Rosie O'Donnell critiques Jay Leno after Biggest Loser Netflix doc

Rosie ODonnell used social media on Tuesday to criticize Jay Leno and, more broadly, the culture surrounding The Biggest Loser, as Netflix’s three-part documentary on the show shines a spotlight on heavyweight questions about contestants’ welfare and producers’ choices. After watching Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser, ODonnell posted that Leno is a “mean ahole,” accompanying images from the documentary that show Leno reading death-threat messages directed at Tracey Yukich during her appearance on The Tonight Show. She also directed a pointed message at trainer Bob Harper, accusing him of insensitivity in the context of the program’s history.

The documentary centers on former contestants recounting experiences behind the scenes during the 18-season run of The Biggest Loser, which aired on NBC from 2004 to 2016 and returned for one final season in 2020. It details how some participants say the show’s environment emphasized extreme weight loss tactics and confrontational moments in ways that had lasting effects on their mental and physical health. A focal scene in the program shows Yukich describing the emotional impact of being targeted by critical comments and death...