There has been a lot of speculation about Aretha Franklin’s health as of late, and in a new exclusive interview, the Queen of Soul sits down with Access Hollywood’s Shaun Robinson to address the rumors surrounding her dramatic weight loss. Aretha candidly discusses her health and her recent 85-pound weight loss, denying that she underwent gastric bypass surgery, as has been rumored. She also discusses her recent break-up and who she’d like to see cast in the movie based on her life.
The two-part interview will air Monday and Tuesday on Access Hollywood.
Some excerpts from the interview, below:
SHAUN: Aretha, so you have not had gastric bypass surgery?
ARETHA: Definitely not…and would not. And would not.
SHAUN: That’s outstanding, because you know the rumors are out there.
ARETHA: I heard that. I said that is crazy. That is crazy.
SHAUN: Cancer. We heard that first…and then the gastric bypass surgery.
ARETHA: Yeah, that was the next thing. If I had to have that surgery, I would be fat, OK?
SHAUN: Because it’s too scary? Too scary to have that surgery?
ARETHA: Yes.
SHAUN: So how did you lose the weight?
ARETHA: You know and I had a cousin who had that surgery and she turned green and she did pass too. That’s something I would never ever do.
SHAUN: How did the weight come off?
ARETHA: From the surgery, but it wasn’t that surgery.
SHAUN: From the surgery that you had?
ARETHA: From the surgery that I had, but it definitely was not the bariatric or what is it gastric by—Yeah, I can’t even tell you the correct name of it!
SHAUN: Do you want to say– do you want to tell people what type of surgery you had?
ARETHA: No, it’s really not necessary…to talk about one’s personal medical (health).
SHAUN: Did you ever feel a need to come out and say, ‘OK everybody, calm down. I’m fine’?
ARETHA: No, because you really can’t control what people have to say, and you just can’t control what comes out of people’s mouths. So, it will take care of itself. I am my own best example and that’s where I leave that.
SHAUN: So, the weight came off as a result of another type of surgery that you had. Can you feel your energy level is different? You must have more energy now.
ARETHA: I do and I do, lighter and more energy…and the doctor did say to me, he said, ‘Mrs. Franklin, you are going to feel better than you have felt maybe in 10 or 15 years…and the surgery that you had is going to add 15 years to your life.’
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