Where The Biggest Loser‘s Joelle & Bob Harper Stand Today After His Viral ‘Cursing’ Rant at Her During the Show
This The Biggest Loser contestant did some deep reflection on her time in the show. Joelle Gwynn was one alum of the NBC reality show who appeared on Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser, and she revealed her scathing thoughts on one of the coaches who berated her.
Joelle starred on Season 7 of The Biggest Loser and joined the show with her “best friend” Carla Tripplett. However, things weren’t as they seemed. “Carla and I were actually more of acquaintances,” she told People in 2009. “She did suggest for marketing purposes that we put ‘best friends,’ but we are still interacting in the same way that we did before and we are still working on achieving our goals; we are just doing it separately. I didn’t want to come on the show and do drama. There were some things that were said publicly that were hurtful, but sometimes relationships are rocky like that. The end result is that we benefited so much: we’ve gotten rid of high blood pressure, diabetes. There are victories here.”
When her time at the show ended, she lost 80 pounds. She initially weighed 309 lbs. and ended at 229 lbs.
Joelle was sued by Dr. Robert Huizenga for defamation after she alleged in the New York Post that he and the show perpetuated the use illicit weight-loss drugs. “I went and told the sports medicine guy,” she alleged to the New York Post, per The Hollywood Reporter. “The next day, Dr. [Robert] Huizenga gave us some lame explanation of why they got added to our regimen and that it was up to us to take them.” In 2019, a US district court found she had not defamed him.
Where is Joelle Gwynn now?
Joelle Gwynn currently keeps a low profile. She briefly started a YouTube channel in 2021 called Menopause Hottie, which chronicled her daily active life. However, it doesn’t seem like she’s active on social media anymore.
Joelle spoke out about the show in Fit for TV, specifically about the time when coach Bob Harper yelled at her. During a challenge, contestants had to stay running on a treadmill for 30 seconds, but Joelle struggled. “What the f—k Joelle? Every single time it’s 20 seconds. Every single time. What is it? Tell me what it is?’ he shouted. “You don’t come off for 30 seconds, ok? That’s all I’m asking. Just do that. God!”
“That little country bumpkin of a man berates me in such a way I’ve never seen on the show before,” she recalled about the time.
Harper tried to explain his reasons for yelling at her. “It wasn’t about the treadmill. It was — the picture was bigger than that. It was like her committing to something and finishing it,” Harper said. “It wasn’t one of my proudest moments.”
However, Joelle was having none of it. “I’ve never seen someone get abused like that. It was very, very, very embarrassing. It brought me back to home. I’m there because I would get s—t like that at home and eat, so you cursing me out doesn’t help me. I do not care for Bob. F—k you, Bob Harper. Your little dog too.”
