Big Love
Last night the show “More to Love” premiered on FOX. In case you missed it or you’re smart enough to avoid reality TV, “More to Love” is basically a plus-size version of “The Bachelor.”
According to FOX:
Luke Conley is a 26-year-old former college football offensive lineman who stands 6’3″ and weighs over 300 pounds. He’s a successful sub-contractor and real estate investor who has his sights set on building a long-lasting …relationship.
The women chosen to be part of this new dating competition are all full-figured. While I’m always glad to see more curvy women represented in the media there’s something about this show as well as shows like Oxygen’s “Dance Your Ass Off,” that just doesn’t sit right with me.
So I watched last night’s series premiere of “More to Love” to try to figure out exactly what bugs me about these shows. I was pissed off within the first 60 seconds.
First of all, every time a woman’s name and occupation was on the screen her height and weight were displayed also. It was ridiculous. Edd even got fed up with it and kept asking, “Are they really going to show their weight every time they talk?”
Shows like “More to Love” claim to seek to empower women but actually just make a spectacle out of them and define them by their weight, ignoring all of the truly interesting things about them. One woman is a freaking rocket scientist but we only hear about this for 15 seconds. Thanks to what I’m sure was strategic editing, the show made it seem as if the only thing Luke and the women ever wanted to talk about was food. They probably discussed health care reform, the recession and more, but I can hear the producers now: “Hey fatty! Talk about steak and potatoes and how much you love apple pie!”
But still that wasn’t what got to me the most.
Many of the women on the show had sad stories of how they’d never been on dates because of their size. While that’s heartbreaking, I would argue it is not the norm. I know plenty of full-figured women who have no problem getting men or as Edd put it, “If they were in the hood they would get broke off.”
(Feel free to consult UrbanDictionary.com if you’re not sure what getting broke off is.)
Luke seems to be a great guy so far, but what irks me is that “More to Love” implies that it will take a miracle (or a FOX reality show) for an overweight person to find love. And that’s a super-sized load of crap.
Jai, I haven’t seen this show and it sounds like I’m not sure that I desire to do so after your review. What you’ve stated is disturbing and has become more of a trend these days than not. Granted, obesity is a problem in today’s society. However, there is a difference in obesity, overweight and stacked. When a 14 year old child weighs 555 lbs (this is a true story making headlines today) then that is a problem. He’s unhealthy and his lifespan will be shortened because of it. But when a woman has some breasts (real ones), a butt (again, a real one) and doesn’t look like a damn waif, there is an issue.
What I have discovered is that women who are heavy that don’t get dates, don’t get them a lot of times because of their own lack of confidence and self-esteem and putting negative energy out there. Now does that mean that folks should get the bighead, well no. But it means that if you don’t appreciate yourself, then no one else will. Sure, there are some guys who don’t like heavier women just like there are some guys who don’t like skinny women. Preference is fine. But people should not be ridiculed because of it. People are people…period, point blank, end of story.
As you well know, I happen to be one of theose heaiver women and sure, I am working to lose some weight because I am more concerned about my overall health and have the desire to live a long, healthy and happy and productive life… not because other folks think I need to do it and not to get a damn date! Hell, I had a guy who invited me to breakfast on HIS birthday so what does that tell ya?
Just to play devil’s advocate, I gotta say that some of those women were pretty weird.
Maybe the reason they can’t get a date isn’t because of their weight – it’s because they are weirdos.
There are more important things to watch on TV like dwarfs. The Little Couple is my favorite new show.
Yes America seems to be fasinated with fat people and dwarfs and let’s not forget familes with 100 kids.
These people wanna be exploited so let them be exploited