought it up to his ex wife, like maybe he was embarrassed that he forgot to wear an undershirt or something. Partners check that stuff before you walk out the door for your day job, but they aren’t married anymore and she isn’t there. Sandra should just shut up and stop making it the focus. She should know better. To me, it makes her look like she is trying to get in the news rather than protect him, like she wants the shine of still being his partner now that he is getting a lot of national attention.

  10. Busyann says:

    I zoomed in, it looks like a weird chandler bing type nipple more than a piercing, which might be why Sandra called it body shaming?

    ETA: I absolutely adore his interviews right now. The world is awful and things feel sad and panicky, but there are glimmers of hope. We’ll get through this. He isnt my governor, but his reasoned and measured delivery of facts and handling of the situation is what all governors should take note of.
    I also really love the relationship he has with his little brother Chris too. Im not really close to my family, we all live all over the country, but I always call my siblings after one of their interviews.

    • ChillyWilly says:

      Didn’t Chandler call it his “nubbin”? Tee hee!

    • SJP-NYC says:

      I tune in everyday to watch him.

      • Giddy says:

        I do too. He is providing a master class in leading his state through a crisis. I’m jealous because the Texas governor is a pitiful Trumpite. He just announced stay at home orders yesterday. Funnily enough, the largest cities (Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, AUSTIN) were already doing it…we have mayors who are all Democrats!

  11. Eleonor says:

    I think it’s his own damn business.

  12. Sam the Pink says:

    It’s not body shaming. It’s noticing something that’s plainly visible. Now, I guess speculating on his character could be shaming (and people do sometimes do that based on body piercings), but right now it seems like such a non-issue. He’s doing a capable job handling a crisis.

    And yeah, he totally has them pierced. I know a barbell when I see one.

    • Christina says:

      Exactly, Sam!!! My friends who have them have barbell piercings. I didn’t even know that’s what they are called. Thanks!

  13. Arpeggi says:

    It’s not exactly body shaming but it’s weird to have people fixating on someone’s nipples ya know?! It’s akin to telling a woman to wear a bra because it’s cold and you can see her nipples pointing: not your darn business and maybe stop looking?

    There’re more important stuff happening at the moment and listening to what Cuomo has to say might matter more than trying to enlarge a picture of his nip to check if there’s a piercing or not so I can see how this could be annoying

  14. Margetta says:

    I don’t how simply observing something is shaming, but ok.

  15. SJR says:

    OK, I feel kind of strange taking time to comment on this nonsense but, I think Andrew Cuomo is out front being calm, leading with common sense, fighting to keep NY in one piece. That is what is important.
    Commenting on his appearance is likely a way for folks to distract themselves for a few minutes.

    If yakking about some BS like this on the Net, helps keep somebody from screaming at their kid because this is a terrifying time..no harm, no foul.

  16. Derpy says:

    It’s the latches for a bulletproof vest Jesus Christ

  17. Derpy says:

    It’s the latches for a bulletproof vest Jesus Christ

  18. L4frimaire says:

    Maybe Cuomo is Chuck Rhodes from Billions. That would be interesting.

  19. Valerie says:

    I don’t t think anyone is shaming, I think people are just surprised, lol.

  20. Nimbolicious says:

    I’d love to be the filling in a Cuomo brothers sandwich. Just sayin’. I’ll go now. *sigh*

  21. girl_ninja says:

    She’s full of it. She’s just inserting herself into the story now that they’re not an item.

    • Christin says:

      My thoughts exactly. Methinks she is a bit jealous of the attention, based on her apparently hastily filmed shaming video. I say hastily filmed because she is unrecognizable, sans makeup and in pajamas, plus the background looks tacky for a supposed home expert.

  22. jferber says:

    Bubs, you bet ya. All out sexy as hell. Role model. Mensch.

  23. Reece says:

    CORN NUTS on cake
    MARSHMALLOWS INSIDE(store bought) ANGEL FOOD CAKE with STORE BOUGHT FROSTING COVERING IT
    and
    CORN F***ING NUTS

    That is your mark on the world. Sit Down 🙄
    Sorry for the yelling but bs bakers and cooks p me off.

  24. Summer says:

    I mean, people are focusing on a body part. Whether it’s pierced or not? This should not be happening.