The Skinny on Mo'Nique's F.A.T. Chance

TV Guide talks to Mo'Nique, the Queen of Comedy, about living large and Mo'Nique's F.A.T. Chance, her second-annual beauty pageant for "Fabulous and Thick" women, premiering Saturday at 8 pm/ET on Oxygen.

TV Guide: Thin is in, yet you celebrate larger women. Why?
Mo'Nique: People often say, "You are promoting people to be unhealthy." That's not what I'm promoting at all. I'm promoting people to be happy and healthy. Go for a walk. Do jumping jacks. Dance. Have the best sex ever! Want a healthy lifestyle. Not just to be a size 2.

TV Guide: Have you been plus-size all your life?
Mo'Nique: Since birth. I was 9 pounds, 13 ounces. One time, I said to my mama, "Where did I come from? I was bigger than you at birth!"

TV Guide: Why do fashion experts keep turning to gay men to teach women how to walk and dress?
Mo'Nique: I chose Harvey Star Washington because he's a makeover genius. But some gay men, they're very flamboyant, and it makes great television, honey.

TV Guide: Why do you take the F.A.T. Chance contestants horseback riding and salsa dancing?
Mo'Nique: Because we've been told it's not for us. We can go horseback riding, swimming and all those things. Life is meant to be enjoyed.

TV Guide: You say you're pro-health, yet your upcoming book, Skinny Cooks Can't Be Trusted, has tons of calorie-laden recipes.
Mo'Nique: All the low-fat, low-carb, tofu cookbooks took the fun out of cooking. It's like, let's have what Grandma used to make: real good macaroni-and-cheese and real good baked chicken that made you go, "Oooh, I'm gon' lay down."

TV Guide: You've done TV, movies, books, comedy albums. What's next?
Mo'Nique: Tomorrow. That's what's next. When I get to it, if I get to it, I'll deal with it then.

Pick up the July 17 issue of TV Guide magazine to read more about other reality shows such as Treasure Hunters and Last Comic Standing.

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