Comedian Rosie O’Donnell launched a scathing attack against Jay Leno on Tuesday, August 19, calling him “a mean a–hole” after watching Netflix’s documentary series about “The Biggest Loser” reality show.
O’Donnell’s criticism stems from archival footage shown in “Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser,” which features former contestant Tracey Yukich recalling her 2009 appearance on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” During that appearance, Leno read death threats directed at Yukich while she sat beside him on the show.
The 63-year-old comedian shared her outrage on Instagram, posting screenshots from both the documentary and Leno’s show. In the Netflix series, Yukich described how viewers had submitted hateful emails to the show, with one calling her “just pure evil” and another threatening vehicle violence. Leno told her, “She wants to kill you, but she won’t use a swear word.”
Yukich, who appeared on Season 8 of “The Biggest Loser” in 2009, became emotional while recounting the experience in the documentary. She indicated that these were actual emails people had sent to the show and that her feelings were deeply hurt. The contestant revealed she didn’t realize she was portrayed as a villain until the show aired.
O’Donnell also targeted former “Biggest Loser” trainer Bob Harper in a separate Instagram post Tuesday, expressing frustration that he won’t apologize for his treatment of contestants. She described his behavior as hurtful and cruel, questioning why he cannot simply say he’s sorry.
In the documentary, Harper defended his actions on the weight-loss competition show, stating he would stand behind everything he had ever done on the program. The 60-year-old trainer explained that the show aimed to create entertaining television, noting that while diet is more important for weight loss, it makes for boring viewing. He claimed producers wanted dramatic gym scenes with yelling and screaming, and that they loved when contestants became physically ill from the intense workouts.
Harper specifically addressed his treatment of Season 7 contestant Joelle Gwynn, acknowledging there were moments he wasn’t proud of, including yelling at her. However, he maintained he never put anyone in harm’s way and refused to express regret for his overall conduct on the show.
The Netflix documentary has sparked widespread controversy since its release last week, exposing the alleged verbal abuse and constant humiliation contestants endured during the show’s run from 2004 to 2016. The series also highlighted the lack of aftercare provided to contestants after they left the program.
Yukich’s appearance in the documentary included disturbing details about her experience on the show. She claimed she nearly died during the first challenge of Season 8, suffering a medical emergency after overexerting herself during a running challenge. The contestant described experiencing rhabdomyolysis, a condition where muscle breakdown products can damage the kidneys, and recalled her organs shutting down.
The documentary features Yukich recounting her near-death experience, explaining she remembered hearing a helicopter and feeling like she was floating before seeing her deceased grandfather and then darkness followed by light. She indicated she knew she had died that day and initially blamed herself for the incident because of her weight.
Following the documentary’s release, former trainer Jillian Michaels has publicly disputed some claims made in the series and is reportedly considering legal action.
The weight-loss reality show forced overweight contestants to compete against each other to lose the most weight to remain in the competition. After its original NBC run ended in 2016, the show returned for one season on USA Network in 2020 before being canceled again.
Neither Leno nor Harper has publicly responded to O’Donnell’s social media criticism. Leno has yet to address the controversy surrounding the resurfaced footage from his show’s treatment of reality television contestants.
The three-part Netflix documentary continues to generate discussion about the ethics of reality television production and the treatment of participants in weight-loss programming. Viewers have expressed horror at the documentary’s revelations about the alleged mistreatment of contestants and the show’s apparent lack of concern for participant welfare.
