Witch of the Waste looks like John Lasseter? (spoiler?)

Rating: 8/10 (30 June 2005)

Hello,
I saw this movie and was reminded of comments that Miazaki made when he was here a few years ago promoting Spirited Away. He kept saying how his old friend John Lasseter had gotten fat.
Then in the movie the witch ends up with this really docile, blue-eyed expression in her face, and I thought it looked a lot like John Lasseter (of Pixar)! Was he trying to make a comment about Americans and our obesity?
Was Witch of the Waste in the book? Witch of the West?? Maybe some friendly rivalry between Pixar and Ghibli? I know it is a stretch.
Bobito