Surgery helped Aretha Franklin lose 85 lbs. – just not that surgery.

That's the story the Queen of Soul's sticking to as she once again shoots down rumors about her health, this time the theory that she underwent gastric bypass surgery to drop weight.

"Definitely not – and would not," Franklin, 68, tells Access Hollywood in a two-part interview to air Monday and Tuesday. "I heard that [rumor]. I said, 'That is crazy.' "

Since undergoing a mysterious surgical procedure in December for reasons she refuses to reveal, Franklin's health and weight loss have been much-buzzed-about topics. In January, she said she was "not going to even deal with" rumors that she had pancreatic cancer.

She did, however, offer a small clue about that surgery, saying that the weight came off "from the surgery that I had," although she did not specify the procedure.

"But it definitely was not the bariatric or, what is it, gastric by- – Yeah, I can't even tell you the correct name of it," she says, adding, "It's really not necessary to talk about one's personal medical [health]."
Last week, Franklin told Wendy Williams that she ditched fatty foods to drop the weight.

Rumors aside, Franklin says it's not just about being lighter, but feeling lighter and having "more energy."

"The doctor did say to me, he said, 'Mrs. Franklin, you are going to feel better than you have felt maybe in 10 or 15 years,' " she says. " 'The surgery that you had is going to add 15 years to your life.' "

http://www.people.com/peo...02,00.html

if she's throwing around the word "bariatric" and then deflecting by adding "gastric bypass" to dumb it down and use the common terminology, she's very familiar with the procedure.

[Edited 3/12/11 21:31pm]

errant said:

if she's throwing around the word "bariatric" and then deflecting by adding "gastric bypass" to dumb it down and use the common terminology, she's very familiar with the procedure.

[Edited 3/12/11 21:31pm]

That's a possibility

Just 85 lbs????

Homegorl is full of it

She was a big woman..

HuMpThAnG said:

Just 85 lbs????

Homegorl is full of it

She was a big woman..

She actually lost 100 lbs pre-surgery. I could tell she had lost weight around her face when you watched her performance at Albertina Walker's funeral. So I wouldn't say she was "full of it" to that degree.

I'm thinking that she had the "lap-band", procedure. So, she's right, it wasn't Gastric Bypass.

shorttrini said:

I'm thinking that she had the "lap-band", procedure. So, she's right, it wasn't Gastric Bypass.

lmao!

And I think Patti LaBelle had it right from the beginning. I don't believe Patti would have made that story up, lied, or been misinformed. Then on top of that, I don't blame Aretha for not wanting to speak on it. If it was just some casual, non-life threatening condition, it's likely she would have put it out there.

I trust that what Patti said was true and accurate, and only wish Aretha the best!

PDogz said:

And I think Patti LaBelle had it right from the beginning. I don't believe Patti would have made that story up, lied, or been misinformed. Then on top of that, I don't blame Aretha for not wanting to speak on it. If it was just some casual, non-life threatening condition, it's likely she would have put it out there.

I trust that what Patti said was true and accurate, and only wish Aretha the best!

So you mean you believed her when she said she knew Aretha had pancreatic cancer? Well I can't say for sure anymore if that's what she has. I just think Aretha just likes to be private. We'll see what happens though but I doubt it's that bad.

The problem with the Patti Labelle alleged quote is the media source it came from. A star of LaBelle's magnitude would have garnered more mainstream media coverage - but only that one source said she said it in an interview. If Aretha Franklin has pancreatic cancer, she is the world's best and absolute liar.

Being forthcoming is not her greatest attribute - but to totally said she doesn't have it and then that end ou being the situation would be a total collapse of any respect she could ever hope to have from fans, media and peers.

Also surgery for pancreatic cancer does not add 15 years to one's life, Pancreatic cancer is terminal to my knowledge - not a curable form of the dreaded disease.

Timmy84 said:

PDogz said:

And I think Patti LaBelle had it right from the beginning. I don't believe Patti would have made that story up, lied, or been misinformed. Then on top of that, I don't blame Aretha for not wanting to speak on it. If it was just some casual, non-life threatening condition, it's likely she would have put it out there.

I trust that what Patti said was true and accurate, and only wish Aretha the best!

So you mean you believed her when she said she knew Aretha had pancreatic cancer? Well I can't say for sure anymore if that's what she has. I just think Aretha just likes to be private. We'll see what happens though but I doubt it's that bad.

Aretha needs to stop bullshitting.

Timmy84 said:

PDogz said:

And I think Patti LaBelle had it right from the beginning. I don't believe Patti would have made that story up, lied, or been misinformed. Then on top of that, I don't blame Aretha for not wanting to speak on it. If it was just some casual, non-life threatening condition, it's likely she would have put it out there.

I trust that what Patti said was true and accurate, and only wish Aretha the best!

So you mean you believed her when she said she knew Aretha had pancreatic cancer?

trueiopian said:

Aretha needs to stop bullshitting.

yup

RnBAmbassador said:

The problem with the Patti Labelle alleged quote is the media source it came from. A star of LaBelle's magnitude would have garnered more mainstream media coverage - but only that one source said she said it in an interview.

ALLEGED quote?!? As I remember it (though I can't recall the source at this time), but it was a video clip of Patti speaking about Aretha's condition. It wasn't a matter of "he said she said", like someone "heard" Patti say... Patti was saying it directly to the camera. I saw it, and remember it well. Then she went on to say how she was waiting to find out where to have flowers delivered to Aretha. Naturally that footage would have been pulled the minute Aretha learned of it.

RnBAmbassador said:

If Aretha Franklin has pancreatic cancer, she is the world's best and absolute liar.

I don't think it would take any great level of lying skills to say "I don't have cancer", if in fact you do.

RnBAmbassador said:

Being forthcoming is not her greatest attribute - but to totally said she doesn't have it and then that end ou being the situation would be a total collapse of any respect she could ever hope to have from fans, media and peers.

Perhaps, or maybe sympathetic fans would realize that she's just saying what she needs to say in order to keep her personal issues PRIVATE. I don't think an Aries like Aretha would take very kindly to people approaching her with: "We KNOW you have cancer, and you better tell us about it!", which is essentially what the media and fans have been doing.

RnBAmbassador said:

Also surgery for pancreatic cancer does not add 15 years to one's life, Pancreatic cancer is terminal to my knowledge - not a curable form of the dreaded disease.

All the more reason to not want to talk about it. I would disregard the "15 years added to life" part.

Just don't say anything at all. Don't outright lie.

And Shorttrini is probably on the right track. Lap band is not GASTRIC BYPASS. The stomach is not bypassed, it is banded and made smaller.

I guess if that is the case, Aretha did not lie... but she still concealed the truth.

Just say "no comment". Anything else only add fuel to the fire.

[Edited 3/13/11 23:09pm]

prodigalfan said:

Just don't say anything at all. Don't outright lie.

Just say "no comment". Anything else only add fuel to the fire.

Seems to me she's been trying with all her might to do exactly THAT... "No Comment" and "I don't speak about my personal business", and people mow right over that and just keep coming at her with... "TELL US ABOUT THE CANCER!".

In light of how the media & fans relentlessly continue to disregard her wishes to not speak about her medical issues, I think she's thoroughly justified to lie all she wants if that's what it takes to maintain privacy over an issue that she absolutely doesn't want to talk about.

Seems to me people would just drop it. They're not going to get Aretha to spit out anything she doesn't want to, and at some point it becomes wildly disrespectful that they continue trying.

.

.

[Edited 3/13/11 23:23pm]

PDogz said:

prodigalfan said:

Just don't say anything at all. Don't outright lie.

Just say "no comment". Anything else only add fuel to the fire.

Seems to me she's been trying with all her might to do exactly THAT... "No Comment" and "I don't speak about my personal business", and people mow right over that and just keep coming at her with... "TELL US ABOUT THE CANCER!".

In light of how the media & fans relentlessly continue to disregard her wishes to not speak about her medical issues, I think she's thoroughly justified to lie all she wants if that's what it takes to maintain privacy over an issue that she absolutely doesn't want to talk about.

Seems to me people would just drop it. They're not going to get Aretha to spit out anything she doesn't want to, and at some point it becomes wildly disrespectful that they continue trying.

.

.

[Edited 3/13/11 23:23pm]

Whatever it IS, Aretha does NOT have to answer. Who in the hell wants that? Aretha has not let people invade her privacy for such a long time, if they're expecting her to do it NOW, they can forget that shit.

Timmy84 said:

PDogz said:

Seems to me she's been trying with all her might to do exactly THAT... "No Comment" and "I don't speak about my personal business", and people mow right over that and just keep coming at her with... "TELL US ABOUT THE CANCER!".

In light of how the media & fans relentlessly continue to disregard her wishes to not speak about her medical issues, I think she's thoroughly justified to lie all she wants if that's what it takes to maintain privacy over an issue that she absolutely doesn't want to talk about.

Seems to me people would just drop it. They're not going to get Aretha to spit out anything she doesn't want to, and at some point it becomes wildly disrespectful that they continue trying.

Whatever it IS, Aretha does NOT have to answer. Who in the hell wants that? Aretha has not let people invade her privacy for such a long time, if they're expecting her to do it NOW, they can forget that shit.

If she came out and told people she had cancer, everywhere she would go from now till the end of her days people would be staring at her with tombstones in their eyes. If she does in fact have cancer; someone like Aretha would want to spend the rest of her time LIVING, not DYING.

PDogz said:

Timmy84 said:

Whatever it IS, Aretha does NOT have to answer. Who in the hell wants that? Aretha has not let people invade her privacy for such a long time, if they're expecting her to do it NOW, they can forget that shit.

If she came out and told people she had cancer, everywhere she would go from now till the end of her days people would be staring at her with tombstones in their eyes. If she does in fact have cancer; someone like Aretha would want to spend the rest of her time LIVING, not DYING.

Yeah Aretha ain't gonna go out like a victim. That's not how she was raised.

It was a print interview with Miss LaBelle and below is what was reported:

When we asked her for a reaction to the news of Aretha Franklin's diagnosis with pancreatic cancer, Patti gave the Queen of Soul a moving tribute, saying: "I called her two weeks before it was publicized, so I knew for a long time that she had pancreatic cancer. And I knew for a long time that she had lost 50 lbs. So, people are going around with bad rumors that she had liposuction - that's not nice. You know, the lady is suffering. I've talked to her manager to see when I should send flowers to her, and all of that kind of stuff. I'm going to go to Detroit just to see her. She's our Queen - you'll never, ever find another one like her. Ever. She's the best! And a lot of people are in pain. I went and lit a candle for her at a cathedral, and you pray for Aretha Franklin now. She will be back. Love you ReRe!"

PDogz said:

RnBAmbassador said:

The problem with the Patti Labelle alleged quote is the media source it came from. A star of LaBelle's magnitude would have garnered more mainstream media coverage - but only that one source said she said it in an interview.

ALLEGED quote?!? As I remember it (though I can't recall the source at this time), but it was a video clip of Patti speaking about Aretha's condition. It wasn't a matter of "he said she said", like someone "heard" Patti say... Patti was saying it directly to the camera. I saw it, and remember it well. Then she went on to say how she was waiting to find out where to have flowers delivered to Aretha. Naturally that footage would have been pulled the minute Aretha learned of it.

Perhaps, or maybe sympathetic fans would realize that she's just saying what she needs to say in order to keep her personal issues PRIVATE. I don't think an Aries like Aretha would take very kindly to people approaching her with: "We KNOW you have cancer, and you better tell us about it!", which is essentially what the media and fans have been doing.

RnBAmbassador said:

Also surgery for pancreatic cancer does not add 15 years to one's life, Pancreatic cancer is terminal to my knowledge - not a curable form of the dreaded disease.

All the more reason to not want to talk about it. I would disregard the "15 years added to life" part.

http://globalgrind.com/mu...a-franklin

THE ORIGINAL SOURCE OF PATTI LABELLE'S COMMENT

Global Grind

HuMpThAnG said:

trueiopian said:

Aretha needs to stop bullshitting.

yup

I totally respect her right to privacy and I understand why she wouldn't want to discuss these very personal matters.Unfortunately,when you're a celebrity,people are gonna talk,spread rumors and lie.That's the price of fame.Look at how crazy this situation became: some fans were having prayer vigils for Aretha! Then you have people who are supposedly 'close' to Aretha (Patti LaBelle,Jesse Jackson,etc) making statements to the media...conflicting,confusing statements that only raise more questions,lol.

PDogz said:

Timmy84 said:

Whatever it IS, Aretha does NOT have to answer. Who in the hell wants that? Aretha has not let people invade her privacy for such a long time, if they're expecting her to do it NOW, they can forget that shit.

If she came out and told people she had cancer, everywhere she would go from now till the end of her days people would be staring at her with tombstones in their eyes. If she does in fact have cancer; someone like Aretha would want to spend the rest of her time LIVING, not DYING.

Yep I'm just happy that,whatever she was going through,she seems to be healing from it and is on the road to recovery.

SoulAlive said:

PDogz said:

If she came out and told people she had cancer, everywhere she would go from now till the end of her days people would be staring at her with tombstones in their eyes. If she does in fact have cancer; someone like Aretha would want to spend the rest of her time LIVING, not DYING.

Yep I'm just happy that,whatever she was going through,she seems to be healing from it and is on the road to recovery.

And that's all that matters

There is a 10% chance of surviving from pancreatic cancer. So, the cancer or the lap-band could be both be in play. Either way, I wish she would use her celebrity to educate rather than skirt around the issue. It's very unbecoming of someone who makes their living off of the public.

PDogz said:

prodigalfan said:

Just don't say anything at all. Don't outright lie.

Just say "no comment". Anything else only add fuel to the fire.

Seems to me she's been trying with all her might to do exactly THAT... "No Comment" and "I don't speak about my personal business", and people mow right over that and just keep coming at her with... "TELL US ABOUT THE CANCER!".

In light of how the media & fans relentlessly continue to disregard her wishes to not speak about her medical issues, I think she's thoroughly justified to lie all she wants if that's what it takes to maintain privacy over an issue that she absolutely doesn't want to talk about.

Seems to me people would just drop it. They're not going to get Aretha to spit out anything she doesn't want to, and at some point it becomes wildly disrespectful that they continue trying.

.

.

[Edited 3/13/11 23:23pm]

prodigalfan said:

PDogz said:

Seems to me she's been trying with all her might to do exactly THAT... "No Comment" and "I don't speak about my personal business", and people mow right over that and just keep coming at her with... "TELL US ABOUT THE CANCER!".

In light of how the media & fans relentlessly continue to disregard her wishes to not speak about her medical issues, I think she's thoroughly justified to lie all she wants if that's what it takes to maintain privacy over an issue that she absolutely doesn't want to talk about.

Seems to me people would just drop it. They're not going to get Aretha to spit out anything she doesn't want to, and at some point it becomes wildly disrespectful that they continue trying.

.

.

[Edited 3/13/11 23:23pm]

Then if that is really her intent she should stop doing exclusive 1 on 1 interviews with Wendy Williams, Access Hollywood and Jet magazine to name the few I have seen. It is not like the paparazzi is running her down and screaming at her with microphones in her face. These are very controlled interviews. Why make an appointment to talk about what you are not going to talk about?

Because Aretha wants to control her own media.

Timmy84 said:

prodigalfan said:

Then if that is really her intent she should stop doing exclusive 1 on 1 interviews with Wendy Williams, Access Hollywood and Jet magazine to name the few I have seen. It is not like the paparazzi is running her down and screaming at her with microphones in her face. These are very controlled interviews. Why make an appointment to talk about what you are not going to talk about?

Because Aretha wants to control her own media.

She's trying to take control of the story, to redirect the spin, as opposed to just sitting back silently and letting the media attempt to rip her insides out, while fans are busy digging her grave.

PDogz said:

Timmy84 said:

Because Aretha wants to control her own media.

She's trying to take control of the story, to redirect the spin, as opposed to just sitting back silently and letting the media attempt to rip her insides out, while fans are busy digging her grave.

yeah, because that always works. as in never.