Christina Aguilera has taken a fair amount of flak for packing on the pounds recently, particularly after she showed up to a recent American Music Awards event looking like she's squeezed into a dress from her "Genie In a Bottle" days:

Christina loves the booze; she's constantly surrounded by people who tell her she looks amazing and she clearly has no intention of dieting anytime soon, so naturally, she responds to photos like this one by having her publicist cook up some statement about how she wears dresses that are three sizes too small because she's an empowered feminist or some crap.

“I embrace my body, and I embrace everything about myself," the singer tells People. Then she slips in a plug for her new album, 'cause why not? "Coming full circle is a celebration of freedom and happiness because that’s what [my new album] Lotus is representing. I’m embracing everything that I’ve grown to be and learned to be.”

I'm sure the money and special treatment are great, but I'm starting to think the best part of being celebrity is the fact that you can totally let yourself go, and as along you spew some haiku nonsense about it in your next interview people will applaud and call you a role model.

(Photo: WENN)