An "American Idol[1] " winner came back to try and win a very different reality show. "The Biggest Loser[2] " returned for its 15th season, and along with it came the Velvet Teddy Bear, Ruben Studdard[3] . Ruben won Season 2 of "Idol," and while he was heavy then, he said that he's never been as big as he is now. He weighed in at 462 pounds, making him the heaviest person on campus.


Later in the episode, Ruben sat down with trainer Dolvett Quince[4] to talk about why he wanted to be on the show. "I just want to be Ruben Studdard. I’m tired of being ‘Big Ru,'" he said. "Since I was 11 years old, it’s always been B-I-G in front of my name. And my mama didn’t name me ‘Big.’”


He went on to say that he aspires to be one of the all-time great vocalists, and part of that is not having his career shortened by health issues. Dolvett told him it also required a tremendous amount of discipline and work, which happens to be the same formula for success on "The Biggest Loser."


Ruben was off to a solid start, dropping 21 pounds in his first week on the ranch. Entertainment Weekly's Jodi Walker was impressed with the singer for putting it all out there like this[5] , as well as being "Loser's" first celebrity contestant.


Chatting with Zap2It, Ruben said that this show was the most difficult and most rewarding experience[6] he's had in a long time, though it's not without its challenges. "I think the experience would be a lot easier if you were able to communicate with your loved ones, but it's part of the show that we aren't able to do that," he said. "That also gives us the ability to focus on the task at hand without interruption from outside distractions, whether they be work or family issues. I appreciate everything that I've learned, and I also appreciate the results thus far."


The competition will only get more difficult as "The Biggest Loser" progresses, Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.


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  • TV Critics Picks: 2013-2014 TV Season


    <strong>HuffPost TV gathered 19 TV critics to share their picks for the following topics: <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/26/best-new-tv-comedy-2013-critics-video_n_3813852.html" target="_blank">Best New Comedy</a>, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/27/best-new-tv-drama-2013-critics-video_n_3820528.html" target="_blank">Best New Drama</a>, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/28/favorite-tv-stars-2013-critics-video_n_3825994.html" target="_blank">Favorite New Stars</a>, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/29/returning-tv-shows-2013-critics-video_n_3833912.html" target="_blank">Returning Shows We Love</a> and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/30/worst-new-tv-show-2013-critics-video_n_3839731.html" target="_blank">Worst New Show</a> of the 2013-2014 TV season. <em>Watch the videos to see who picked what, then click through this gallery to find out when the shows premiere. </em></strong>




  • Worst New Show: "Super Fun Night"


    "Super Fun Night" premieres Wed., Oct. 2 at 9:30 p.m. ET on ABC.




  • Worst New Show: "Dads"


    "Dads" premieres Tues., Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.




  • Worst New Show: "We Are Men"


    "We Are Men" premieres Mon., Sept. 30 at 8:30 p.m. ET on CBS.




  • Worst New Show: "Sean Saves the World"


    "Sean Saves the World" premieres Thurs., Oct. 3 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.




  • Worst New Show: "Ironside"


    "Ironside" premieres Wed., Oct. 2 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.




  • Worst New Show: "Welcome to the Family"


    "Welcome to the Family" premieres Thurs., Oct. 3 at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC.




  • Worst New Show: "Reign"


    "Reign" premieres Thurs., Oct. 17 at 9 p.m. ET on The CW.




  • Worst New Show: "Back In the Game"


    "Back In the Game" premieres Wed., Sept. 25 at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.




  • Worst New Show: "Betrayal"


    "Betrayal" premieres Sun., Sept. 29 at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.




  • Favorite Returning Show: "Game of Thrones"


    "Game of Thrones" Season 4 premieres Spring 2014 on HBO.




  • Favorite Returning Show: "Scandal"


    "Scandal" Season 3 premieres Thurs., Oct. 3 at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.




  • Favorite Returning Show: "Parks and Recreation"


    "Parks and Recreation" one-hour Season 5 premiere airs Thurs., Sept. 26 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.




  • Favorite Returning Show: "New Girl"


    "New Girl" Season 3 premieres Tues., Sept. 17 at 9 p.m. ET on Fox.




  • Favorite Returning Show: "The Walking Dead"


    "The Walking Dead" Season 4 premieres Sun., Oct. 13 at 9 p.m. ET on AMC.




  • Favorite Returning Show: "Homeland"


    "Homeland" Season 3 premieres Sun., Sept. 29 at 9 p.m. ET on Showtime.




  • Favorite Returning Show: "Boardwalk Empire"


    "Boardwalk Empire" Season 4 premieres Sun., Sept. 8 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.




  • Favorite Returning Show: "The Mindy Project"


    "The Mindy Project" Season 2 premieres Tues., Sept. 17 at 9:30 p.m. ET on Fox.




  • Favorite Returning Show: "Sons of Anarchy"


    "Sons of Anarchy" Season 6 premieres Tues., Sept. 10 at 10 p.m. ET on FX.




  • Favorite Returning Show: "Orphan Black"


    "Orphan Black" Season 2 premieres April 2014 on BBC America.




  • Favorite Returning Show: "The Good Wife"


    "The Good Wife" Season 5 premieres Sun., Sept. 29 at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.




  • Favorite Returning Show: "Arrow"


    "Arrow" Season 2 premieres Wed., Oct. 9 at 8 p.m. ET on The CW.




  • Favorite Returning Show: "Glee"


    "Glee" Season 5 premieres Thurs., Sept. 26 at 9 p.m. ET on Fox.




  • Favorite Returning Show: "American Horror Story: Coven"


    "American Horror Story: Coven" Season 3 premieres on FX.




  • Favorite Stars: Michael J. Fox & Betsy Brandt


    "The Michael J. Fox Show" premieres Thurs., Sept. 26 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.




  • Favorite Star: Chelsea Peretti


    "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" premieres Tues., Sept. 17 at 8:30 p.m. ET on Fox.




  • Favorite Star: David Walton


    "About A Boy" premieres midseason 2014 on NBC.




  • Favorite Star: Stephen Merchant


    "Hello Ladies" premieres Sun., Sept. 29 at 10:30 p.m. ET on HBO.




  • Favorite Star: Dermot Mulroney


    "Crisis" premieres midseason 2014 on NBC.




  • Favorite Star: Dylan McDermott


    "Hostages" premieres Mon., Sept. 23 at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.




  • Favorite Star: Tom Mison


    "Sleepy Hollow" premieres Mon., Sept. 16 at 9 p.m. ET on Fox.




  • Favorite Star: Lizzy Caplan


    "Masters of Sex" premieres Sun., Sept. 29 at 10 p.m. ET on Showtime.




  • Favorite Stars: Sarah Michelle Gellar (left) & James Wolk (far right)


    "The Crazy Ones" premieres Thurs., Sept. 26 at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.




  • Favorite Star: Clark Gregg


    "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." premieres Tues., Sept. 24 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.




  • Favorite Star: Anna Faris


    "Mom" premieres Mon., Sept. 23 at 9:30 p.m. ET on CBS.




  • Favorite Star: Parker Young


    "Enlisted" premieres Fri., Nov. 8 at 9:30 p.m. on Fox.




  • Best New Drama: "Masters of Sex"


    "Masters of Sex" premieres Sun., Sept. 29 at 10 p.m. ET on Showtime.




  • Best New Drama: "Reign"


    "Reign" premieres Thurs., Oct. 17 at 9 p.m. ET on The CW.




  • Best New Drama: "The Blacklist"


    "The Blacklist" premieres Mon., Sept. 23 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.




  • Best New Drama: "Hostages"


    "Hostages" premieres Mon., Sept. 23 at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.




  • Best New Drama: "Sleepy Hollow"


    "Sleepy Hollow" premieres Mon., Sept. 16 at 9 p.m. ET on Fox.




  • Best New Drama: "Almost Human"


    "Almost Human" premieres Mon., Nov. 4 at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.




  • Best New Drama: "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."


    "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." premieres Tues., Sept. 24 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.




  • Best New Comedy: "Brooklyn Nine-Nine"


    "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" premieres Tues., Sept. 17 at 8:30 p.m. ET on Fox.




  • Best New Comedy: "Enlisted"


    "Enlisted" premieres Fri., Nov. 8 at 9:30 p.m. on Fox.




  • Best New Comedy: "Hello Ladies"


    "Hello Ladies" premieres Sun., Sept. 29 at 10:30 p.m. ET on HBO.




  • Best New Comedy: "Mom"


    "Mom" premieres Mon., Sept. 23 at 9:30 p.m. ET on CBS.




  • Best New Comedy: "Trophy Wife"


    "Trophy Wife" premieres Tues., Sept. 24 at 9:30 p.m. ET on ABC.




  • Best New Comedy: "The Crazy Ones"


    "The Crazy Ones" premieres Thurs., Sept. 26 at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.




  • Best New Comedy: "About A Boy"


    "About A Boy" premieres midseason 2014 on NBC.