Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Ty Pennington Has Powerful Message For Trolls Who Body-Shamed Him For Dancing On Beach

Ty Pennington
Noam Galai/Getty Images

The former 'Trading Spaces' host was disheartened after being called 'old' and 'fat' in the comments of a fun video he posted to Instagram in January of 2022.

Affable TV host and former carpenter for the popular home improvement show Trading Spaces showed that at 58, he is as charismatic as ever and remains young at heart.

The former model recently posted an Instagram video of him dancing goofily at the beach with his swimming trunks pulled up over his belly.


And while many fans were amused by watching Pennington throwing caution to the wind and dancing like nobody was watching, the internet proved it can still be a place for trolls to thrive.

Pennington was subjected to mockery and body-shaming comments after posting the video.

He addressed the hate leveled against him in an interview with Yahoo Life.

"I didn't even plan it. I just had to move, man. I was like: When Booker T. & the M.G.'s comes on, I'm gonna groove, man," he said, of the innocent stunt that started out as a silly dare.

Here is Pennington's video of him living his best life in the sun.

He said he wasn't prepared for some of the responses.

"So I had no idea 1) that it would get so many views and 2) it would get so many reactions."
"The funny part is, [at first, I had my shorts] very low — and then I hiked 'em up to like my nipples. So that's the joke."

"But even then I got comments," he added–some of which included derogatory remarks calling him, "disgusting," "old," "gross" and "fat," to describe him.

Pennington went on to talk about people's propensity for ridiculing strangers online as unnecessary.

"The main point is you don't have to waste your time making negative comments about anybody's body, about anybody's dance capabilities, about anybody's anything."
"All you can say is: 'Oh, I like that song.' That would be lovely."
"Or, you know, 'You may want to get a belt.' That I can handle."

He commented on how select audiences don't have a problem ridiculing individuals portrayed as villains in reality TV competitions like Survivor.

But he realized that even reality TV stars like him who inspire and uplift others are not exempt from being targeted.

"I just find it interesting that even I—who's loved by just about everybody, it's not like I was voted off an island, I've helped people do great things in life—was shamed."

Pennington had an important message about the harmful consequences of body shaming.

"If you're gonna take the time to shame somebody like me—who's just a regular guy, who's not fat, not skinny, just an average guy—then what are you saying to other people who are worse off in either direction?"
"It's important that we all remember how painful it can be—to a male or female—who thinks they posted something funny about themselves, having a good time, and that turns into this absolute shaming, where they feel disgusted about themselves and it goes straight to depression."
"It's just not OK in my book."

Fans appreciated his take on body image and encouraged him to keep dancing.

@thetypennington/Instagram

@thetypennington/Instagram

@thetypennington/Instagram

@thetypennington/Instagram

@thetypennington/Instagram

@thetypennington/Instagram



At 27, Pennington found a lucrative career in modeling doing print ads for J. Crew and Sprite and TV spots for companies like Diet Coke and Levi's.

But when a "horrible car accident" derailed his modeling career, life had other plans for him.

He found success in front of the camera but in a completely different role, one as a host for various renovation shows like TLC's Trading Spaces, ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and UKTV's Ty's Great British Adventure.

Pennington recently shared a pensive post about owning and accepting getting older.

The Emmy Award winner talked about aging and revealed that it's been 22 years since he made his first television debut.

"No, I don’t have a six pack anymore or a luscious head of hair (with frosted tips 🤣) but what I do have is wisdom, empathy, life lessons and at 57 years old, I've TRULY never been happier!"
"Anyways, all this to say: I’m human and I have feelings."


He assured fans the recent shaming won't change who he is and how he engages with followers on his social media platforms.

Pennington told Yahoo Life:

"I think the female body is a beautiful thing. For some reason, I find the male body hilarious, and I don't know why [laughs]."
"That being said, it should also not be just like shame because you think, 'Oh, God, you're too old to be dressed like that,' or 'You're not in shape enough to be showing that off.'"
"I'm going to continue to post videos of me dancing—in hopefully less clothing and be more offensive—because I find it very funny."

He suggested that people choose a more positive option the next time they decided to post a comment on someone's post.

"How about you wake up and you decide to make someone's life better not worse?"

Pennington returned as host for HGTV's Rock the Blockfor its fourth season.

More from Trending

Cartoon Network headquarters; Pride flags
AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images; Noam Galai/Getty Images

Cartoon Network Trolls Homophobes Hard For Melting Down Over Pride Month Fan Art

The cable TV channel Cartoon Network, like most normal people, is celebrating Pride Month this month, and it did so with a post on Instagram that, predictably, has conservatives crying in their Cheerios like a bunch of triggered babies.

The post featured fan art depicting characters from the network's roster of shows over the years waving various LGBTQ+ Pride flags and the like.

Keep ReadingShow less
screenshot of AI generated video of Donald Trump
@WhiteHouse/X

White House Dragged After Sharing Doctored Video Of Bar Erupting In Cheers Over Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill'

On Tuesday, the official social media account for the White House tried to drum up support for MAGA Republican President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill, but only on right-wing platforms.

The legislation to further Project 2025 through more tax breaks for the wealthy and cuts to programs that serve the poor and working class has struggled since the start.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump speaking to military members at Fort Bragg
Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images

Trump Gets U.S. Military Troops To Boo Democrats And 'Fake News' During Alarming Speech

Members of the military stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, erupted in boos when President Donald Trump goaded them during a speech in which he attacked former President Joe Biden, California Governor Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and the "fake news" covering the ongoing protests in L.A. in response to the Trump administration's immigration raids.

The military has a longstanding tradition of remaining nonpartisan so it was striking that those in attendance, many of whom wore military fatigues, booed in the first place.

Keep ReadingShow less
Shot of a neon shop sign saying "body piercing." The word body is blue, and piercing is red.
Photo by Kaylee Eden on Unsplash

Regrettable Things People Did To Their Body They Wish They Could Reverse

When we're young and impulsive we rarely think about impact, consequences, and the future.

That's the downfall of youth.

Keep ReadingShow less
Stephen King; Donald Trump
Rick Kern/WireImage; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Stephen King Just Trolled Trump With A 'TACO Tuesday' Image That's Total Nightmare Fuel

Famed horror author Stephen King had fans recoiling after he trolled President Donald Trump by sharing an image of Trump as a taco that was generated using artificial intelligence.

For those who missed it, Trump recently criticized Wall Street analysts over their new "TACO" acronym insult, which stands for "Trump Always Chickens Out."

Keep ReadingShow less