I posted an update on my article “I Do Not Feel Betrayed When A Plus Size Model Loses Weight” which had some pretty scathing comments aimed at PLUS Model Magazine Editor-in-Chief Madeline Jones. In my original post, I wondered whether this was some sort of joke, because it was hard for me to fathom that an editor would say such ridiculous things. The interview, “Plus Size Women Feel ‘Betrayed and Insulted’ by Crystal Renn’s Sudden Slimdown” was touted as an exclusive for Radar.com.
According to Madeline Jones, it was not a joke – it was a series of misquotes. Jones took the time to compose a diplomatic comment on my article, which I really appreciate. I think it says quite a bit about a person when they can respond to criticism and clarify the truth without shooting the messenger, so to speak. Here’s what she said:
Hi Corina,
Radar Online absolutely misquoted me in this piece. When I was asked what types of comments we have received from our readers about Crystal Renn’s weight loss, I gave them both positive and negative comments and they only printed the negative banter and then went further and said it was coming from me. I’m beyond disgusted with this website and will never give them another interview again.
Madeline Jones
Editor
PLUS Model MagazineHi Madeline,
Thank you so much for commenting! I will absolutely add an update to my original post, and write a new one, clarifying the situation. I appreciate that you took the time to respond so tactfully despite the negative tone of my own article. I would be furious if a website misquoted me in that manner and I will do my (small) part to inform people of what happened.
Thanks again,
CorinaI was, and have been furious about it ever since. I was interviewed once before by them without any issues so I did not see any reason for concern. Once this happened, I found out I was not the only one they have done this to in the plus size community. It’s a shame they have to resort to such shady behavior for “numbers”.
If I was you I would have felt the same way, so no worries. I have committed my life to celebrating women and will not let this incident stop me. :-)
Have a great day!
Madeline Jones
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I guess it’s silly to expect them to distinguish between news and gossip, but purposely misleading readers doesn’t fit into either of those categories. When I first wrote about this, I listed all of the quotes attributed to Jones. Here’s the full article, included so that you can see how the quotes are presented: (I’ve noted the misleading parts in bold)
Former plus size model and anorexia survivor Crystal Renn’s dramatic weight loss has sparked outrage in the plus size community who have supported her and helped launch her career, RadarOnline.com is exclusively reporting.
“Everyone rallied around her and now she’s turned against us,” PLUS Model Magazine Editor-in-Chief Madeline Jones told RadarOnline.com in an exclusive interview. “We have been betrayed by her.”
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, the 5’9” beauty was a shadow of her former self when she walked the red carpet in a skintight scarlet Zac Posen gown at the New York premiere of Madonna’s W.E. on Monday night, prompting fears she has fallen back into bad habits.
“After Emme, Crystal was the biggest plus size supermodel in our era and a lot of readers aspired to be like her,” explained Jones, adding that now they feel betrayed by the fashion icon they helped make a star.
“We supported her one hundred percent.”
The 25-year-old model has been open about her struggles with eating disorders in the past, penning a tell-all book called Hungry: A Young Model’s Story of Appetite, Ambition and the Ultimate Embrace of Curves.
She went on to enjoy several years as a plus-sized model before revealing in November 2010 that she had dropped several dress sizes due to taking up hiking and yoga.
Jones for one doesn’t believe her explanation. “You don’t lose that much weight doing yoga and hiking! You have to put a lot of effort to go from a 14 to a size 6,” she told RadarOnline.com. “We’re not that stupid, we know how hard it is to lose weight and she insulted our intelligence.
“The thinner she got the more she was being pitched to mainstream brands. Suddenly the same woman who wrote Hungry was slimming and slimming.
“Once she got down to a size 10 she lost the support of a lot of people. We’re disappointed because she was our star fighting for equality and fashion for us, and now she’s going to their side.
“It is sad that she’s turned her back on us,” lamented Jones.
Renn recently blasted back to critics on her Ford Models blog: “When this whole weight loss thing happened, I think that a lot of people wanted to point their finger at somebody. I think that they wanted to find a conspiracy where there absolutely was none,” she wrote.
While Jones understands that it is Renn’s freedom of choice to lose weight, she says she should have been honest about her motivations.
“She should have said she wasn’t comfortable in her skin anymore and wanted to make more money. Instead she has deceived us and we feel insulted!
“It would be great for her to come out with a better explanation, though I doubt we will get one.”
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