Jennifer Yvette Holliday, born on October 19, 1960, is an accomplished American singer and actress. She began her career on Broadway in musicals such as Dreamgirls (1981-1983) and Your Arms Too Short to Box with God (1980-1981), later achieving success as a recording artist. Holliday is best known for her debut single, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," a number from Dreamgirls that became a rhythm-and-blues/pop hit, earning her a Grammy Award in 1983.
Early Career and Rise to Fame
Holliday's career began on Broadway in 1979 at age 18, the same day she auditioned for the Broadway production of Your Arms Too Short to Box with God. Her role in that musical garnered her a 1981 Drama Desk Award nomination. Next, at age 21, she began acting in the role for which she is best known: Effie Melody White in the Broadway musical Dreamgirls. Holliday originated the role of Effie and remained with the show for nearly four years after its December 20, 1981 opening. Among the acclaim was Holliday's sweep of awards in 1982, including the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, a Grammy Award for her recorded version of the song, and Drama Desk Award and Theatre World Award for her acting performance.
Her rendition of "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" catapulted her to national stardom. In 1982, a pop version of the song was released as a single, which became successful, peaking at number one on the Billboard R&B chart and number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100. She continued to have success as a recording artist throughout the rest of the decade. Her follow-up song, "I Am Love", became another hit in 1983. Holliday's later R&B hits included "Hard Time For Lovers" (1985), "No Frills Love" (1985), "I'm On Your Side" (1991) and "A Woman's Got the Power" (2000). "A Woman's Got the Power" charted at number 7 in the summer of 1999 and re-charted the following year, peaking at number 1.
Holliday was also a featured vocalist on the number one single "I Want to Know What Love Is" by Foreigner in 1985. A number of her songs became hits on the US Dance charts as well. On October 30, 1986, Paul Simon hosted a Ken Ehrlich-produced "Gospel Session" originally televised as part of a series of "Cinemax Sessions" featuring Holliday, Luther Vandross, The Oak Ridge Boys, Andrae Crouch, The Edwin Hawkins Singers, and the Mighty Clouds of Joy. The show began with Holliday singing "His Eye Is On The Sparrow".
Personal Struggles and Health Challenges
In the 1990s, Holliday faced significant personal challenges, including a substantial weight loss and public discussions about her struggles with depression during promotional interviews. She has been open about her battles with clinical depression, even attempting suicide on her 30th birthday by overdosing on pills. She said in an interview with CBS, "I actually thought my life was over anyway, because I basically had gotten so big; I was well over 330 pounds."
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She also faced health issues, including temporary blindness in her left eye in 2007. "One day in 2007, I felt an overwhelmingly sharp pain, as if someone had taken a knife to my eye," she recounted. Ultimately, she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. "Doctors told me I wasn’t going to walk again, and were telling me I should retire. And I said I appreciate your diagnosis, but I’m not the one that can determine the prognosis of what’s going to become of my life and what’s going to become of me with this illness. And that’s what I had to do."
Weight Loss Journey and Gastric Bypass Surgery
Initially, Holliday's weight loss was achieved strictly through diet. However, in an effort to avoid regaining the weight, she eventually underwent gastric bypass surgery. This decision came after years of struggling with her weight and facing criticism in Hollywood for being "too big."
"I had just been dropped by my record company because they called me too unattractive and not marketable. They were like, ‘We can’t make a music video of you.’" She further explained, "Nobody wanted me small. They only wanted the old Jennifer Holliday. They were uncomfortable with my new look, my new attitude - everything. It was a very hard time for me for about three years."
After the initial weight loss, she released an LP and video titled I’m On Your Side. The video, unlike most videos, was recorded live.
The weight loss surgery, while effective, also presented its own set of challenges. Holliday has spoken about the importance of proper nutrition following the surgery to avoid malnutrition. She also believes that her MS diagnosis may have been linked to the rapid weight loss and nutritional deficiencies she experienced after the gastric bypass. "The weight loss happened before and, there is no proof of this, I think the MS was brought on by my weight loss. I was one of the first to have gastric bypass surgery and, not being able to get proper nutrients, I became severely malnourished."
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Other Celebrities and Weight Loss Surgery
Jennifer Holliday is not alone in her decision to undergo weight loss surgery. Numerous celebrities have turned to bariatric procedures like gastric sleeve, RNY gastric bypass, and lap-band to transform their lives and address health concerns. Some of these celebrities include:
- Mariah Carey: Underwent gastric sleeve surgery in October 2017 after struggling with her weight for years.
- Rosie O'Donnell: Had gastric sleeve surgery in July 2013 after experiencing a life-threatening heart attack.
- Randy Jackson: Decided to undergo gastric bypass surgery after being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes.
- Roseanne Barr: Underwent gastric bypass surgery in 1998 to improve her health.
- June Shannon ("Mama June"): Went from 460 lbs. to 137 lbs. after gastric sleeve surgery in 2016.
- Graham Elliot: Underwent weight-loss surgery after realizing his weight was impairing his quality of life.
- Abby Lee Miller: Had gastric bypass surgery after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and despising how she looked on television.
- Rex Ryan: Underwent gastric band surgery in 2010 after struggling with countless diets.
- Paul Wall: Decided to get gastric sleeve surgery after receiving a phone call to be on a reality television show featuring celebrities that are considered obese.
- Gabourey Sidibe: Chose to get laparoscopic bariatric surgery after being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes at 33 years old.
- Star Jones: Lost a total of 160 lbs. through strict diet and portion control after undergoing gastric bypass surgery.
- Khaliah Ali: Became worried about her health in 2004 and underwent gastric band surgery.
- Carnie Wilson: Underwent lap-band surgery after regaining weight from a previous gastric bypass surgery.
- Al Roker: Decided it was time to change after seeing the scale hit 340 lbs. and underwent gastric bypass surgery.
- Patti Austin: Underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2004 due to her obesity-related diabetes and asthma.
- Fern Britton: Underwent the lap-band procedure due to high cholesterol and knee pains.
- Lauren Manzo: Had lap-band surgery after constantly failing to lose weight.
- Corey Harrison ("Big Hoss"): Became determined to lose weight after being told that he was pre-diabetic and underwent gastric bypass surgery.
- Lisa Lampanelli: Lost 80 lbs. after undergoing bariatric surgery.
These celebrities, like Jennifer Holliday, have openly shared their experiences with weight loss surgery, inspiring others to take control of their health and well-being.
Career Resurgence and Continued Success
Despite the challenges she has faced, Holliday has experienced a career resurgence in recent years. She reprised her role of Effie White in a production of Dreamgirls at the St. Louis Muny in 2012. She has also made appearances on primetime television and competed in season seven of The Masked Singer in 2022 as "Miss Teddy."
Holliday has also continued to release music, including a Christian CD titled Goodness and Mercy in 2011. She remains a popular performer at LGBT events and fundraisers, which she acknowledged on her gospel album On & On.
Lessons Learned and Inspiration
Jennifer Holliday's weight loss journey is a testament to her resilience, determination, and commitment to her health. She has faced numerous obstacles, including depression, health challenges, and body image issues, but she has persevered and emerged stronger than ever.
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Her story serves as an inspiration to others who are struggling with their weight, health, or personal challenges. She emphasizes the importance of self-care, mental health, and seeking help when needed.
"I am, you know, really fighting for myself and my life," Holliday stated. "And I think the message that I could give to anybody is that it’s never too late to start your life again and dream new dreams."