{"id":16379,"date":"2024-12-16T14:41:54","date_gmt":"2024-12-16T14:41:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/?p=16379"},"modified":"2024-12-16T14:41:54","modified_gmt":"2024-12-16T14:41:54","slug":"this-80s-hollywood-icon-was-mocked-for-her-weight-left-the-spotlight-her-husband-stayed-by-her-side-for-35-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/?p=16379","title":{"rendered":"This ’80s Hollywood Icon Was Mocked For Her Weight & Left The Spotlight \u2013 Her Husband Stayed By Her Side For 35 Years"},"content":{"rendered":"

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She was treated cruelly and “tortured” by the media for her noticeable weight gain, leading to dark days and harrowing personal battles. Take a look at this ’80s TV icon’s rise to fame, the struggles that followed, and the enduring love that brought her hope.<\/p>\n

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In the late 1980s, this actress became a household name, charming viewers with her sharp humor and larger-than-life personality on one of television’s most popular sitcoms. But as her fame grew, so did behind-the-scenes tensions and public ridicule over her weight.<\/p>\n

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However, through it all, one constant remained: her husband’s steadfast love. While the world fixated on her struggles, he offered her strength and support, helping her rebuild her life away from the limelight.<\/p>\n

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The actress at the premiere of “Murder Me, Murder You” in 1983. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A Promising Career Overshadowed by Public Scrutiny<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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In 1986, this\u00a0actress<\/a>\u00a0landed the role of Suzanne Sugarbaker on the hit sitcom “Designing Women,” where her striking charisma and sharp comedic timing brought her fame and admiration.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The ’80s TV icon circa 1984. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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With her quick wit and undeniable charm, she won over audiences and seemed destined for a long, successful career. Yet, as the spotlight brightened, the pressures of Hollywood began to take a devastating toll on her mental health and self-esteem.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The famous actress and the cast of “Designing Women” circa 1987. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Behind the scenes, the actress was struggling with depression, a battle she had faced since her teenage years. By the end of the show’s second season, the condition worsened, leading to periods where she would isolate herself completely.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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“Basically, I would shut down and hole up,” she later\u00a0revealed<\/a>. “I wouldn’t want to leave the apartment until I came out of this dark place. It was very debilitating.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The “Designing Women” star and her castmates filming the popular series in 1987. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Her struggles became more apparent during the show’s fourth season, as crippling\u00a0panic attacks<\/a>\u00a0began to affect her work. These episodes were terrifying, often causing her entire body to shiver.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Her co-star and close friend Dixie Carter would lay beside her and reassure her during these moments, offering much-needed comfort.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The actress as Suzanne Sugarbaker in “Designing Women” circa 1987. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Despite these personal battles, the actress pushed forward in her role, but her weight gain soon became a target of relentless media scrutiny. As her figure changed, tabloids mocked her appearance with cruel nicknames like “Delta Bulk.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The harsh coverage was emotionally devastating. “The tabloid machine tortured [her],” co-star Annie Potts later\u00a0said<\/a>. Reflecting on the public’s obsession with her body, the actress, a former Miss Florida, questioned why she was subjected to such ridicule.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The famous actress on the set of “Where the Hell’s That Gold?” in 1988. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“I didn’t do anything to deserve this. Why are they so cruel?” she\u00a0asked<\/a>. She compared her struggles to those faced by icons like Elizabeth Taylor, noting that many women in Hollywood were harshly judged for gaining weight.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The star’s depression and public humiliation drove her to food for solace. “When I would be depressed in L.A., it would be, ‘Let’s just have one Stouffer’s macaroni and cheese after another,'” she\u00a0admitted<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The ’80s TV icon circa 1989. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The weight gain, however, wasn’t just about physical hunger. It symbolized deeper emotional struggles that she couldn’t resolve. Over time, the actress’s weight eventually climbed to 215 pounds, sparking tension with the show’s producers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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At one point the actress asked to be released from her contract, physically and mentally exhausted. “I wanted to leave, and I wasn’t allowed to leave,” she\u00a0stated<\/a>. Showrunners pushed to have her come back to the series.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The star filming “Designing Women” in 1990. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Instead, a concerned friend admitted her to a hospital. “The nurse said I looked like a wounded animal. I didn’t really want to exist. I remember they weighed me and I was 170 pounds, and I wanted to die,” she\u00a0revealed<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The Hollywood star filming “”Designing Women” circa 1990. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Amid these challenges, things were looking up for a moment. Not wanting to add fuel to the fire, according to\u00a0reports<\/a>, the actress “backed off” once reports about her weight emerged.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Instead, she turned to the show’s creator, Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, with a bold idea \u2014\u00a0<\/strong>to address her weight gain in an episode of “Designing Women.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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“I didn’t want to help them hurt me. I was also getting frustrated playing Suzanne. I wanted to show another side of her. I went to Linda and talked to her about doing a show on the weight,” the actress\u00a0revealed<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The result was the groundbreaking storyline “They Shoot Fat Women, Don’t They,” where her character grapples with body image issues.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The “Designing Women” star at the 5th Annual American Cinematheque Award Honoring Ron Howard in 1990. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The episode was a critical success, earning the actress a standing ovation from the studio audience and her first Emmy nomination. It was later revealed that Bloodworth-Thomason’s husband cried while reading the script.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Despite this success, the tensions behind the scenes continued to mount, and in 1991, the actress was let go from the show. The impact of her dismissal was profound.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The Hollywood star at the taping of Bob Hope’s TV Special “Bob Hope’s Yellow Ribbon Party” in 1991. Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Feeling rejected by Hollywood and abandoned by an industry she had poured her heart into, she retreated from the limelight. She and her husband sold their home in Pasadena in 1995 and moved to New Orleans for a fresh start.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The famous actress, circa 1995. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The move was a turning point in her life, allowing her to step away from the pressures of Hollywood. There, she embraced her identity and created a clothing line for plus-size women, later writing her memoir, “Delta Style: Eve Wasn’t a Size 6 and Neither Am I.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The actress photographed at the Mark Hotel in New York in 1995. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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But challenges persisted. In 1997, she experienced a particularly dark year. She mourned the loss of her grandmother and a beloved pet while supporting her mother, who was battling breast cancer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The actress spotted at Los Angeles International Airport in 1996. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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That same year, she was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. “I knew I had to lose some more weight,” she\u00a0said<\/a>. Gradually, she adopted a healthier lifestyle, stabilizing her weight at 150 pounds \u2014 the same weight she had been when she met her husband.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Years later, the former Hollywood star opened up about how she once turned to crystal meth as a\u00a0weight loss<\/a>\u00a0method. She started off taking prescribed pills while attending drama school in London.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The ’80s TV icon at the launch of her clothing line in New York in 1998. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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However, once she returned to the U.S. and learned that the pills were illegal, the actress found someone on a set to get them for her. Eventually, she built a tolerance to the pills and was offered crystal meth instead to manage\u00a0her weight<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The actress at the 46th Annual Genii Awards in 2001 in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“Nobody knew about crystal meth at the time,” she\u00a0said<\/a>\u00a0during a podcast appearance in 2024. She would ingest the substance before work and wouldn’t eat for days. Fortunately, the actress saw brighter days after meeting her husband.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The actress photographed on February 15, 2005, in New York. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A Love That Endured Through All Seasons<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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Burke’s life took a fateful turn in 1987 when she met Gerald McRaney, an\u00a0accomplished actor<\/a>\u00a0cast as her character Suzanne’s ex-husband, Dash Goff, on “Designing Women.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Delta Burke as Suzanne Sugarbaker and Gerald McRaney as Dash Goff in “Designing Women” in 1989. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Their on-screen chemistry soon translated into a real-life romance, with McRaney making his intentions clear early on. “He asked me to marry him on the second date, so we were pretty committed!” Burke\u00a0recalled<\/a>\u00a0with a laugh.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Delta Burke and Gerald McRaney at the 39th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in 1987. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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McRaney later\u00a0admitted<\/a>, “I wasn’t going to let her get away. I already had competition. There were people asking her out on dates, and I was going to move in right away.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Delta Burke and Gerald McRaney at a party in West Hollywood, circa 1987. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The couple married in 1989 in a lavish ceremony attended by Burke’s co-stars and 500 other guests, with the bride weighing 170 pounds on her wedding day. From the beginning, McRaney proved to be a pillar of strength and unconditional love in Burke’s life.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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When she faced unrelenting scrutiny over her weight, he remained unwavering in his support. “The weight never mattered to him,” Burke\u00a0said<\/a>. “He told me that honest to God he didn’t care, which of course I didn’t believe.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Delta Burke and Gerald McRaney, circa 2000. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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McRaney offered his own perspective on their relationship. “[…] If what you want is a trophy wife, then be happy with how empty and vacuous that’ll turn out to be,” he\u00a0said<\/a>. “But if what you want is a wife, then you love that person. Period.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Gerald McRaney and Delta Burke at the afterparty for the opening night of the Broadway musical “Wonderful Town” on November 23, 2003, in New York. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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McRaney’s devotion became especially evident during one of Burke’s darkest moments. After her dismissal from “Designing Women” and the media’s relentless attacks, her depression reached a breaking point. One night, she found herself alone in her car, swallowing pills and contemplating suicide.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Delta Burke and Gerald McRaney during the 50th Annual Drama Desk Awards in New York in 2005. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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In a desperate call, she reached out to McRaney. “I didn’t know where I was, but he found me,” she\u00a0said<\/a>. As Burke rebuilt her life, her husband stood by her side, offering love and encouragement through every challenge.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Gerald McRaney and Delta Burke at the premiere of “Get Low” on July 27, 2010, in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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When she was diagnosed with diabetes, he supported her efforts to adopt a healthier lifestyle. The actress often marveled at her husband’s unwavering affection.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Delta Burke attends the 2020 Hollywood Show held at Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel on February 1, 2020, in Burbank, California. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“Mac loves me no matter what,” she\u00a0said<\/a>. “He loved me when I got as big as a house. […] He still thinks my body looks great, and I can certifiably tell you it does not!”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Gerald McRaney and Delta Burke at the 2017 Creative Arts Emmy Award on September 10 in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The couple’s bond deepened over the years, marked by a shared sense of humor and mutual respect. In 2017, when McRaney won an Emmy for his role in “This Is Us,” he used the moment to honor Burke.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Delta Burke attends the Creative Arts Emmy Awards at Microsoft Theater on September 10, 2017, in Los Angeles, California | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“As a man, I’ve had the love of the finest woman I can possibly imagine,” he\u00a0said<\/a>. “At the end of a day’s work, I get to come home to her \u2014 that’s the fun.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Gerald McRaney and Delta Burke sharing a kiss at the 2017 Creative Arts Emmy Award on September 10 in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“We did a renewal of our vows once, and one of the things that Delta wrote into the vows was that we embrace each other’s insanity. Not just accept it \u2013 embrace it,” the famous actor\u00a0added<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Delta Burke attends the Television Academy’s Performers Peer Group Celebration on August 21, 2017, in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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While Burke stepped away from Hollywood, she found joy and fulfillment in her personal life. “I love my life truly for the first time,” she\u00a0said<\/a>. “And I love him desperately.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Delta Burke arrives at AFI Associates & Sony Pictures Classics’ premiere of “Get Low” on July 27, 2010, in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Though she’s no longer in the limelight as frequently as in her younger years, Burke still works in Hollywood, albeit at a more relaxed pace. In 2019, she appeared as Ellie Holder in an episode of the comedy TV series “Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings,” showcasing her enduring talent.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Delta Burke attends the premiere of “Get Low” at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on July 27, 2010, in Beverly Hills, California. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Over the years, she’s built an\u00a0impressive r\u00e9sum\u00e9<\/a>\u00a0with roles in popular shows like “Drop Dead Diva,” “Bridal Fever,” “The Wedding Bells,” “Boston Legal,” and “Counter Culture,” among others. Beyond acting, Burke has also ventured behind the scenes, earning producing credits\u2014a testament to her multifaceted career in the entertainment industry.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Gerald McRaney and Delta Burke at the 2020 Hollywood Show on February 1, 2020, in Burbank, California. | Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Delta Burke’s<\/a>\u00a0journey from fame to personal struggles and back to a place of stability showcases remarkable resilience. Through relentless scrutiny and health challenges, her husband remained her unwavering support.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    She was treated cruelly and “tortured” by the media for her noticeable weight gain, leading to dark days and harrowing personal battles. Take a look at this ’80s … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":16380,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16379","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16379","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=16379"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16379\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16381,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16379\/revisions\/16381"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/16380"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=16379"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=16379"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usdailys.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=16379"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}