Apr 12, 2011

SIZE DOES MATTER



Ashley Kauffman, of Riverside, California, says the producers of American Idol forbid her from sitting in the front row last week because of her large size. The 19 year-old tells RADAR Online that she and five of her girlfriends got free tickets. "There were two ladies and they kind of looked us up and down and I'm like 'okay, not a big deal.' One of us was not in a great outfit and the lady said 'Oh, I don't want shorts in front.' Then she looks at me and goes, 'Oh no, you're just too big, too heavy to be in front!' I was kind of taken aback. I'm not that big, but I understand I was bigger than the girls I was with. But I was like, 'Wow, way to hit a low blow.'"

Ashley, who is 5' 2" and weighs 150 pounds, says she definitely felt discriminated against. "My three other friends were right in the front row by the seated area near the judges. And we're thinking we'd behind them. Well, the guy grabs my ticket and looks at it and goes, 'this makes sense why you're not with the skinny girls. You're in the last row.' I took it really hard, I'm very insecure about my weight anyways, but having this happen I had to stop myself from crying and having it ruin my night completely. But that didn't stop it from being in my head the whole time. I was to the point where I was like I've had two people mention something about my weight and why I can't be in front. I know I'm not an ugly person so I was really offended."

Ashley reportedly gained weight due to a medical condition.