Height Challenged

SIMON COWELL IS TALLER AND THINNER THAN EVER

Simon Cowell gave paparazzi a thumbs-up as he headed into America’s Got Talent, preparing for their 18th season today. He’s happy about the fact that he’s been able to maintain that 60 pound weight loss that he claims is due to food control. (Isn’t that what they all say?) Whatever – he IS successful, but we cannot help fixating on his foot wear, as usual. His custom made boots with lifts inside seem particularly evident today – maybe because of his long jeans. It looks like they give him AT LEAST four inches of added height…

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA

SIMON COWELL’S LITTLE SECRET

Okay, we have to confess- Male Vanity is one of our all-time favorite subjects. So when we see an excellent example of it, we just have to point it out. Simon Cowell was walking around on a chilly day in London, enjoying his weight loss and displaying his chest, as usual. What interested US, of course, is this photo that clearly reveals his elevator shoes. He has these pointy booties custom made at considerable expense, to give himself an extra three inches of height and figures that no one is aware, but WE are! And now you are too …

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA

BILLY IDOL LAUGHS AT HIMSELF

SOME people were not dressing up in costume and partying last weekend. Billy Idol and Kareem Abdul Jabbar were at a Teen Cancer America benefit, raising money for the charity. (Actually a lot of rockers like Elton, Harry Styles, Lizzo, Joan Jett, etc are involved in this charity) Billy gleefully posted this photo of himself looking like a midget next to the basketball legend.

Photo: Instagram

IS SYLVESTER STALLONE A TOUGH GUY?

Sylvester Stallone has long been somewhat obsessed with his height. His true height is somewhere between 5’8” and the 5’11” that he claims. We remember years back when he was making a movie at a film studio, and he sent someone out to look for male extras for a scene with him. It didn’t matter what they looked like – they just had to be shorter than him! Like that OTHER action star, Tom Cruise, Sly buys elevator shoes from expensive Italian shoemakers, although he IS credited with being the first actor to wear built up sneakers. So we were surprised to see this photo of Sly shopping in Rome with a couple of friends and several bodyguards who are ALL bigger than he is, in spite of his heeled cowboy boots… It also makes you wonder why Sly NEEDS bodyguards…

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA

TOM CRUISE: SMALL BUT IMPORTANT

Sorry, but we couldn’t resist publishing this photo! Tom Cruise has moved on to London for the Top Gun: Maverick premier and unfortunately for him, he was photographed with Prince William and Kate Middleton. We say “unfortunately” because in spite of his special shoes, the Royals do make him look short. That must be why Tom loves to make spectacular ego-boosting arrivals at his premiers in helicopters and fighter jets…

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA

TOM CRUISE STILL CRAVES THOSE EXTRA INCHES

It’s fascinating that Tom Cruise and his Top Gun:Maverick costar Jennifer Connelly are the same height (5’7”) and look like it in this photo in spite of the fact that she is wearing platform sandals that give her an extra 4 or 5 more inches. It makes one wonder WHAT Tom Cruise has in his shoes! Tom has his top-of-the-line shoes custom made with special lifts inside. Still, he remains dwarfed by his male costars…

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA

WHAT ROLE DOES PUTIN’S HEIGHT PLAY IN THIS WAR?

We’re not sure if Vladimir Putin is taller or shorter than Tom Cruise, but he is equally self-conscious about his height. There’s considerable online discussion about the carefully guarded secret of his actual height but the general opinion is from 5’3 to 5’6.” He’s been wearing hidden lifts in his shoes for YEARS – especially in situations where he has to stand next to taller heads of state for photographs. Smaller men have to be more assertive. His ego, which prompts him to wear lifts, is also fueling this aggressive war in Ukraine which has made him the most important man in the world right now.

Photo: Russian newspaper -probably no longer in existence

JAMIE FOXX GIVES HIMSELF A FEW INCHES

Okay, sometimes we get a little carried away when it comes to men’s fashion – but it’s always a revealing and interesting subject. Take this photo of Jamie Foxx, for example. Jamie loves fashion and we appreciate the colorful fleece jacket, plaid shirt, and jeans that he wore for dinner at Catch. But a close look at the 54 year old actor’s shoes is what tickled our fancy. Apparently being 5’8” is not enough for Jamie- he is wearing built-up wedgie sneakers that give him an extra 2 1/2 or 3 inches of height. Maybe he picked up a few tips about height enhancement from an expert when he costarred with Tom Cruise in Collateral

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA

KEVIN HART: PLATFORM SNEAKERS AREN’T ENOUGH!

Kevin Hart, 40, is only 5’4” and he’s trying to give himself a boost with platform sneakers, but he remains many inches shorter than his model wife Aniko, who is 5’7” and doesn’t hesitate to wear heels. She’s pregnant with their second child (Kevin has two from his first marriage) but he can afford a big family. Kevin was named “Richest Comedian” thanks to his 200 million dollar fortune. We think his height is an asset – makes him funnier…

Above, Kevin, Aniko, and friends are leaving Nobu in Malibu

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA

SIMON COWELL WALKS TALL IN HIS ELEVATOR SHOES

Men who wear elevator shoes and the shoes they wear have always been a source of fascination. Simon Cowell is obviously not happy about his height (he claims to be 5’9”) and he’s been augmenting it for years. He’s quite secretive and buys expensive custom made shoes that have lifts inside and built up heels. Simon’s been wearing exactly the same style of pointy toe shoes for YEARS, and tops them off with extra long wide leg pants or jeans that cover them up. That explains why his style hasn’t changed for the last 25 years…

Photo Credit: BACKGRID-USA