Living Single Star Kim Coles Reveals Executives Threatened Fat Jokes Over Weight

Kim Coles, known for her role as Synclaire James on the sitcom Living Single, revealed that producers pressured her to lose weight, threatening to include fat jokes in the script if she did not comply. She recounted receiving calls at the start of every season through her manager urging her to slim down, which affected her confidence and led her to make a concerted effort to maintain the producers' desired image. Despite this, her co-star Queen Latifah intervened, firmly opposing weight-related jokes and helping to halt such humiliating script content. Erika Alexander, another co-star, also supported Coles by refusing to read any fat jokes, highlighting the cast’s solidarity against body shaming. Coles emphasized that the show featured diverse body types reflective of their community, but executives imposed narrow, Eurocentric beauty standards that created an oppressive environment. This behind-the-scenes pressure underscores the ongoing challenges Black actresses face regarding body image and representation in Hollywood.