Jillian Michaels Slams Oprah Winfrey as ‘Evil’ for Obesity Defense
Fitness guru, Dr. Drew Pinsky explain why talker's weight advice is wrong, dangerous
Jillian Michaels and Oprah Winfrey know a little something about weight loss … and gain.
Michaels’ background as a fitness expert, including workout videos, books and a high-profile stint on TV’s “The Biggest Loser,” made her a go-to voice on staying trim.
Winfrey has battled the scale for decades, often sharing her personal journey with TV audiences and her self-titled magazine.
The two don’t see eye-to-eye on the crush of weight loss drugs currently in vogue across America.
Not at all.
Oprah Winfrey makes an interesting observation about being obese.
“You don’t overeat and become obese. Obesity causes you to overeat.”
No words. pic.twitter.com/dxYPT2ygy4
— Brando Republic (@BrandoRepublic) January 14, 2026
Winfrey recently went on “The View” and said her “obesity gene” caused her to overeat. That means she must take a weight loss drug like Ozempic in order to stay trim.
Nonsense, Michaels replied on the “Ask Dr. Drew” podcast this week. Except she used more dramatic terms than that.
Michaels noted that Winfrey has a new weight-loss book out that, according to her, works with the weight loss companies that are profiting from a newer class of Ozempic-style drugs meant to curb a person’s appetite.
Here is part of the book’s official description, courtesy of Amazon.com.
Obesity is a disease.
It’s a question of biology, created by our bodies’ need to survive and the environment we created and now live in.
And it’s treatable.
The new medications can lower our body fat set point (our brain’s “Enough Point”), so that we lose weight without battling biology with willpower.
That set Michaels off.
“She’s now spreading the lie that you overeat because you’re obese,” Michaels said. “She’s basically trying to disempower people and placate them and exploit their vulnerabilities … ‘it’s not your fault. You need these drugs,'” Michaels said, echoing Winfrey’s new message.
“You evil…,” she said, pausing before she could utter a profanity. “How much money do you need?”
“To lie about the science and disempower people to make a buck, especially when you’re one of the richest people in the world,” Michaels. “It makes me so angry.
Michaels isn’t against the drugs in question in specific situations, especially in coordination with one’s doctor. What Winfrey is suggesting is a mainstream use of medication when traditional diet and exercise can be equally effective without side effects, including life-long treatment.
“The most disturbing part about it is that it reinforces this notion we have in our culture that, first of all, everything should have a pharmacological agent,” Dr. Pinsky said.
“Pharmacology is always dangerous,” Dr. Pinsky said. “It will be interesting to see if she has any serious side effects [from the medication]. I’ve seen a number.”
“It shifts us away from personal responsibility,” he added.
“It also negates any trauma, any eating disorders, the entire psychological piece … That’s a huge component,” Michaels said.
Most episodes of “My 600 lb. Life,” for example, reveal that the dieting subjects have suffered severe traumatic experiences in their past. It’s very common for people to “eat their feelings,” to use food as a way to assuage pain and challenging memories.
“Food becomes a defense structure, a coping mechanism,” Michaels said.
i was servicing the electrical vault outside of harpo studios when a pontiac g5 pulled up and oprah leaned out the window. “excuse me, do you no how i can get to 290?”
I would bet that if you took a “Study Group” and gave 100 fat women a “Miracle Drug” that would decrease their appetite, increase their body fluid function, would have a phycological effect on the desire to exercise, and cost a LOT you would have the volunteers you need! Now, you divide the Group into TWO 50 fat groups – ONE gets the MIRACLE DRUG (tasteless and orderless) dissolved in water and the other fat group given a placebo drink of just WATER! After a few Months you would measure the results of the “MIRACLE GROUP” against the other and Wham Bam, Thank You Ma’am – a MIRACLE happens – they’re thinner, healthier, more ACTIVE, and they have more self esteem and are oddly HAPPY!
Now what is that MIRACLE DRUG? NOTHING! It’s the SAME Glass of Water that the other Group drinks before they EAT! The psyco part is simply that – PSYCHO!
Leave it to Oprah to encourage white suburban women whom she despises but made her successful to buy into her body weight obsession and Big Pharma connections. Oprah is so 1980s – enjoy your billions and go away.
oprah is in her 70’s, she’s a billionaire, why is she doing this? Did she come out for/against the covid shot? Nobody knows the long term affects of that drug on the population.