Kathy Najimy on Women and Body Image

At length with Steve Scher. - The House of Podcasts

Steve Scher talks to producer, actor and activist Kathy Najimy about women and body image.

Powerful forces are at work shaping our body image. Self-esteem, family norms, peer group pressures and the media all influence our feelings about our own bodies.

Actor, activist and producer Kathy Najimy wrapped up the UW’s Weight and Wellness lecture series with a talk on “Women and Body Image,” based on her personal story and her years working in Hollywood.

Named one of Ms. Magazine's 'Women of the Year’ in 2004, she is producing a new HBO series based on Ms. Magazine and the work of Gloria Steinem and the feminists of the 70’s.

In the 80’s, she co-wrote and co-starred with Mo Gaffney in the Obie award winning feminist comedy hit, “The Kathy and Mo Show.” Two productions were later broadcast on HBO.

Kathy Najimy’s breakthrough role was as Sister Mary Patrick in the 1992 Whoopi Goldberg film, “Sister Act.” She has gone on to a highly successful career on stage, screen and television in a wide variety of roles. For 14 seasons she was the voice of Peggy Hill on the award winning animated series “King of The Hill.” She co-starred with her idol Bette Midler in the movie “Hocus Pocus.” She was back on the New York stage in 2014 with her one-woman show, “Lift Up Your Skirt.” She is currently on HBO's "Veep," and has been cast in a new TV series as a police chief.

She has spoken around the world on issues affecting girls, women, LGBTQ, as well as animal rights and AIDS prevention. She has won numerous awards and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars. She earned some of the money as a formidable TV game show player and as a poker champion.

Support for the lecture series comes from the University of Washington Alumni Association, The Graduate School of Public Health,

Support for At Length with Steve Scher comes from the UWAA.