David DeLuise recently addressed fat jokes made about his character Jerry Russo on the Disney Channel show Wizards of Waverly Place. On the Wizards of Waverly Pod episode, the actor shared the negative impact these jokes had on him. Here’s what DeLuise and other Wizards of Waverly Place alum have said about having to deal with body shaming.
The Disney Channel show ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’
The Disney Channel teen sitcom Wizards of Waverly Place debuted in October 2007. The show ran for four seasons and 106 episodes from 2007 to 2012. Fans will remember the magical Russo family, as the three children learn to balance ordinary teen life with their abilities.
The starring character in the teen sitcom is Alex Russo, played by Selena Gomez. According to Fandom, Alex and her two brothers, Justin (David Henrie) and Max (Jake T. Austin), all inherited their magical powers from their father, Jerry (David DeLuise). Other main characters in the television show include the Russo kid’s mother, Theresa Russo (Maria Canals Barrera), and Alex’s best friend, Harper Finkle (Jennifer Stone).
David DeLuise addressed ‘fat jokes’ ‘Wizards of Waverly Place’ made about Jerry
It’s been over a decade since the last episode of Wizards of Waverly Place aired on Disney Channel. However, the memories of the show are still staying alive through the new Wizards of Waverly Pod, a podcast hosted by David DeLuise and Jennifer Stone. The first episode came out in February 2023.
On one episode of the podcast, DeLuise discussed how his character, Jerry Russo, was often ridiculed for his weight. He addressed the trope in Hollywood of the “funny fat friend.” Writers on Wizards of Waverly Place tried to put DeLuise’s character in this box early on. Fat jokes about Jerry Russo were written into the script throughout the series, even after DeLuise lost a significant amount of weight.
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According to BuzzFeed, on a podcast episode with Stone, DeLuise opened up about his body image and having to deal with the constant fat jokes while working on the set. DeLuise quipped, “I didn’t like that they made the fat jokes. Then I lost all this weight, and then they kept making fat jokes. I didn’t like that.”
David DeLuise and Selena Gomez get candid about their body image
Unfortunately, DeLuise isn’t the only Wizards of Waverly Place alum who has dealt with body shaming over the years. Since the end of the series in 2012, Selena Gomez has risen to superstar status. According to IMDb, the entertainer has balanced both an acting and music career over the last decade. She’s released multiple albums as a pop star, all while starring in (and executive producing) multiple projects, like the hit series Only Murders in the Building.
Having been continuously in the spotlight since her teen years has led to many people thinking they have the right to put their two cents in about Gomez’s body. So she’s opened up about her weight fluctuation and the body shaming she has had to endure. The entertainer went live on TikTok, addressing the medical conditions behind her recent weight gain to her 57.9 Million followers. She has to take multiple medications, some of which contribute to water retention and weight fluctuation.
Gomez hit home the message to her fans that they are perfect in the body they have, regardless of any nasty comments others try to throw their way. According to Women’s Health Magazine, the entertainer told her fans, “‘I just wanted to say and encourage anyone out there who feels any sort of shame for exactly what they’re going through, and nobody knows the real story. I just want people to know that you’re beautiful and you’re wonderful.”
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