Cleo Berry, Los Angeles Actor With 2 Legs, Photoshopped Into Diabetic Amputee by NYC Health Department

By Simone Wilson Mon., Jan. 30 2012 at 12:30 PM

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Cleo Berry: alive and two-legged.

It's one thing to wake up to a heroic graphic design of your face on the cover of TIME, a la Sarah Mason of Occupy L.A.

It's another to wake up to an unflattering (and even more unflatteringly manipulated) photo of yourself on a New York City billboard, and all over the Internet, posing as a fat guy who ate so much junk food that he had to get his leg amputated.

Welcome to L.A. actor/director Cleo Berry's Friday night:

"I was beyond shocked," he told The New York Times this weekend. "I cried at my computer screen for, like, a minute. ... I said: 'Oh my gosh, they even gave me crutches. Come on, people.' "

PopPhoto.com

Though the photo had reportedly been 'shopped by the New York City Health Department to fit the needs of its anti-diabetes campaign, Berry instantly recognized its origins: a photo shoot in a Manhattan studio some years back.

He said he had answered an ad for the photo shoot because the $500 it promised would help pay his rent. He remembered liking the photographer, Morten Smidt, though said he did not understand that the pictures were for a stock photo agency, Image Source. But he acknowledged that he had signed a standard release allowing alteration of his image.

Thus reteaching an age-old lesson to the starving artists and Norma Jeans of the Great Recession: No matter how desperate you get, don't dump embarrassing pics into the world's general-use photobucket, because you never know where they might end up.

Though in this case, Berry couldn't do much about his right leg being lobbed off at the knee. The NYC Health Department's shame should run much deeper than the struggling actor's. The department pulls the "saving lives" card in an official statement:

"This issue isn't about one actor but rather the 700,000 New Yorkers who struggle with diabetes, which kills 1,700 people a year and causes amputations in another 3,000. Advertising to warn the public about health concerns saves lives, and we will continue our efforts to warn New Yorkers about diabetes."

F that, says Berry. He has big plans for revenge:

He said if a soda company "would like to call me so we can do a commercial, I'll sing and dance for them and I won't charge an arm and a leg."

The young Angeleno is also kind of basking in the national attention, despite its unflattering origins. Via Berry's Facebook: "Crazy weekend all ready!!!! Interviews with the NY Times (will tell you about that Monday smh)...fittings...meetings...tears.... Ahhhhhhhh."

Perhaps he'd rather be remembered for that redorkulous AT&T Stadium ad?

[@simone_electra / swilson@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

Tags:

actors, amputation, Cleo Berry, diabetes, New York City Health Department

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MJF

“We applaud the City for its efforts to draw attention to theravages of diabetes. For us New Yorkers, the cost of this silent killer is hugewith an estimated $9 billion spent each year in the state to treat the diseaseor its side effects. The Bloomberg administration - similar to itstough stance on smoking - should be applauded for its aggressive efforts to bringattention to this menace on society.

Diabetes is a silent killer that impacts more than 25 millionAmericans each year. As reported it is nothing new for photos to be enhanced toincrease the visual impact of the subject. While we should always strivefor accurate and true documentation, we need only to go to anyone of the cityhospitals especially in Harlem or the South Bronx to find a diabetes patientsuffering from the devastating affects of this silent killer. There is nocontroversy in saving lives.

Through our Faith Fights Diabetes Program, a statewidefaith-based program run by the Institute For Leadership (IFL) in Harlem, we seefirst hand the physical damage on a person when diabetes goes untreated andundiagnosed. Black men are five times more likely to suffer amputations fromcomplications associated with diabetes than White men.

The good news is that we are turning the tide on this potentialdeadly disease. The Institute For Leadership has identified 7,330people at-risk for diabetes using the American Diabetes Association riskassessment. The IFL has also engaged more than 1,000 participants in its FaithFights Diabetes six-week program. We have trainedmore than 200 community health workers partner that are partnering withfaith-based institutions to reach and educate the public about making healthierlifestyle choices to treat and avoid the disease. Our results clearly showthat early diagnosis and treatment coupled with diet and moderate exercisemakes a difference. We can win this fight if we keep the pressure on.

spirit happy diet

The Anti Obesity drug makers and diabetes drug makers take in 10 billion$$$$ every year with no cure!!

Food Chemicals are the cause of the diabetes and obesity crisis The FDA and Drug makers know this and are laughing to the Billionaire$$$ bank

The food chemicals break the gut(insulin) and this is the cause of the diabetes and obesity crisis A filmmaker has been reversing diabetes and Obesity WITHOUT MEDICATIONS in now 10 countries and the drug makers do not promote the story

just google SPIRIT HAPPY DIET

T Baker

All those dollar signs make you seem schizophrenic.

Macsplusmore

They are wrong for that. Why not use a real person that's suffering and needs the attention. Its like they're wishing it on him. But he should loose some weight if he's concerned of his health.

Fastactntony

Altering photos in an ad like this is normal. Finding an amputee to model for this type of ad isn't an easy process and might even offend some amputees that are asked. People like this black guy will respond to newpaper ads that offer $500 to take pictures of him. If he signs a waver, his picture could end up on a bottle of herpes cream and he cant do anything about it. Its hilarious that he's worried about his acting career. "Cried at my computer screen" and he's trying to solicit himself to soda companies for revenge. He should be thankful that his picture was used to raise awareness about a health concern, and instead he wants to take the opposite route. What a lowlife. Go back to Harlem and stop trying to get something for nothing. Try a real job.

T Baker

It sounds like he just has a sense of humor about it while acknowledging that it did bother him. It's not like he's trying to sue or anything.

One Celly

Acting is a real job bitch... He did cry I am his best friend the person who discovered the ad and it really did hurt him... He is not trying to raise awareness for his size, but loose weight actually... Kiss both our ass

Anonymous

Wow! An actor complaining that he was cast in an invalid role. Interesting isn't it? Let's wait for good old cleo to reject a role because he's gotta use crutches to play it. Maybe then we'll believe he actually cried.

If you ask me, this is just the good old celebrity trick to stay in the news. If he'd said "Hey, it's a PSA, I'm an actor and it's just a photograph.", he'd not be so popular amongst the news folks would he?