Kerry Parnell: My new favourite game is called ‘Guess the celeb Ozempic jabbers’

Many will deny it, although many will admit to its use. But there is one or two telltale signs that your favourite celebrity is using Ozempic to drop kilos, writes Kerry Parnell.

They may be larger than life, but A-listers are shrinking – literally. My current favourite game is, “spot the celebrity jabbers,” which is kind of like Where’s Wally, but much harder, because they’re the size of a paperclip, thanks to their possible, probable, definite, use of Ozempic.

And while I can’t name them, legally, unless many of our favourite celebrities have collectively begun upping the Tracy Anderson workouts and limiting dinner to once a fortnight, those bony arms and hollow cheeks – dubbed “Ozempic face” – are somewhat of a giveaway.

A brave few have owned up to using the diabetes drug and its equivalents to drop kilos. God love Sharon Osbourne, 71, who has never been known to hold back.

Roxy Jacenko says she has overdosed on Ozempic. .

Now resembling a pencil with hair, she admits she’s gone a bit too far. “I didn’t want to go this thin. It just happened,” she told Piers Morgan, adding she felt nauseous while taking it and husband Ozzy has nicknamed her Nancy (Reagan). Others who are open about using the drug include outspoken actor Amy Schumer, 42, who said it wasn’t for her as it made her ill. “A year ago, I tried it. I was one of those people that felt so sick and couldn’t play with my son,” she told Andy Cohen.

Fellow comedian Chelsea Handler, 48, also said she regrets trying it, after her “anti-ageing doctor” prescribed it to her. “I’m not on it anymore. That’s too irresponsible,” she said on the podcast Call her Daddy. “I’m an irresponsible drug user, but I’m not gonna take a diabetic drug. I tried it, and I’m not gonna do that. That’s not for me.”

Sharon, on stage with Ozzy Osbourne, says she shas been using Ozempic. Picture: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

It’s not for me either and not just because I don’t have an anti-ageing doctor, but do have lots of snacks. Sure, it’s tempting to take a weight-loss shortcut, but injecting yourself with something that makes you feel sick? No thanks. But plenty are. Actor and activist Jameela Jamil, 37, said it’s mainstream in Hollywood. “Rich people are buying this stuff off prescription for upwards of 1000 dollars. Actual diabetics are seeing shortages,” she posted on Instagram, flagging there’s little discussion about side-effects.

Aussie PR Roxy Jacenko, 43, knows all about those – she owned up to overdosing on Ozempic, landing herself in hospital. “Everyone is doing it,” she told this paper. “You would be blown away by the well-known people who are doing it and are saying they are not.”

We wouldn’t, Roxy, because we can tell. Now, while celebrities continue to insist they’ve gone on a remarkably-successful health kick, the TGA says there’s a shortage of Ozempic in Australia and is investigating gastro-intestinal side effects of the drug. This week it was reported Aussie mum Trish Webster, 56, tragically died after using Ozempic and then Saxendra, to lose weight for her daughter’s wedding. She collapsed and died in January of, “acute gastrointestinal illness”. Husband Roy told Nine’s 60 Minutes he hoped to warn others of the dangers.

“It’s just not worth it, it’s not worth it at all,” he said.

Originally published as Kerry Parnell: My new favourite game is called ‘Guess the celeb Ozempic jabbers’