That is literally all I could say after watching the premier of Huge on ABC Family. The show features about fifty or so severely obese American teenagers who have made the choice to lose their love handles and spend their summer months at fat camp. Not knowing whether to feel sorry for these tubby teenagers or disgusted by their massive fat roles protruding from their clothes, I decided to not change the channel and learn a little bit more about their lives. The teenagers really weren’t much different from their skinny counterparts. They laughed together, played pranks on each other, and just enjoyed being around other people who they could relate to. But I just couldn’t get over the fact that I was watching about a ton of human flesh engulf the screen.
I get that part of ABC Families new show is promoting a healthy lifestyle with daily exercise and healthy eating, why else would they show these people at fat camp? I just find it hard to take seriously when the show has some of the fattest people I’ve ever seen delivering the message, it’s like a sick twisted metaphor. The cast of Huge obviously hasn’t maintained a healthy lifestyle for most of their lives. It’s almost like ABC Family believes obesity is acceptable as long as we try a little bit to be healthy. Some members of the cast had attended the summer camps year prior and still have to come back to lose the weight once again. With obesity rates skyrocketing in our country this is not the message that should be broadcast on TV and especially not on a family network with little kids watching.
Besides making nutrition experts go crazy, Huge does have a silver lining hid in the program. Through watching the obese individuals and taking the time to listen to their stories the viewer has the opportunity to erase any preconceived stereotype they initially had about overweight people. The show reinforces the ideal that we should never judge a book by its cover, I mean the fatty’s on the show are actually pretty cool and I wouldn’t mind calling some of them my friends. Call it a sick and twisted comedy or a misconstrued moral lesson for American’s, this show will definitely shake the ground and make you turn your attention towards the TV every Monday at 9 pm (8pm central)
Casting a fiction show about overweight people is definitely risky, considering everyone on TV has to be skinny. But I think it's a risk worth taking, especially if the show is going to blow up the stereotype that obese people are different. On the surface they may be different but on the inside they are just like us. Sappy? Yes. Cliche? Yes. But everyone deserves fair treatment, regardless of appearance.
ReplyDeleteI felt that your conclusion could've had an entire blog devoted to it -- in the beginning you write that ABC is sending the message that obesity is okay as long as people are trying a little bit and then go on to write about how this show teaches us not to judge a book by its cover. I agree with the latter, it just seems less powerful because of what you wrote at first.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you could write about how more and more weightloss shows are coming about and what they all mean...Maybe they arent so much devoted to showing people get skinny, but rather showing (as you touched on) that we are all alike (no matter what we look like)
The conclusion was strong, I would add to it
I saw an interview with the star of this show and she changed my mind about it. She expressed how proud and excited she was that it was the first all over-weight cast. She said that some parents were upset about the show because it shows heavy people as the stars, and that their kids might find it acceptable and cool to be big. But- she explained that they will teach lessons and its really just about accepting yourself as you are- not being so down on yourself just because you are fat.
ReplyDeleteAs well as this course, I took a women in film course and we recently learned about the Beauty Myth. The majority of women said that they would rather lose 10-15 lbs then reach any other goal. Media is making people have self-confidence issues, more teens than ever have eating disorders. So, I totally support this show if it will help teens deal with their weight and image issues in a more healthy way!
I have been wanting to watch this show! I think it is an interesting spin off on all of the weight loss reality shows that we have on Tv these days. It will be interesting to see how viewers react.
ReplyDeleteThis show is definitely controversial and an interesting choice by ABC family. I think it's important that the show teaches it viewers (hopefully young viewers) that it's important to like yourself for who you are and not to be constantly trying to live up to ideals, especially when they can be unrealistic. But I can definitely see what you're saying that young people shouldn't think it's okay to live an unhealthy lifestyle and just shove Twinkie bars down their throats all day.
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