Hey guys, I know I am coming to this late, and I agree, Stevie is beautiful but not perfect. I am so glad she taking better care of herself these days, and the only reason I hope she is keeping her weight down is so she feels better.

One question I have myself is in regard to when I myself first started hearing/reading negative press about Stevie's appearance. I have to admit I was shocked when I got wind of it. I recall reading a review that I'll paraphrase, "Stevie Nicks came out draped in blue fabric that resembled her grandma's bedspread....then she dropped it to reaveal that her voice is not the only thing she has allowed to slip..."

I was horrified when I read that. I couldn't believe some jackass said that about sexy Stevie Nicks.

The best I can recall this was around the time of TOSOTM. Does anybody else remember this?
Or what did you think when you first started seeing similar press? I was really upset for her.

-Sharon

I think for a 55 year-old woman who has lived the life of a rock goddess...she looks great. Or who has lived any life for that matter. She looks much better than many women half her age. If she were thin then critics would say she was too thin. Naysayers will always need something to focus on and her weight is an easy target. From all the picture from this tour posted by Ledgies, I have thought to myself many times how thins she looks. But there will always be people who bring up her less than stellar moments. The past is the past. Bottom line, she looks awesome. And sounds it too.

I'm just saying that I was aghast when I saw Stevie at those free shows. Was she ugly? Of course not, she's a naturally beautiful woman regardless. But she looked like she didn't seem to care how she looked when she went out onstage and looked like she was ill. She looked like she'd been through a tough time and it showed in her performances and her appearances. But, she's Stevie Nicks; I love her no matter what. :nod:

And that first pic, Johnny, that you posted from the free show I didn't attend is GORGEOUS. Damn skippy. :D

I know. That is the thing I think gets misunderstood. I do not think the vast majority of "us" ever think Stevie is/was a troll or anything like that. I think the vast majority of "us " just comment that she has been through the ringer (drugs, booze, basically non-stop touring/recording, seemingly unrequited love affairs to name a few, pressure to be Ms. Perfect in all aspects all of the time, etc. ) more than once and thank the stars above she has come through it every time and looks remarable considering all of that. Did that make sense :laugh:

Perfectly.

If any of us think she looked bad during those free shows, god forbid if we saw her after Klonopin detox! Gray hair, molted skin, and all! :laugh:

I started this thread and I'm sorrorry I have started all this! Anyway, to the person that thinks I am trying to stir things up, I'm not. I just wanted to discuss if her weight was really as bad as Stevie had said. And actually I think it was. The pictures someone posted on another thread from the Clinton concert were awful. I feel really bad that these pictures are floating around- when Stevie looks great now. It was really just her face that looked bloated.

In those pictures you just posted, the first one on the Fourth of July was an amazing shot! She looks as fantastic as ever!!!

AND - I think the important thing for me is that even at her heaviest in the S.A. she still looked okay to me, sounded great, and rocked her a$$ off. To paraphrase Cher on her final, I really mean it this time, I am not like Barbara Streisand "this is really it" tour - "follow that you bitche$" :laugh:

..........I think people compare Nick's herpes-related Epstein-Barr weight to the elder C. McVie's leanness. They figure if chainsmoking, lush-liver, former coke-head, Chris, could stay in shape, why couldn't she?................Thanks to quick-acting Botox, Collagen injections and laser wrinkle removal, these women's faces don't age, no matter how many cigarettes, glasses of wine or drugs they take -- three things that surely dissipate you and dry you out..........But harsh singing voices, weak bones, weight alteration, loss of energy and memory loss will prevail, unfortunately.....................

Misogynist much? :confused:

Herpes-related?

NOT true.

This is how rumours get started, unfortunately.

I'm trying to keep it civil, thanks for the reminder, Johnny ;)

:laugh:

HERPES?! C'mon, now! That's B.S.

How many times do I have to tell people that crack is whack???

Keep it civil.

See top Line about Epstein Barr:

http://www.joyfullivingservices.com/chronicfatigue.html

Injections and laser surgery can be done right in a doctor's office w/minimal healing time; thus it's not major surgery. Why, how and should these procedures even get reported when the star goes back to work the same day she has the "fix-up" process???
ALL glamorus women entering their twilight years get face-work done to preserve their careers with our overflowing youth -buying market these days............

...........Lucky for us, I guess. Beauty is art, isn't it? :nod:

I don't think anyone is doubting that it can be done... I believe it's the insinuation that it's a fact that Stevie and Christine have had work done, that people are taking exception to.

Some people do happen to have great genes. The women on my mother's side of the family, are always mistaken to be 10-15 years younger than they are.
I can't even begin to tell you how many people assume my mother is my sister.

If you look at candid close-up pics of Stevie, you will see wrinkles around her brow, eyes, and mouth... if she had Botox treatments, I don't believe these would show, as that's the whole point of Botox, isn't it?
Though I admit that I'm not an expert on the matter.

Oh, and by the way... male celebrities also use Botox and have cosmetic surgery. It's not solely a "female" thing. :)

4Buck,

I still would like to know where you got that Stevie got Epstein Barr from having herpes.

Well, it may be herpes-related based on the title, but that should not be taken to mean since Stevie had this ailment, she must have herpes! As the article notes, an estimated 75% of those over age 30 have been exposed to this and are carriers.

I read somewhere recently about Epstein-Barr and the relation to Herpes (or that some patients had herpes, something like that)... maybe do a Google search?

Botox numbs your skin and nerves. If you have it injected in your brow / forehead, for example, you wouldnt be able to move it up and down afterwards. Its really a small amount of botulisum (sp) to paralyze the nerves, etc. I used to work for Allergan the co. that makes it (that's how I know).

Thank you!:)

OK, here comes the anatomy and biology Instructor to attempt to clear this up a bit.

Epstein-Barr virus is one of the members of the Herpes virus family, as is Chicken Pox, shingles, fever blisters, and yes, genital herpes. This family of viruses are attracted to your nervous system, just like the Hepatitis family is attracted to your liver.
The EB virus used to be called mononucleosis, and as many as 95% of people are infected with it, but not everyone shows symptoms. Also, as with all herpes viruses, once you have it, it stays dormant in your body and can be activated by stress, poor diet, etc...

Also, don't forget, Lindsey has it too.

Everyone knows about Lindsey and his particularly bad bout with "mono" in 71 that we now call Epstein Barr. Stevie probably got it from him, as they were a couple then, and has had it for years. As most of you know, it is also called the "kissing disease".

It's hardly anything to stigmatize someone over.

-Sharon

I had Epstein barr and it's a nightmare.

Epstein Barr (chronic fatigue syndrome) and Infectious Mononucleosis are two different things but are related. Epstein Barr is the most widespread virus; over 95% of us will be affected by it by the age of 40.

When you get mono, it's a clear indication that you are at high risk of developing Epstein Barr. Mono *usually* occurs before you get Epstein Barr. While mono usually resolves within a month or two, Epstein Barr can last for years. The germs that affect the throat and blood with mono can lay dormant and then trigger back up and that is when you are afflicted with Epstein Barr. It triggers back up in your saliva.

I was afflicted with the EBV three years ago and it crippled me. My throat was constantly sore, I didn't have the energy to get out of bed in the morning, and I rarely left the house. When I would get up, I could only stand up for a few minutes before I had to sit back down. This was when it was most extreme. I would sleep for 10-12 hours a day with little naps throughout the day. Because my throat was so sore, I could only eat a little at a time, which caused me to lose weight. I was pumping omega acids and garlic into my body constantly. I was taking so many things, I can't even remember all of them. Lecithin, Carotenoids, Acidophilus. Slowly, after about 11 months, I began to get strength back and my doctor put me into physical therapy classes. While I'm still not completely over it (I still sleep a lot and do not have the energy to exercise much at all), I'm a hundred times better than what I was.

Yes, Epstein Barr is a herpes-related illness, but not in the derogatory way in which you posted. It was as if you put it in there for shock value, to support your argument.

Yes, and there are all those reports of Stevie and her constant colds, flus, sore throats, etc... during the Rumours and Tusk eras. She has likely had it a long time. Since everyone's immune system is different, she may not have realized what it was at the time, especially if it wasn't as bad as Lindsey's. She likely thought she had a really bad case of the flu. There's that article where she is talking about the famous lecture her father gave her right before she and Lindsey went to Aspen. She said her father was concerned about her because "you're always sick".

Her breast implants probably weakened her immune system, which can reactivate this virus.

Chicken pox is herpes-related too, and we have all had that.

I agree with dissention, I think that comment was made to get a certain reaction, and that's unfortunate.

-Sharon

I thought that when I read it as well. :(

Thank, by the way for your and Dissention's clarification of EBV. I kind of knew a little about it, but that really helped.

Your welcome. :) A few word sof warning: if you ever get mono, fear for your life! The end will be near... :laugh:

I have had mono and I never knew all this info.

I was diagnosed with mono when I was 19. For about 2 years before this, while in high school, I was always sick, tired and had a constant sore throat.

Finally, I just had no energy and I couldn't even swallow...they told me I had mono. I stayed home 1 week only and went back.

I always have sore throats, and energy sometimes is hard to come by. I always blame myself for this, but maybe its more? Im 25 now, I work an extremely physical job, I don't let myself slack around and I always still have sore throats.

My liver isn't in the best shape either, but they told me that back in 1997-who knows what it's doing now. I never go to DR's because I dont have insurance.

In May, after working years of 6-7 day weeks and all that...I got sick again, no energy, felt like mono. I spent $70 to go to a DR and he didn't even take a blood test. I hate DR's ( no offence to anyone)

This same DR gave my mom klonopin about 2 months ago, and she was horrible, she didn't tell anyone she had it. Just now she stopped and shes back to her old self, but she gained some weight and was horrible...trully horrible.

This just makes me think of everything Stevie goes through, must be rough, but what a trooper, shes in good shape, she still goes on and shes proved everyone wrong.

Stevie rocks-thin or fat or whatever. Shes been everything hasn't she and we have loved her in each and every stage. I love OSOTM and she's doped up on klonopin and I love half the songs on Street Angel and she's 175..I mean no matter what she looks like or what she's doing --she always rocks.

That's awful, Janet; I'm so sorry.

Do you still feel crappy? My advice would be to get in touch with your medical insurance company and ask them to refer you to a doctor that has had experience with Mono/Epstein Barr/Chronic Fatigue. That's what I had to do and I found a terrific doctor.

Good luck! :)

Back to the free concerts in 1996....

I didn't think the pics were bad...I was at the Boston concert and i was fortunate to be front row and, in my opinion, she did NOT look ill or sound bad as someone had previously pointed out. She sounded a lot clearer than the Street Angel tour. The thing that did bother me though was that she didn't appear to be overly excited or happy and i actually left the concert sort of depressed... but i wouldn't say she looked ill...It's amazing at how different the views are.

However, i will admit, when i saw the Clinton performance i actually was very shocked and sad. I'm sorry, but she did not look like Stevie to me. I really couldn't believe it. Whether it was from medication or not, she looked horrible. She looked the worst i have ever seen her. Those pics that were posted were very good ones of her. I felt like crying cause i always was intrigued by her physical beauty and her cute face and it was gone.

Let's take a moment to forget about all the trauma and medication/drugs etc that she has/was going through....when these people are in the media and we see them, we're not supposed to be psychics and know what is going on with them personally. We just react automatically cause their appearance is the first thing that reaches our senses. When you have someone that for a long time is thin and beautiful (disclaimer-i'm not saying that's the perfect way to be) and then years later they're 50 pounds overweight and it appears that they aren't taking care of themselves, we react unfavorable. I adore Stevie and i recognize that she's had a tough time. She's only human. But, let's be honest people, are we all just supposed to sit back and say "yeah, she looks great!" when she put weight on (years ago) BUT most importantly, her performances seemed uninspired and she seemed to have a bad attitude. Furthermore, her songs at that era (87-94 in my opinion) were not the best of her career, and her voice was not in the best shape either...so, i think looking at everything as a whole is why she's gotten negative press and reaction from fans.

Believe me, i have nothing against overweight people. I have many friends that are overweight and it doesn't bother me whatsoever. It's funny though that people look down on others that smoke, do drugs, or drink. We all have our vices but for some reason it's ok to just overeat. However, that extra weight puts a lot of pressure on your entire body. How many overweight 80 or 90 year olds do you see walking around? I'm not trying to be harsh here but i'm tired of reading people getting so sensitive about other people criticizing her weight. I do agree that there's no reason to be sarcastic about it or mean. That's what i don't like.

I think that a LOT of people out there including people that don't consider themselves fans thought that Stevie was absolutely gorgeous in her heydey and because we have a hard time being emotionally sensitive and tactful, the only thing we know how to do is be blunt and hurtful. When i say "we" i mean society.

Anyway, i'm tired and i need to end this post. I hope i made some sort of sense and that i didn't offend anyone. If i did, i apologize.

Well, it's true... a lot of people do look down their noses at people who smoke.
Although I look at it this way... if your habit has the potential of harming ME, then it's not cool.
Second-hand smoke is extremely dangerous to one's health, so yeah, I admit I look down my nose at smoking.
If you wanna kill yourself, fine... go outside, and away from me.
And good God, don't smoke in front of children, whose lungs are small, and who are still growing and developing.

Anyway, enough of that rant... I don't think people feel it's "ok to just overeat."
How many times have people said, "oh, did you see her?? Wow, she really let herself go!"
Or, "that poor thing... she used to be so pretty."
You become the target of all kinds of crass comments and snide remarks when you gain weight.

Look at Stevie, or Ann Wilson, or Delta Burke, or poor Sally Struthers... you'd think these women murdered a puppy or something. All they did was gain some weight.
Big deal.

Even VH1, when discussing Sally Struthers during their 'I Love The 70s' special... what did they do but show a pic of her holding up an entire pizza, with her mouth open wide.

How kind that was.

When Stevie gained weight, I honestly never thought she looked bad because of it.
So she wasn't thin anymore... what did it matter to me?

That she was unhealthy otherwise was not a good thing... but her weight itself should have never mattered.

I agree for the most part. But, I think it is important to remember that it is Stevie who put the emphaisis on the way she looked out there in the first place. She is the one who initially sold herself and her craft as a young, hot looking , sexy female artist (much like the young artists of today in fact only to a lesser extreme). So, when she no longer looked that way, it is only logical that people would go "what happened to that sexy girl," etc.

Disclaimer: I am in no way am I saying that Stevie is not a great songwriter, or that she does not have a good voice, or anything like that. In fact, I think her words and her delivery of them played and still play a significant part of her charm for many if not all people who like ot liked her. I am solely saying that when she prepared the "package" to sell to people, she consciously put sex way up in the front. So, when in many people' eyes that sexiness went away when she gained weight, she should not have been that surprised. In fact, for years (1989-94), she dressed to hide the weight gain in an effort to remain sexy. So, she must have known something.

This example may help me make my point. Assume Bob sees two people at the same time but does not know either of them in any way; they are complete strangers. Person A is Bob's ideal as far as body type, looks, etc. Person B is not and is someone Bob would not be attracted to based on looks only. Bob's eyes will naturally go to the one that is his type. Right or wrong, nine out of ten times that will be a well-built and non-obese person. Having said that, Bob may later learn that Person A (his ideal) is really a jerk and that Person B (his non-ideal) is really Bob's soulmate. How many people in general would give that non-ideal person the time to find that out. Most people would not.

I think the same line of thought can be used for Stevie. If you were used to seeing her slim and hot (most people's ideal) and then she appears onstage 50 or so pounds heavier (most people non-ideal), most people will be turned off and say "what happened to her!" So, while I agree Stevie's weight (not health) did not really affect my opinion of her as a songstress, my eyes did not like seeing her overweight.

I hope that makes sense and I did not come off as a jerk :laugh:

:laugh: Well he is no longer hauling out in the 70's shorty shorts :laugh:

Sorry, I just could not resist!!! :cool:

To these people that are saying that she did not look bad at the Clinton concert, did you even see it? I love Stevie so much, but lets not lie. She was very overweight, maybe even obese during this time frame. It was mainly her face, which I think would be the worst place to gain weight. Stevie is sexy now. Sorry to be blunt, but I think she looked really bad. Even though I'm sure her music was pretty good, it is distracting at a conert when you know how gorgeous the person really is. Sorry to offend anyone, but I'm just going to tell it like it is. I am very happy that she lost all that wieght because now she is confident in herself.

I don't feel at all that Stevie "sold herself" as sexy and hot looking, or intentionally put an emphasis on that.
Sure, she dressed and danced onstage in a very feminine way, but it was the public and the media who put that "sex symbol" status on her.
Stevie was just doing her thing. She's often said over the years that she knew people thought she was cute and all, but that it was her songwriting that she wanted people to take notice of. She even said something to the effect of, "no one can be cute forever."

Stevie is a sexy woman, and that was apparent, even under all that chiffon, and all of those scarves and shawls.
I think... like most everyone in this world... she did want to look attractive and be sexy... but I don't think she ever "sold" herself in those regards. Being thought of as a sex-symbol was just a byproduct of all that.

I for one couldn't care less about Stevie's weight. It was that stiff-satin-monsterous-hat-Madonna-type-cross-wearing-heavy-layered thing she was doing when she was putting on the weight in the 90's that drove me nuts. It was like she became a caricature of herself around the BTM days and such. ICK! It just didn't seem true to her. And if she thought she was hiding the weight with all that crap--she should have fired all her assistants!

I see your point, but do not agree with your conclusion. I think Stevie clearly knew and still knows how to use her looks to sell her and FM's great music. I think her quotes over the years support my point. She said after the BN cover, she was so mortified, that she essentially said, well I am still going to be sexy - I'll just bury myself under a 100 pounds of chiffon to do it. Then there was the one about how she did not consider herself sexy but she knew she was cute and she knew exactly how far to take that image. I think underlying meaning of these quotes (paraphrases) illustrates she knew the importance of sex appeal when selling something (no matter how great it is) to the masses and she consciously molded her image to present herself in the sexiest way. Again, she was still doing this during the S.A. tour because she knew that appearing in clothes that made her look large would kill that image she admitted she had worked so hard to project. Then there was the line in her BTM that she felt so bad that she could not be the Stevie that everyone expected, etc. Even now, she never allows releases of candid photographs; every one is highly touched up to rid her of the wrinkles, etc., that most other women her age have a million more of. In sum, I agree the public ate her sex appeal up with a vengence and that she naturally exudes this sex appeal, but I think she wisely consciously put it even more so out there and by her own admissions her image did not just happen without any thought. So, yes, she is/was a very beautiful and sexy woman and it would be and have been hard for her to have not been sexy. I am just saying she knew how to work that sexiness to her advantage and I have no problem with that. In fact, I admire it.

Also, she is not alone in that boat. LB clearly also has clearly used sex to sell his already great music. I mean you cannot get sexier than the cover of Law and Order. Then there was the dramatic fashion change from Rumors to Tusk.

I guess what I am saying is that while they are both very sexy people as well as very, very musically talented, etc., they both, esp. Stevie, realize the power of crafting an image and their image was 100 + sexiness to my eyes.

But, that is my opinion and I respect other opinion no matter how wrong I think they are - he says while going puff puff and with tongue in cheek :laugh:

You are right.

Here is what Nicks was saying years and years ago:

USA Today
August 16, 1994

Nicks Shedding Gypsy Ways
by Shawn Sell

……………………..She stopped smoking "December 12," she says, and her voice has never been in better shape.........
............Movies maybe? TV? "Absolutely not!" she says. "I can't stand to have a camera right in my face, always having to worry, 'Is this the best side of me or is that?' I can't even stand to do videos any anymore." .................................

She also can’t abide talk about her weight, which has been on the up side in recent years. "When you're as short as I am (5-foot-1), 10 extra pounds makes you look totally blown up."
The story about her manager who became an ex-employee when he told her she had to lose 20 pounds or forfeit her career is true, she says. "But then," she adds with a laugh, "I did lose the 20 pounds." ..................................

"It hurts me," she adds. "It hurts my heart to hear people say these sorts of things about me. As if, unless you look a certain way, your music is not important anymore. I'm 46. I am who I am." ……………………………

It's that self-sufficiency that defines Nicks in the '90s. "I've been around too long not to be happy with myself, and I'm enjoying being by myself," she says adding there is "no one special in my life now." (As for long ago beau Lindsey Buckingham: "He doesn't speak to me; we don't speak at all actually. He only played at the inauguration because I called him on the phone and begged him.")


Creem 1982

Stevie Nicks, Macrame Goddess: Confronting the Gates of Elmo
By Sylvie Simmons

" "My voice is alright now. I worked a long time on it. But a year is too long--I could probably tour six months a year solid, but I cannot tour for 12. I'm not 18, you know. It gets harder and harder to be wonderful every night in front of all those kids that you're 15 years older than. I'd like to tour for two months on and two months off. Three weeks off doesn't cut it.

"I can't even get all my clothes unpacked and cleaned and packed again in three weeks.

"Otherwise it's not fair to the people you're playing for. I don't want a tired Stevie walking out onstage and trying to do 'Rhiannon' when I'm dead. You can never call in sick. You can be on the side of the stage with terrible cramps and all of a sudden you've got 30 seconds to try not to even let that come into your head. I've seen a lot of concerts that because of extreme exhaustion aren't special. For me there's nothing I'd rather do than go to a great rock concert. But there's nothing I'd rather not do than go to a rock concert by a great band that isn't good."

She's tried to stop smoking before, and she was tired 20 years ago, already. A shame.

Even though I agree that she should just be herself, I am so glad she lost the weight. It was almost like she was at an unhealthy weight at one point. And I'm sure she is much happier now!

Tell me something... have you ever been overweight? Obese? Stevie did get heavy but I would never class her as obese. Who gives a hit how much someone weighs anyway? last year I lost over 70lbs and I have struggled with my weight for most of my life. But I'm still the same person I was back then... people still love me for the same reasons they did not just because I am thinner. This probably sounds very rude and 'm sorry if it does but how can someone weight affect you as to how much you enjoy a concert?? Get over it!

Pip

I think because Buckingham, Christine, Fleetwood and John (who's thinner now than during the DANCE) are all/were slim, Nicks stands out. That and the fact when it's 90-something degrees in stadiums and she wears layers and layers of warm-looking (BLACK!) clothes, calls attention to her weight, rather than conceals it.

The thing is, whether anyone likes it or not, heavy people are going to be ostracized the way smokers have been. They're first working on the obese children, but obese children get this way mostly from the overweight moms feeding them the wrong foods, or mothers giving the children money for high-calorie fast foods.

Heavy people always claim that it's medication that puts on the pounds, and to some extent it is. But alcohol (especially!) candy, fried foods or chips in combination with the drugs exacerbate this.

The common retort from a fat person when someone criticizes her weight is that she doesn't eat much ....but then you see her chug down a few glasses of beer, drink wine (5 oz glass is 100 calories, folks!), eat a complete bag of Cheetos or carton of ice cream at one sitting, and you know she's fabricating. It's a lifestyle she's choosing, rather than something she can't help.....and short women can't eat as much as tall women, without gaining weight.

Um... men get fat too! LOL! And I personally have never claimed anything other than my own greed caused me to be fat. Having said that I certainly didn't choose the lifestyle but there are other factors in my life that added to this. Your statement is somewhat sweeping IMO

Pip


Pip