Covering New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's secret weight loss surgery, Good Morning America's Paula Faris couldn't help but make fat jokes. The reporter on Wednesday began her segment by wryly asserting, "Chris Christie is wasting no time devouring his critics." She continued, "The no-holds-barred New Jersey Governor known for his healthy appetite...sounded off" at reporters. [See video below. MP3 audio below.]
Faris found clips of liberal comedians mocking the Republican governor. She included one of David Letterman joking, "Bring it, fat boy!" In another snippet, Jimmy Fallon sneered, "Christie hopes to visit the site of the Last Supper. You know, see if there's any leftovers." This isn't the first time the ABC morning show has joined in on fat jokes about Christie.
On February 6, 2013, Amy Robach scolded Christie, "He's going to have to lay off the doughnuts."
During that segment, reporter Dan Harris featured Connie Maraino, a former White House physician. Harris relayed that "she's worried about [Christie] dying on the job."
There have been a number of overweight Democratic politicians, people such as Ted Kennedy. Yet, ABC gushed over Kennedy as the "Senate lion" who was "obviously critical' to American life.
A transcript of the May 8 segment, which aired at 7:14am ET is below:
7:14am ET
ELIZABETH VARGAS: Now that New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has revealed to the world he had weight loss surgery earlier this year, there are big questions about how he managed to keep it a secret for as long as he did. Of course, he's saying he did it just to be around for his wife and kids. ABC's Paula Faris has the story.
PAULA FARIS: Chris Christie is wasting no time devouring his critics.
CHRIS CHRISTIE: Your opinions on this issue really don't matter a whole hell of a lot for me.
VARGAS: The no-holds-barred New Jersey Governor known for his healthy appetite and fiery rhetoric
CHRISTIE: In terms of keeping it secret, it's nobody else's business.
FARIS: –sounded off, Tuesday, at reporters who questioned why he kept his lap band waist surgery secret, even from his lieutenant governor.
CHRISTIE: It's like asking if I decided to take a nap on Saturday afternoon, do I call her and say, "Hey, Kim, I'm taking a nap for 40 minutes, you know, you're in charge." I mean, ridiculous.
FARIS: The governor, who is up for re-election in the fall said he got the idea of surgery from New York Jets Coach Rex Ryan, who had the same operation. Christie's doctor met him a undisclosed locations and on the day of surgery even used a fake name.
CHRISTIE: I'm sure you're very curious about that. I'm not telling you the name I used to check into the hospital.
FARIS: In lap band surgery, doctors place a silicone band around the stomach to reduce its size, limiting the amount of food the stomach can hold. Sources say, since February, Christie has lost 30 pounds. The governor, once the captain of his high school baseball team, said his growing waistline has been weighing heavily on him for close to 30 years becoming the subject of endless jokes.
JIMMY FALLON: Christie hopes to visit the site of the Last Supper. You know, see if there's any leftovers.
DAVID LETTERMAN: Bring it, fat boy!
FARIS: Sources tell ABC News, he's long been a fad dieter, even has a personal trainer.
CHRISTIE: I do everything he tells me to do.
FARIS: Now, nearly three months in, he says he's hopes the scales tip in his favor but not tipping his hand as to how much he plans to shed.
CHRISTIE: It's not anyone else's business but mine and so, that's the reason I made the decision I did. That's all.
FARIS: And the governor was roasted last night. One reporter joked, quote, "I guess Springsteen is no longer the band closest to the governor's heart." Elizabeth?
ELIZABETH VARGAS: Very good, Paula.
