Delta Burke Confronts the Fat Issue Head-On

“Designing Women” star Delta Burke, whose weight gain makes tabloid headlines almost as often as Elizabeth Taylor’s, gets her revenge tonight as her character, Suzanne Sugarbaker, proves to the class of ’74 that the size of her heart is more important than the size of her hips.

The show’s executive producer, Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, said the weight issue was as tough to face for the actress as for her character. But Burke’s desire to strike back--as well as to squelch rumors that the producers wanted to fire her for being heavy--helped her overcome her sensitivity.

In fact, Bloodworth-Thomason said, Burke did not flinch when she saw the script’s working title: “Big.”

Bloodworth-Thomason said she had avoided writing about Burke’s weight because she thought Burke wanted it that way. Finally, however, “the attacks out there had gotten so vulgar and tacky we decided it was time to deal with the issue.”

Bloodworth-Thomason said some insults Suzanne’s classmates offer are culled from real life. At a press event, Burke overheard reporters trying to guess her bra size; that happens at the on-screen reunion.

Bloodworth-Thomason added that she never objected to Burke’s weight. “As a matter of fact, I thought the character of the former beauty queen was more interesting overweight, and a great role model--but of course Delta wasn’t interested in playing the part that way, and I don’t blame her.

“It’s because Delta is perceived as glamorous that she should not be allowed to gain weight. They made it sound as though she had killed a school bus full of children.”