Archive through July 16, 2002
The ClubHouse: General Discussion Archives: Archive Three:
Why no REAL 'fat girl' in the house, but we get George, Gerry, Kent, etc. :
Archive through July 16, 2002
Tabbyking | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 11:19 am     hey, gals just buy the sports illustrated swimsuit issues to get them all off the racks before our guys see them and expect us to look like the models! lol |
Seanflynn | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 11:24 am     The show would be more interesting if they had a greater diversity of people. Wouldn't it be interesting if they had a Moslem on the show? (Statistical note -- there are more Moslem US citizens than Jewish, for example). The only Asian so far has been Curtis in BB1 Latinos? This is such a homogenized group. |
Auntkk | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 11:45 am     Careful, Sobad.. Kent posts here sometimes =) The title "Fat" as it applies in Hollywood and in the public eye is thrown about with all of the misuse of the word "love". I remember going to see Titanic, and thinking Kate Winslet was a classic beauty, and then reading two weeks later that James Cameron referred to her as "Kate-weighs-a-lot" behind her back. Funny, he cast her though, didn't he? |
Sobaditsgood | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 11:58 am     Seanflynn - I was just thinking it would be neat if they had more than a token minority. How about 3 or 4 black guys (or women) instead of the other way around... so the NONblacks (or latins, or asians) could be the ones to group together and say 'They only did xxxx because I'm not black!' A little shoe-on-the-other-foot stuff. I have been thinking for a while, reading some of the LF stuff involving Tonya and Chiara especially that if they threw in a couple of hardcore ghettofabulous gals, I can just hear the 'oh no she didn't's flying!!! Auntk -- it's okay with me if Kent posts here sometimes. I didn't mean to suggest that *I* consider Kent or Gerry or George "fat" or for that matter Autumn or Amy etc.... just acknowledging that the PERCEPTION is such. In the case of the girls they come rihgt out and say it, often about themselves, as with Amy 'I'm the fat girl on the show now.' With the men, people instead just make "funny" comments about it. I seem to recall Kent making a few self-deprecating comments, I think he had a prettygood sense of humor about such silly atuff, actually. So no insult intended, I promise! (okay except maybe to Chiayayay and Josheesh...) |
Zeyna | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 12:03 pm     I am curious why someone that is overweight would be considered more "normal" than someone who is skinny? Why the assumption that someone who is "average looking" would be more interesting to watch than someone who is "beautiful"? I would still be just as interested in the show if all the ladies were overweight, but I don't quite understand what would be accomplished by this?? Is there a need to prove that this is our society? I personally want interesting people, but I think that most (not all) people who apply have alterior motives- they want to be in the industry. It would be interesting to see a breakdown of who exactly is applying- how many size 16, 50 yr old versus size 2, 20 yr olds? The bottom line is, no matter what these people look like, they are ripped to shreds - last year everyone was making fun of Shannon's neck, Autumn's weight, Nicole's eyebrows, Krista's cheeks. People are judgemental, and one person's interpretation of beautiful is not necessarily another's. By the end of this show, people will ultimately be judged by their personalities and not the looks anyway. |
Earthkitten | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 12:08 pm     In Hollywood, if you are a size 6 or a size 8 you are considered "fat". I think we, as a society, are harder on people that we see on TV or in the movies. We are conditioned to see size 2 or 4 as "normal" on TV. If we see someone on TV that is a size 6 or 8, they appear "fat" because we are used to seeing the other. Now, if we saw them in person, that would be a different story. In "real life" we are used to seeing people of all sizes at work, on the street, etc. so the size 6 or 8 person on TV, in "real life" would look normal or thin to us. IMO, anyway. Make sense? |
Delilah | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 12:10 pm     Sex sells. This is a show about hook ups. Arnie is the Aaron Spelling of Reality TV. There will never be an overweight, unattractive woman on this show. Gerry and Kent are there as the father, role model type. To stir the pot a bit. The token older women are hot too. Even Lori says she is hot and VERY popular in her home town. That is the media and commercialism in this country that make middle eastern countries want to blow us up! It is sick I know. I am a transplanted Brit and on British TV, the demographics are portrayed much better and there aren't that many model-types on any TV shows. I really don't understand why Americans want to portray this society this way. Americans are also more prudish when it comes to sex than Brits, so go figure LOL. Breast implants are a rarity in British "regular joe" society and on TV too. Americans have this market cornered that's for sure. JMHO |
Sobaditsgood | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 12:12 pm     Hey Zeyna, I don't necessarily think overweight is more "normal" than skinny nor even more interesting. What I KNOW (and not merely 'think') is that there is nothing unique or special about being able to watch skinny or "beautiful" people on television.... they account for the vast majority of what's in popular media. **That** is why seeing something new (read: NOT skinny, NOT stereotypically beautiful) might be more interesting. I have no comment/response to your question about what would be "accomplished" by having the ladies be overweight, except to turn around your question and ask what the @!#%^ is "accomplished" of any real value by having someone like for instance **Tonya** onscreen?! I mean, come on. Yes -- I agree, I'd love to see who is actually applying. That might be a good point, maybe there are way more skinny/beautiful folks applying than genuinely fat ones - it would make sense, since the fat ones would figure they had no chance anyway and lots of people who consider themselves hot looking seem to want to be in show biz so they would apply. But in the end a smaller pool of applicants would be a pretty pathetic excuse - even if they didn't have one single fat/ugly person apply, there's nothing stopping them from going out and actively recruiting such people, just like they did with folks like Lisa and others. And yes, of course you're right.. it doesn't matter who they people are or what they look like or how they act, they will all have their turns being super criticized and shredded. Goes back to whatever floats your boat - someone will look at a Shannon or a Chiara or Tonya or (god help me for saying this!) Mike Boogie and think wow, what a prize, that's the kind of partner I would love to have.... and others will be ripping them up for what they see as flaws. Yeah, it's human nature to an extent but it's also inextricably tied in with much larger social issues that really can't be properly addressed in this forum so I won't even go there. |
Missy2 | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 12:15 pm     I agree with you Zeyna! People are people. I find it bothersome that someone who is REALLY fat is considered more normal? I don't get that. |
Delilah | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 12:17 pm     A *beautiful* shallow person would make more money in today's society than Albert Einstein. Americans deem looks far more important than intelligence. It makes me sick. Look at the new emerging pop stars who can't even sing or play an instrument! At sixteen, they are wearing next to nothing on stage and gyrating with male and female dancers. What the hell ever happened to real music like the Stones or the Grateful Dead? Heck, what happened to talent and substance?! ::::: where did I put those happy pills?::::::::::: |
Sobaditsgood | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 12:25 pm     Deliah, You are right, right right and it makes me sick and sad and angry too. I have heard from European friends how warped America seems to be regarding body image esp considering we are actually fairly prudish about sex (the old saying about "show a nipple and get an X rating in the movies, show a nipple getting sliced off and it's only an R rating"). It's pretty schizophrenic, no wonder so many of us are screwed up, lol! No pun intended!! Missy, don't know if you're referring to this thread or not but I haven't seen anyone on this board say that someone who is "REALLY fat is considered more normal." So hey, nothing to 'get' y'know? Pass the happy pills Delilah!!! |
Twiggyish | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 12:27 pm     I like Iceprincess's comment! I think Tonya is an example of fake woman ==> no brains. |
Foodbunny | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 12:35 pm     It really infuriates me when Amy makes jokes about being the fat girl on the show. I think she has a beautiful figure, and as a skinny person with a very high metabolism I wish I could have her curves. I really hate the standard of beauty right now. |
Zeyna | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 12:47 pm     LOL Sobad re Tonya I listen to Tonya talk and all I can say is that I am so thankful for not being in that house. I guess she's supposed to represent the greed of our society. I suppose if there was some deeper meaning to the show, there would be a better balance in the cast, but this show is for entertainment purposes only and what ratings they grab each week is at the top of the list. What I ment to say by what "would be accomplished" question was that even if they put all overweight people on the show, I'm not sure this would change anyone's perception of a beauty standard. I'm also not sure that that an overweight person would be more interesting to watch. People have their own stereotypes way before attempting to get into BB. When I read the name of the thread, it sounded to me like REAL person = fat person, and this is also a stereotype - that a heavier person would be more genuine, or have a better personality etc. I'm not suggesting you said that in your posts at all Foodbunny, I agree about Amy. She's a beautiful girl and should not be fretting about her weight at all. |
Oregonfire | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 01:20 pm     Two examples of size 8 women in Hollywood are Drew Barrymore and Kristen Johnston (3rd Rock from the Sun). I've read that both of them have taken flack for their size in Hollywood. I think it's sick too (all the lookism, esp. of the size 2 variety), and is the result of a barely disguised misogyny that dominates Hollywood. I've read that Gwyneth Paltrow wants to move to London because Hollywood is too male-dominated and she can't get any good roles. I'm not trying to male bash, but it seems to be a fact of the movie industry. And that doesn't mean that women won't comply and/or be vicious if a woman isn't thin enough. |
Bigbrotherbelle | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 02:00 pm     You know I was shocked when I read someone say that Amy "has a few extra pounds"! No, she doesn't she just does not look emanciated like Lisa. And not to be just as bad, but I did notice in a couple of my screen caps that Tonya got a few rolls around her middle. |
Whowhere | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 02:02 pm     Marilyn Monroe was a size 12 or 14 and she is still one of America's most beautiful women ever.
I just wanted to make a comment about how these 'women' walk around like they think they are beauty queens. These girls are extremely shallow. Let's be realistic, and pardon me if I offend anyone, would you rather know how to mince garlic and wash dishes by hand OR know how to shave your own butt crack??? It just goes to show where their priorities lie as far as life goes. Absolutely pathetic. JMO |
Eliz87 | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 02:06 pm     I'm not sure, Whowhere, but at this point in my life I might indeed get more relief from shaving my butt crack than washing dishes by hand. As a homemaker, seems like all I ever do is dishes, dishes, dishes. They're the worst! ;-) |
Ginger | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 02:09 pm     I've commented on this very topic in other threads. I think the answer to your question, Sobaditsgood, is plain and simple: sexism. Though the "fat" men who have been on BB and other reality shows have gotten some flack for being "fat," it is nothing compared to what the women would get. As others have noted, there is clearly a double standard when it comes to weight and looks for men and women. We live in crazy times. Americans are more obsessed with being thin--especially with women being thin--than ever, and yet we are fatter than ever too. I think that no one was saying that overweight or more plain-looking people are more "normal." Certainly drop dead gorgeous people can be bright and funny and interesting and NORMAL, but the point is that we don't see that tested on BB. We see a bunch of pretty faces and then we are expected to believe that this is a diverse group. Huh! You know, The Mole seems to have done a great job of casting a wide range of people. The Amazing Race tends to as well. BB and Survivor would be more interesting if they let that happen. I'm sure they have a range of applicants. |
Ginger | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 02:11 pm     Funny Eliz87!!! Maybe when the current HGs are booted off BB they could do an educational video for us all about how to eliminate that os so intimate hair. |
Whowhere | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 02:12 pm     True, true.....but mincing garlic.....come on people!!! Guess she'll never make a good homemaker! "Can someone show me how to wash dishes?" - my 8 year old could show her. I can just hear the conversation...... "Can you wash those dishes up for me, hun?" "No sorry, I never learned how. But I CAN shave my own butt-crack!!" Pa-leeeeze! |
Whowhere | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 02:17 pm     Sorry for the above rant....... Who is the heavy black woman in the Payless commercials? I think she's also on "The View" or something similar. SHE is the one that I would love to see put these girls in check....or someone like her who is very proud of the way she looks. (she is a beautiful woman). |
Merlin | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 02:25 pm     Whowhere asks < would you rather know how to mince garlic and wash dishes by hand OR know how to shave your own butt crack??? > This is a trick question isn't it? |
Moondance | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 02:26 pm     Her name is Star Jones |
Wcv63 | Tuesday, July 16, 2002 - 02:29 pm     I think there needs to be a distinction made between "normal" and "average". Normality can be applied to the entire person from looks to intelligence and personality. The word average would be applied to the mean of all Americans. Not just the highest common denominator with a heavy empasis on appearance. N'est pas? |
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