Tara Reid has reiterated her vehement denial that she is not suffering from an eating disorder, despite looking noticeably thinner than ever.
During an interview with Additional host Billy Bush, the 47-year-old actress, spoke about her decision to ‘challenge’ herself by taking part in Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test ‘to do something she ‘never thought she could achieve’.
Asked whether she had prepared enough for the grueling television series, which puts stars through intense physical and mental tests, the New Jersey native said she was inspired after suffering from “years of pent-up” anger from body-shaming.
“No, they hired me three days before the show… So I wasn’t physically ready… The backpack was so heavy for me. I didn’t have a chance… It didn’t work that well,” the American Pie alum.
Setting the record straight: Tara Reid doubled down on her vehement denial that she doesn’t suffer from an eating disorder, despite looking noticeably thinner than ever
As for whether she has been bullied, Reid emphasizes that she has been ridiculed a lot in her life, “usually because” of her body or because she was “too skinny.”
At this point Bush asks, “Are you too thin?”
‘It has been going on for years, but there is no eating disorder. I eat all the time. That’s not a problem for me,” she replied.
Reid, and then asks Bush, “You’ve known me for over twenty years, do I look different?”
‘I think you look a little… too thin. That’s what I’m going to say,” he answered truthfully.
The performer went on to suggest that the chance of her appearance ‘maybe’ is that she is ‘getting a bit older and vulnerable’.
“That’s what happens to older ladies,” she insisted. ‘I don’t think people should comment. I don’t think they should say nasty things or anything.’
Despite only serving two days with Fox’s Special Forces, Reid said she would “do it again if” she could start training right now.”
Gutsy: During an interview with Extra host Billy Bush, the 47-year-old actress spoke about her decision to ‘challenge’ herself by taking part in Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test ‘to do something she’d never thought she could do it could achieve
Out of her comfort zone: Asked if she had prepared enough for the grueling television series, which puts stars through intense physical and mental tests, the New Jersey native said she was inspired after ‘years of pent-up’ anger from body shaming
Her latest comments come after she clarified during an interview with the newspaper that she has never had anorexia or bulimia Inquisitor of Los Angeles.
‘I’m terrified of throwing up, so that’s not going to happen. And I love food too much,” she told the outlet.
Reid added: “So anyone who says I have anorexia or bulimia is wrong. So stop it. Leave me alone. Let me point out something else, but not these two things. It’s not right.’
The performer also said that the ongoing speculation about her weight is a form of bullying that has led her to a dark place.
That’s part of the reason she decided to participate in Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test.
The Sharknado actress joined the cast of the military training competition to “overcome certain problems she has deep inside.”
“I thought if I could do this, try this, maybe I can get over some things that I have, like the darkness inside of me,” she shared. “And a lot of it is about bullying.”
Her latest comments come after she clarified during an interview with the Los Angeles Inquisitor (seen in 2018) that she has never had anorexia or bulimia.
And even though she was the first contestant to leave the show, she has no regrets.
‘I’m so glad I did it because it really helped me. It made me know my strength, my mental strength, my inner strength – not necessarily my physical strength,” she said.
“But I learned a lot about myself and I came back feeling like I was a better person.”
And Tara was surprised by the overwhelming positive support she received from fans in DMs telling her she did a great job and that they were proud of her.
Before: Tara (pictured above in 2003) has always been slim
Heyday: Tara’s career in Hollywood got off to a promising start in the late 1990s
“And I read them out loud with Nate, my friend, and we would cry at times because it felt so good, because I never felt that support.”
Tara also took time to address the fans who reached out and lifted her spirits.
‘Thank you for making me feel good again. Because you can’t write everyone back – it’s too difficult – but I wanted to make a statement. Thank you to everyone who supported me and made me feel better and made me want to be a better person.
“I appreciated every comment that every fan said, and I want to thank them all.”