Overweight news anchor came off as defensive

Jennifer Livingston is making a name for herself after taking to the airwaves to address an email critical of her weight.

The news anchor at WKBT-TV in La Crosse, Wis. read a letter from a viewer that stated:

“Obesity is one of the worst choices a person can make and one of the most dangerous habits to maintain,” the viewer wrote. “I leave you this note hoping that you’ll reconsider your responsibility as a local public personality to present and promote a healthy lifestyle.”

Rather than brush it under the rug, like many people in the spotlight do on a near daily basis, Livingston got in front of the camera and took on bullying.

“Yes, I am overweight. You could call me fat. And yes, even obese on a doctor’s chart. To the person who wrote me that letter, do you think I don’t know that? That your cruel words don’t point out something that I don’t see? You don’t know me.”

And then she dove into anti-bullying and how children learn from adults who may say the “fat news lady” at home and then repeat their parent’s behavior at work.

She thanked her supporters, who are “better than the bully that would try to take us down” and addressed all the children who might feel lost.

“She came off defensive,” responds Bill Radke on KIRO Radio.

Linda Thomas says her address might actually backfire and Jennifer Livingston will no longer be known for being a reporter or journalist, but that “fat anchor lady from Wisconsin.”

Tom Tangney says he, like Linda and Bill, is not defending the “jerk” who wrote the letter, but thinks her response should not have been delivered on TV news.