Kathie Lee & Hoda: Women chosen for their success get a calendar, and it’s empowering

It’s a game changer to see women like Amy Schumer , Serena Williams and 65-year-old author Fran Lebowitz posing for the 2016 Pirelli calendar .

Amy Schumer was one of 12 women chosen for 2016 Pirelli calendar. Rich Polk/Getty Images for MTV
Amy Schumer was one of 12 women chosen for 2016 Pirelli calendar.

. Until now the annual tribute to pinups produced by the Italian tire manufacturer starred half naked supermodels. But this year the calendar went in a different direction, hiring famed shutterbug Annie Leibovitz to shoot fully dressed women who were chosen for their achievements instead of their bodies. Of the 12 women who posed, only Williams and Schumer took their clothes off that latter posing happily with her stomach rolls on display.

HK : When I saw that picture of Amy Schumer I was so overjoyed there was something about it. When any one of us sits on a chair and looks at ourselves in the mirror I feel like we look like that. I was so empowered by these pictures, especially by her caption where she wrote, “beautiful, ugly, fat, skinny, sexy, disgusting woman . . .” I was totally turned on by that. I think we all feel those things.

KLG : Although I doubt Cindy Crawford feels that way. Or Chrissy Teigen or any of the Victoria’s Secret models. Most women do though. I was just glad they didn’t ask me to pose.

HK : Another great moment this week was seeing Rebel Wilson on the cover of Cosmo UK talking about how much she loves her body.

KLG : If that’s her mindset and that helps her stay happy and focused, good for her.

HK : I think with Rebel Wilson she is uniquely herself. No matter what her size is, there’s a uniqueness about her — you never mistake her for anyone else. Whenever I see her pop up on the screen, I know I’m going to have fun watching her. She’s unique in a million ways and her size is just one of them.

Amy Schumer poses the Pirelli calendar. Annie Leibovitz for Pirelli Calendar
Amy Schumer poses the Pirelli calendar. Enlarge Serena Williams poses for the Pirelli calendar. Annie Leibovitz for Pirelli Calendar
Serena Williams poses for the Pirelli calendar. Enlarge

Amy Schumer and Serena Williams chose to remove their clothes for the calendar.

TIME FOR THE UGLY SWEATS

It’s that time of the year when ugly holiday sweaters become hot commodities! Among the gems we’ve heard about so far is one that features Christmas patterns and Bigfoot! Given the choice we’ve got some outrageous ideas of our own.

KLG : Well, nothing says Christmas like Bigfoot.

HK : I think if I were designing my own, I’d have to have 100 Christmas balls on it. I think that would look especially hideous.

KLG : Hoda’s really fond of balls.

HK : Careful! Just picture a sweater with real Christmas balls hanging off of it. I think that would be cute.