I use to be quite overweight and it’s been a struggle for me but I lost a lot of weight and it will always be an up hill battle for myself to keep it off. Even though I am not overweight anymore I am pissed off that some of my favorite tv shows lately have made sexist fat jokes about women and it makes me angry. For example: on How I Met Your Mother they talked about the “Bro Code” and he said to his friends not to interfere with his relationships “unless he gets with a fatty” or on Southland a cop show where a guy talks to his buddy about how he like BBW’s and said “They are like driving a moped, they are lots of fun until your buddy sees you with one.”

This seriously disturbs me and I am a grown woman. I couldn’t imagine how young impressionable girls feel when they watch these shows. They might as well starve themselves or go throw up because if they’re a fatty men wont love them and their friends will laugh at them. Oh and jerks that say those things are too kewl for a chubby gal? Oh and It’s sexy when a skinny model stuffs her face with a hamburger on a commercial?? It doesn’t sound right to me… —Stop with the Fat Jokes Please

This article appears in Mar 22-28, 2012.

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67 Comments

  1. being obese is a serious health concern. 100% of the time, no exceptions. There is no such thing as “healthy obese”. Obese is very damaging to the joints, heart, skin, brain, thyroid, lymphatic system, liver and eyesight.

    My argument is more that some people find jokes about health problems offensive.

    The part that DOES offend me is that men are not held to the same standard in hollywood even though we gals all know that in real life, they ARE. So if women are on the block for being “fatties” so should men be.

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  2. “men are not held to the same standard in hollywood… “

    what the fuck are you talking about?
    I’d like any sort of proof to back that…

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  3. Proof?

    According to Jim
    King of Queens
    Still Standing
    Fresh Prince of Bel Air 🙂
    Simpsons/Family Guy/Flintstones (ok, cartoons, but still)
    The Honeymooners (going way back)
    The Sopranos
    The Jeffersons

    and so on…

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  4. I don’t know crayons, a lot of Hollywood actors are chiseled, hard bodied dudes, often with hairless torsos.

    There are overweight men and women on TV, in movies, and in advertising, but mainstream sex appeal still sells. I agree that these jokes OP speaks of are insensitive, but fat people are fair game as far as I’m concerned, as are skinny people, muscle heads, short people, tall people, white people, or any other group of people.

    Pretty much every laugh we have is at the expense of someone else. Think about that for a minute.

    I’m not saying that you don’t have the right to be upset OP, but every group of people gets made fun of. If we stopped making fun of people we wouldn’t have much fun.

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  5. You should be blaming all the television ads, magazine covers, blogs (pro anorexic ones), pornography, and so on, where the objective is clearly to influence what women (and men) think is a healthy body image. Not to mention that it’s in their interest (for profit reasons) to construct a benchmark of masculinity or femininity that is virtually unattainable for the vast majority of the population; without social exclusion, people would have much less incentive to buy useless products. The odd line in a television show is just a reflection of those norms, not the cause of them.

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  6. “The part that DOES offend me is that men are not held to the same standard in hollywood even though we gals all know that in real life, they ARE. So if women are on the block for being “fatties” so should men be.”

    Men aren’t held to the same standard in ANY society or industry, not just Hollywood. No, we may not have to be skinny, but if we don’t match very specific, and usually unattainable criteria (i.e. the perfect balance of masculinity, charm, intelligence, and wit), then we are also at risk of social exclusion to some degree.

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  7. You could also list every single movie that showed chiseled abs and the perfect body on male leads…..hell even most secondary actors in movies are to some degree considered above average looking.

    If you are fat then you are ugly. Ugly people never get the girl or make the winning goal. Nah fuck that….ugly people in movies magically turn into beautiful people after someone points out all of their flaws and makes them change themselves so they are the Hollywood definition of beautiful. Not to be a wanker here, but unrealistic standards are one of the main things that make people depressed. Be beautiful or you’ll die alone and be poor. I’m average looking….maybe even ugly, but I’m cool with that. My dick works, I’m healthy, and I fancy myself a morally responsible person.

    Yes ladies….my dick is in full working order.

    My troll cred is being affected by serious posts.

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  8. I’m not sure what standard you’re referring to by those…
    that women have to be skinny for TV? is that it?
    a LOT of TV isn’t HOLLYWOOD (more movies….) but I guess I’ll play along…

    how about one of the most powerful people (sadly)… oprah.
    she’s not a twig unless it came from a thousand year old redwood.

    ricki lake got a show (somehow)…
    mike n molly
    anything delta burke was on
    fat actress …
    Anna Nicole Smith..

    and not to mention all those fucking glam mags for women…
    vogue – CEO is a woman
    glamour – editor in-chief is a woman
    cosmopolitan – editor in-cheif is a woman

    you women want change… feel free to start any time now….
    don’t come crying to us when you have descendants in your own ranks.

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  10. I’m ok with descendants in my own ranks. I would actually be quite happy with that.

    Dissidents on the other hand, whole other story…

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  11. before the bat-shit-crazy years…
    man was she ever a piece of work near the end there.
    total 180.

    it’d be like the fresh prince turning into flava flav

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  14. “it’d be like the fresh prince turning into flava flav” Ooh very true zZz.

    … but I’d like to remember her in “the good ole days” when the crazy was in check.

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  15. You can’t expect much with shows like ‘How I Met Your Mother’, ‘Two and a Half Men’ and the like. If you’re going to watch junk like that, you have to expect simple, uncreative, slapstick jokes. It’s gross, I know. Find some better tv.

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  16. I don’t mind making fat jokes. Or hearing them. They are on par with smoking jokes. If you want to abuse your body by being fat or smoking, you are going to be the butt of jokes, due to your disrespect of yourself.

    Like TJ said, it is funny to pick on peoples weaknesses, particularily if there is a variation in who jokes are made about. I imagine that show you mentioned had other funny jokes in it as well that weren’t about obesity.

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  17. Snooki. I admit, she’s an idiot, but she makes me happy. Eases my simple mind ya know … hahaha

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  21. I never understood this tbh. I’m overweight i’m obese. I find these jokes funny and i label just as that. Jokes.

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  24. Donk… that’s those women instincts kicking in…
    like how you keep one ugly girl in the clique so the rest of y’all feel better about yourselves and know that she’s never hooking up so she can drag yo’ asses outta the club.
    snooki is that girl for every women I guess.

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  27. “If you want to abuse your body by being fat or smoking, you are going to be the butt of jokes, due to your disrespect of yourself.”

    INFY, normally I refrain from commenting on your ignorant, vitriolic comments, but I can’t help myself this time.

    Not everyone chooses to be obese. Being unhealthy or obese is often something that is conditioned (so is smoking for that matter). I remember attending high school at a time when the only things on the cafeteria’s menu were pizza and poutine. In many families, both mothers and fathers work full time, leaving much less time available for cooking healthy meals, which, on average, require way more time to prepare than store-ready meals.

    However, I guess it shouldn’t surprise me that you, INFY, cannot fathom how people in our convenience-first sedentary society manage to struggle with caloric surplus.

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  28. Also, obesity jokes would be on par with smoking jokes if a fraction of the amount spent on anti-smoking campaigns was spent on anti-obesity campaigns, if fast food/processed food were as inaccessible as tobacco products, and if obese people started shitting their big macs on complete strangers in bus stops.

    I’m not saying that I don’t like obesity jokes or smoking jokes. But arguing that obesity jokes are of equivalent moral repugnance as smoking jokes is kind of ridiculous.

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  30. Touche Mr. That was one ugly mf-er.

    Lol at the ugly fruit.

    Um, ok let’s revise this. Everyone is beautiful, except the ugly ones (none of which exist in my non existent clique). Happpppy now?

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  34. Well it this poster is from newfoundland i understand how she would be upset, those Newfie jokes about fatties are real nasty!

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  36. Lol i know right, styles! There are ugly skinnies, so let’s not assume all fat women are attractive. It’s just a sad attempt at being politically correct. It fat people have low self esteem, then DO something about it or stfu. Yes some can’t help being fat (medical reasons), but everyone else who’s a grown adult and fat has no one to blame but themselves. No one forced you to sit on your asses, take the elevator one floor up or one floor down or stuff your gobb with too many calories.

    If you don’t like being fat do something about it like OB has instead of being a lazy-arse.

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  37. Btw: I say this as a fatty who knows full well why she’s fat and doesn’t pretend otherwise.

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  38. At least you have nice ankles PK. And a nice smile! Though it can be hard to get you to show it at times 😛

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  41. you know o.p., i’m not fat by any means. and it always pisses me off to the max also. but hey, think of it this way, there is always a lot more to love and give love. anyone who has a problem, with fat people, can suck both my nuts and huge dick.

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  42. Humour’s a guilty pleasure OP. Like TJ said, it is often at the expense of somebody. I do agree, however, the female body image as portayed by the media is a problem for young women and girls. The bar is set insanely high like the world wants to see girls with the bodies of heroin addicts. There are sponsers like Dove which portray women with healthier more robust bodies which is a step in the right direction. I hope things do change, I personally do like BBW, curvy with substantial hind quarters.
    I should say however that there is a difference between robust and obese. Obesity leads to a number of health problems, never mind the body image part. Good for you OP for making healthy changes, don’t worry about the jokes, they probably won’t apply to you soon anyway.

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  44. Hey Canned, you think my comments are ignorant, and I think being fat is ignorant. Ignorant of the fact fat people die young and don’t have the courage or motivation to do something about it. You only live once, this is your only chance at life in this world. Don’t mess it up by being fat. It’s not easy, but it is worth it. Being fat is a choice ignorant people make, just like smoking.
    I was fat once. It drained me. I chose to change.

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  46. “Sorry OB morbidly obese isn’t sexy.”

    Speak for yo’ self — lotsa chubby chasers out there! roflz.

    FUCK I hate chubby chasers.

    LOL <3 vastie

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  47. You know, I’ve been thinking and I’ve realized that I actually feel better and am happier when I’m fat.

    I’ll tell ya why:

    a) I can eat foods that I love (which are tasty, but fatty — not all, but even abundant amounts of healthy foods have calories that contribute to your daily caloric intake — I could live off of greek yogurt and berries, but alas, the cals add up)

    and

    b) When I eat all healthy foods, my digestive tract goes haywire and I’m in constant pain. When I eat shitty foods (mostly fatty foods), I feel great. NO WORD OF LIE. I’ve been feeling ho-hum lately being all healthy and shit, but last night I had a splurge day and had some fried chicken, a piece of pizza and a chicken carbanara sub from quiznos and I feel FUCKING FANTASTIC today. My blood sugar’s down too! It’s been running higher since i”ve been doing the healthy thing.

    So, basically, I get to eat delicious foods and feel awesome. I have tons of energy and feeling great always puts a smile on my face. I also look great today too all colour coordinated cute outfit and shit.

    When I’m eating healthy, I’m tired from busting my arse at the gym, I’m insanely uncomfortable from constant digestive system upset and pain, I’m fucking HUNGRY all the damn time and I don’t get to eat delicious foods.

    So fuck working my arse off to be thin.

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  48. i dunno pk, you’d fit in most gunny sacks^^you better watch out, we don’t want you stolen by gypsies

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  49. Hey PK, I am happy to hear that you are happy. That is what life is about.
    Are you going to be happy in 10 years if you continue down your path of destruction?
    I have no idea, but I imagine you are around 30 years old.
    Every year you get older, it gets harder to shed the weight we are carrying around, and harder to keep fat off you. I fear you will wake up a few years down the road and you will need someone to a sponge you with a damp cloth to clean you as you won’t be fit enough to get out of bed and can’t fit in the shower.
    Hey we all chose the road we are on. How far down the road can you see PK, or are you living day to day?

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  50. Invest in a prying bar! A rag on a stick also.

    Lots of interesting new scientific finds about how BMI (body mass index) is not a very good tool to measure people’s HEALTH, and that ‘fat’ people are not nearly as at risk as thought previously. Some people are just fatter than others. Doesn’t mean they are unhealthy. It doesn’t even make them an increased risk for heart attack. I’m at work so I can’t link, but google away…

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  51. PK – your digestive tract is freaking out because you are feeding it healthy stuff and all the leftover grease is running out of your ass as fast as possible. I only know this because it happens to me too haha.
    Im also a fattie gal let me throw that back out there, but I dont have low self esteem or body issues. I do however, recognize that my fam has heart disease running rampant and I am the next target. changing to healthy(ier) eating is a challenge, it is expensive and not always as tasty but I find once Ive had 2-3 weeks of lots of spinach and other good things, my body adjusts and I also feel better. I can almost feel the blood rushing faster through my veins.

    Fat isnt the only factor that leads to an unhealthy body and there are fit people who die of heart attacks every day. It can really get anybody,so I dont love that as an argument against fat.

    Truly, we are all on this earth in the bodies we are in. Enjoy life while you are in them, instead of waiting for change. If you want change, go for it – but dont be sad along the way!

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  55. Actually, secret agent, I have IBS and can’t eat most grains and veggies and fruits. I can tolerate some better than others, but they mostly have some sort of effect. Eating fatty foods actually has no effect on my IBS so I don’t have any triggers in my system when i eat crap. It’s really sad, but true.

    I feel like crap whether I eat healthy for a week or for months.

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  56. Last night I had nachos, sweet potato fries, chicken nuggets, regular fries, something called a tequila mockingbird, something I call a cosmopolita (a cosmopolitan with tequila instead of vodka) and Shoppers Drug Mart “Oreos”. My body is not really a fan right now..

    And Ima do it all again tonight lookin’ like dis:

    http://jennyblovesyou.files.wordpress.com/&hellip;

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  57. Don’t we all just want to hug Mel – until her little tongue turns black^^^

    No word of lie, she’s hardly bigger than the small end of nothing, whittled down to a fine point.

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  60. I think most people would get skinny if they could…
    but it’s tough coming up with the $18 000 and mid-level coke dealer who’ll give you discounts and regular supplies.

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  61. Ugh where the FUCK are my old grade 7 pair of tapered jeans and my club monaco t shirt?

    I guess I’ll be going at 2012, not 1992 🙁

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  63. I’m thin but no scientific study has EVER shown thin people live longer. And there’s also no study ever showing that exercise increases the length of your life. There are quality of life improvements, but I think many people think thin=90+ years, fat = less. Just not true, that’s genetic.

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  64. “No scientific study has EVER shown thin people live longer.”

    Being overweight causes diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, hernias, ED and chronic renal failure.. just to name a few. No scientific study needed (although I’m sure there are many).

    I’m pretty sure that, as a person of a healthy weight, my length and quality of life are significantly better than an overweight person’s.

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  65. “Being overweight causes diabetes”

    So do random childhood viruses.

    And every ailment you described above happen to thin people too, FYI.

    I also know thin people who can’t walk up two flights of stairs.

    And lots of thin people smoke.

    Just because you’re a ‘healthy weight,’ doesn’t automatically guarantee you a long and healthy life.

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