AB.com Guest Post - A Fat Surgeon General?!?

[Editor's Note: I'm workin', The Black Snob is pinch hitting again.]

She's been called a "genius" who's fought for the poor and sick and is known for her work to bring awareness about health issues to minority and poor communities. She's also has a physique more akin to Oprah Winfrey than Michelle Obama. So naturally ... someone was going to say it. Is Dr. Regina M. Benjamin too much of a woman (re: fat!) to fight America's obesity epidemic?

Dr. Regina M. Benjamin, Obama's pick for the next surgeon general, was hailed as a McArthur Grant genius who had championed the poor at a medical clinic she set up in Katrina-ravaged Alabama.

But the full-figured African-American nominee is also under fire for being overweight in a nation where 34 percent of all Americans aged 20 and over are obese.

Critics and supporters across the blogsphere have commented on photos of Benjamin's round cheeks, saying she sends the wrong message as the public face of America's health initiatives.

But others support the 52-year-old founder and CEO of Bayou La Batre Rural Health Clinic, citing new research that shows you cannot always judge a book by its cover when it comes to obesity.

Even the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance -- whose slogan is "we come in all sizes" -- has jumped to her defense.

"The job of surgeon general is to make health care and policy decisions for the country -- not to look hot in a pair of skinny jeans," said one blogger on Frisky.com. "Perhaps her size could actually be an advantage -- she's in a better position to understand obesity and contemplate out-of-the-box ways to roll back ever-expanding American waistlines."

I almost gave this an "O RLY" owl because what does her waistline have to do with her ability to do her job? This isn't a beauty contest.

[Editor's Note: My primary physician is also overweight, but I don't take what he says any less seriously as a result.]

But then, hey, maybe someone can argue why this is an issue and convince me otherwise. Anyone agree with the critics?

Question: Does a surgeon general need to be in tip top shape to get the job done, or do her policy decisions matter more than her appearance? Is Benjamin being picked on because she's black?

Critics Slam Overweight Surgeon General Pick, Regina Benjamin [ABCNews]

Obama Is A U.S. Citizen. Get Over It Already!!!

Not to be outdone by the recent outpouring of Negro Nonsense, is this poor young lady who insists that Obama's actually Indonesian. Or Kenyan. Or somethin'. But he sure ain't a US citizen, that's for dang sure.

Tell em' lady!



She wants her country back, huh? Would it kill these "birthers" to pickup an actual newspaper for Crissakes? Hell, even Fox News has repeatedly admitted that this is a non-issue. It even has its own Snopes entry and the whole nine. What the heck is wrong with these folks?

Question: Why does anyone take "birthers" seriously?

Madea Takes The Philly Swimmin' Kids To DisneyWorld.

I've finally come to terms with Tyler Perry, as ya'll may recall when I recently reviewed Madea Goes To Jail. Many of the guy's movies, tv shows, and stage plays aren't my speed, but that doesn't mean they aren't entertaining someone. Rooting against the guy is futile, and criticizing him doesn't change the fact that he's one of the few black men able to get a movie greenlit, and one of the few able to turn a consistent profit, regardless of your perception of his quality of work. Period. That is it, and that is all.

Anyways, Perry ends up as the Inaugural recipient of AB.com's newest Poppin' Tag, the aptly titled Doin' Good, for reaching out to the kids recently denied access to a Philly area swimming pool.

Tyler Perry is paying for 65 children from a Philadelphia day camp to go to Walt Disney World after reading about allegations that a suburban swim club had shunned them because of racism.

The black and Hispanic children who attend the day camp run by Creative Steps Inc. cheered Monday when they learned about the actor's gift.

Creative Steps director Alethea Wright says she's thrilled about the offer, especially because Perry "comes from humble beginnings" like the children in her camp.

The Valley Club in Huntingdon Valley has maintained that refunding the camp's swimming fee was not about race but rather a safety issue, in part because many children couldn't swim.

Perry is best known for his signature character Madea, a big-hearted but foul-tempered grandmother.

Kudos to Tyler Perry. This nearly atones for the $40 I wasted on Madea's Family Reunion. Nearly.

Question: Ok, I added a "good news" tag to balance out all the hateration. Ya'll happy, now?

Tyler Perry Treats 65 Swimming Pool Excluded Kids To Disney World [HuffPost]