Overweight N.J. gov dodges Twinkies query
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie says he wasn't about to take the bait: a question dealing with that quintessential junk food, Twinkies.
So when asked Friday at a news conference about Twinkies-maker Hostess shutting down, the target of many a fat joke begged off.
The governor quipped: "I know it! You people are the worst! This is a setup! I am not answering questions on Twinkies, no, no, no, no, no, no. It's bad that I even said the word 'Twinkie' from behind this microphone."
Christie has tried for years to lose weight and often jokes about his caloric struggles. He once likened his weight loss efforts to "throwing a couple deck chairs off of the Titanic."
But Friday he said he wouldn't provide more fodder to comedians.
"You know," he said, "I'm on 'Saturday Night Live' enough."
So when asked Friday at a news conference about Twinkies-maker Hostess shutting down, the target of many a fat joke begged off.
The governor quipped: "I know it! You people are the worst! This is a setup! I am not answering questions on Twinkies, no, no, no, no, no, no. It's bad that I even said the word 'Twinkie' from behind this microphone."
Christie has tried for years to lose weight and often jokes about his caloric struggles. He once likened his weight loss efforts to "throwing a couple deck chairs off of the Titanic."
But Friday he said he wouldn't provide more fodder to comedians.
"You know," he said, "I'm on 'Saturday Night Live' enough."
There is no amusement in making fun of someone's shortcoming if they admit it.
He is a good leader. I am sorry he is so large, but he can do something about that if he wants to.
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Smart guy. I like Twinkies. Have one about every 10 years, but they are good. Especially frozen.
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I am no Obama fan, but my hat is off to the both of them with how they dealt with the devastating hurricane.
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That is how politicians should work together. Clint was right, THEY WORK FOR US. I hope and pray anymore that they just might all figure that out. But, I know Alice in Wonderland is a fantasy story.
 @pbs7mm I agree, he does appear to be a good leader, and he has a lot on his plate right now. He's also very smart to dodge the whole Twinkie thing. Yee gads, I loved them as a child, lost interest for 20 years, tried one again, and almost gagged. Then I read the nutritional label and knew they were body garbage. I guess it's an acquired taste.
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I do think he has a strong political future, but I also think he is and will be judged by his body. I just pray that he can come to love himself enough to see this, and when the time is right for him, hire a personal trainer and nutritionist to help him, and counsel his family as to how to support him.
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Now, Governor Christie, please take my advice, I rarely use it.
Atleast he has a sense of humor about it and doesn't demand apologies and sensitivity training for people who joke about it.
 @Dredd57 The people who truly need "sensitivity training" are those who demand it to be inflicted upon others.
Why doesn't he have weight loss surgery? Seriously. A walking time bomb.
I love this guy... he's hysterical. Â I hope he considers a run for President in 2016.
No one has ever defined what is the ideal to the agreement of all people. It's pretty shallow to judge a person by what's on the outside. What I wish is that the government and medical establishment would quit making such an issue out of it. Help these people loose weight if they can/want to, but don't set out on a crusade to make them feel like they are not acceptable as they are.
 I am Canadian and I like this guy.Â
Leave the man alone!
I'm actually beginning to like this guy... and that's scary! Doubt very much I would vote for him for President, but especially among Republicans he does seem to have a guileless streak. Interesting...
I believe I have had my fill of other people being over critical of other peoples appearance and weight. In the last 20 years its an epidemic of worrying about complete strangers thinking they are the physical appearance authority. Its none of their business to ask if someone indulges in a snack cake periodically in their life. Goldilocks syndrome: One person is too large, another is too thin, and that one is just not right.....enough already and live your own life instead of getting involved with other peoples.
@DarkRenegade The "epidemic" is the fact that 67% of our population is obese or morbidly obese.
 @Klondiko Thank you for making my point. Most people cant even take care of their own lives and issues so they are vastly out of line to try and tell another person if they are thin or obese.
we are a nation of bullies, I'm so tired of hearing about his weight and all the jokes. I'm fat and I haven't had a twinkie or a ho ho or any of the likes since I was a kid. People without a weight problem have no idea how hard it actually is to lose weight when you are someone who eats healthy to begin with.
Whimsical Gov. Chrisite, very whimsical
In the end this will all workout.
He didn't dodge anything....He's too fat!
 @F4I And he's the first one to admit "He's fat" how does that harm you? I think everyone with eyes can see he's fat, and prejudice comes in all forms.
@MC @F4I How does that harm me? It increases health costs tremendously. We, as a nation, need to stop eating so much junk food and get in better shape.
 @Scott LOL, ok the last word is always the winner right? I'm not judging you, and I don't know you, but I have known some just like you from the comments you make, number one, my first comment was NOT directed to you, YOU chose to interject yourself and reply to me, which started this whole line of who's right and who's wrong, so next time you interject yourself into someone elses comment, be prepared, my best advice to a bitter person such as yourself is remember one thing...
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"It's better to be silent and thought dumb, then to speak and remove ALL doubt, an empty vessel makes the greatest sound"
 @MC I'm sorry.. didn't you say in one of your first posts about "not judging" people? Maybe you should re-read what you just wrote. The only thing you have written is judgmental towards me, whom you don't know. I haven't been "gripeing" about anything. You asked a question about how it affects someone and I gave you a factual answer in response. I never said fat people are making me poor and I don't worry about my wallet.
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Have a great day anyway!
 @Scott Ok, you know I really am not going to debate with you over this, you keep right on being prejudice against fat people, live your life like you wish, and don't worry about gas prices, insurance premiums., or what Forbes says, the world would be much better off if people minded their own life, stop bitching about how the fat people are making you poor, and the fuel they burn when in an automobile, take off your blinders and see what's really happening, you are probably happy gripeing about EVERYTHING, concerning money issues, if you think your not getting a fair shake with your high insurance payments going to fat people, my suggestion would be STOP paying them...don't stroke out now worrying about your wallet and the fat people, continue at your gym, keep check on your own health and don't worry about something YOU will never change. Have a good day, stay healthy...
 @MC Obviously you don't understand how healthcare works, nor have I targeted anyone specifically, including the governor in my responses. Even if Gov. Christie pays his health care premium his insurance company will pay the majority of his health care expenses. Now, are insurance companies charities? No... they are in the business of making money. So, who really covers the extra money that the insurance companies have to pay to treat people who are obese? The answer is the people paying the premiums. According a study published in Forbes Obese men rack up an additional $1,152 a year in medical spending, obese women account for an extra $3,613 a year.
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This also isn't taking into account the additional 1 BILLION additional gallons of gasoline being burned each year in automobiles because of the extra weight carried by vehicles. That's 1 percent of our total gasoline usage, which would increase fuel costs.
 @Scott I really hope nothing happens to you medically, where your medical premiums won't/don't cover you, but in the event that should happen, I'm sure that some of these obese people have just as big a heart as their waist line and open their wallets to help you, happens all the time...
 @Scott Sensitive? lol, surly you jest, No, it does not have a direct effect on your wallet because HE is fat, he has enough money in HIS wallet to take care of any medical issues should they occur from his being over weight, I'm reasonably sure you have more important things to worry about than HIS weight, I suppose you are perfect in every way? no room for improvement in your health? you pay for your medical needs, he will pay for his, and I will pay for mine.
@MC I wasn't judging anyone. Someone is a little TOO sensitive on the issue.
America being overweight does have a DIRECT effect on my wallet. Obesity adds $190 BILLION to the annual NATIONAL healthcare price tag, more than smoking. This increases the medical premium I have to pay which takes money out of my wallet every month.
 @Scott Was I talking to you? who makes you the judge of others? you act like him being overweight has a direct effect on your wallet, "We as a nation need to stop judging others and mind your own health". also We as a nation would be a lot better off if WE worked on not being Prejudice as too what others look like.