She tells "Access Hollywood", quote, "It was gradual, it wasn't all at once. Somewhere I heard somebody thinks I got some 'bariatric' surgery, I think that's it. That's a surgery that I would never ever ever ever ever [get], believe me."

When specifically asked if she had gastric bypass surgery, she added, quote, "Definitely not, and would not." She called gastric bypass surgery "scary"…and said that she had a cousin who had it, and she "turned green, and she did pass, too."

Aretha did admit that the weight came off "from the surgery" she had, but again refused to reveal the nature of the procedure.

She previously denied rumors that she'd been treated for pancreatic cancer.

She said, quote, "The doctor did say to me, he said, 'Mrs. Franklin, you are going to feel better than you have felt maybe in 10 or 15 years.  The surgery that you had is going to add 15 years to your life.'" Aretha's 69th birthday is next Friday.

"Access Hollywood" will air the interview in two parts, tonight and tomorrow.

You can watch a preview, here:

And here are a few pictures that show how much weight Aretha has lost, along with my favorite picture of Aretha…in the magnificent hat she wore to President Obama’s inauguration:

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