Miss New York Nina Davuluri made no friends earlier this week when she was caught bad-mouthing current Miss America titleholder Mallory Hagan for apparently being “fat as [bleep].” A member of Davuluri’s entourage was also allegedly overheard making racist remarks. We admit, it was poor form for Davaluri and pretty déclassé of her to tear into Hagan so.
Still, it takes a pretty debased, misogynistic media vulture to swoop in for the kill. Enter the New York Post‘s Michael Gartland. With perhaps a little too much glee, he starts, “It’s the potbelly calling the kettle black!” and he ends the piece by delving into Davuluri’s struggles with bulimia.
Sure, Davuluri’s outburst was reprehensible, but Gartland’s coal-raking of her? Just plain sad.
For her part, Davuluri denies she said the offending remark and sent Hogan an apologetic Facebook message after the incident:
“I want to apologize for the awful statements made by people in my room . . . There were people who claimed to be my supporters and said things I never agreed with, nor supported . . . I was never a part of the words or statements that may have been hurtful . . . I’m sorry if someone said something that was inappropriate.”
Considering how much snark “Miss New York’s pudgy past” is dripping with, you would have to wonder what vendettas a grown man like Gartland would have against young women in order to fat-shame someone with a documented eating disorder — someone who, before a dramatic weight loss looked perfectly healthy. But then again, hey! Such is the culture that glorifies beauty pageants in the first place. And you can witness the spectacle tonight on ABC.
Rohin Guha is a contributing editor at The Aerogram. Follow him on Twitter @ohrohin. Find The Aerogram on Twitter @theaerogram.
