The original Tracy Turnblad? The white Tyra?
We thought we recognized her!
Ricki was kind of an integral part of our adolescent experience. The OG Hairspray? A classic. And who didn’t settle in after school with a calorific peanut butter-based snack (think value-pack of Nutter Butters, or fun-sized Ressie's cups) and tune into that love and loss circus called Ricki Lake show?
Just us? . . . Fine. But, Ricki will forever remind us of peanut-buttery goodness, tragically jilted lovers, rat-teased hair, and interracial dating.
Now though, we hear she’s got other thangs on her mind besides shaking that ass on the Corny Collins programme and talking to teen ex-cons about their baby’s daddies.
Guess what she’s been up to . . .
First of all, in case you didn’t hear, Ricki birthed a child on camera as part of her 2007 documentary The Business of Being Born.
Ewww. We know we should celebrate birth as natural and beautiful, but to be honest, the concept of a placenta-drenched watermelon sliding through a vag canal scares us (we’re sorry, but we find it all very frightening).
Then there were those Ricki + John Mayer dating rumors about a year ago (weird).
And now, post-birthing on tape, post-Mayer, Ricki’s body is a wonderland (we apologize . . . just couldn’t resist the Mayer pun). Anyway, Ricki has been working hard on her physical fitness. She’s down to 130 lbs from her all-time high of 270 pounds. Check it:
As she works on a sequel to the Being Born documentary as well as a guide to pregnancy, Ricki’s also focusing on staying slim and trim. She tells People magazine:
"I can’t believe I was a fat person for most of my life [ . . . ] I didn’t have surgery and I worked hard. There's no secret. I’m active. I watch what I eat [ . . . ] I don’t need to lose anymore weight. [But] I don’t want to go backwards. So I'm not going to pig out this Christmas” (people.com).
You look great Ricki. Keep doing what you do. And FYI, if you ever want to reclaim your rightful throne as queen of the tragic-talk show circuit, we’re sure your microphone is always waiting for you. Go Ricki.
Previously:
OMG, Carson Is That You?