Mike & Molly creator responds to cruel Marie-Claire ‘fatties’ editorial

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A couple of days ago, Marie Claire’s blog put up a very cruel elitist post by a freelance blogger named Maura Kelly. Kelly’s story, titled “Should ‘Fatties’ Get a Room? (Even on TV?)” outlined the various ways she was personally offended by the idea of the new CBS comedy, Mike & Molly, the premise of which involves a couple who meets at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting and falls in love. Not only did Kelly say the show was “implicitly promoting obesity,” she said she was uncomfortable even seeing very heavy people in everyday life and compared them to alcoholics and drug addicts. She wrote “yes, I think I’d be grossed out if I had to watch two characters with rolls and rolls of fat kissing each other … because I’d be grossed out if I had to watch them doing anything. To be brutally honest, even in real life, I find it aesthetically displeasing to watch a very, very fat person simply walk across a room — just like I’d find it distressing if I saw a very drunk person stumbling across a bar or a heroine [sic] addict slumping in a chair.” It was clear that Kelly had never bothered to watch the show (full episodes are online at CBS.com) and that the piece was written very quickly, which Kelly has admitted, even responding that she’s sorry and wishes she could take it down. The editor of Marie-Claire has said that that they stand by the article, and added that Kelly is “a very provocative blogger [who] was an anorexic herself and this is a subject she feels very strongly about.” Editor Joanna Coles also admitted that she’s never seen the show but still has a problem with with it. “I’m concerned about a show that makes fun of large people.”

Unlike the author of this slapdash article or the editor of Marie-Claire I actually watched an episode of Mike & Molly and was neither uncomfortable or offended. In fact the show was so funny at times I was laughing out loud. It has a standard sitcom formula with a very annoying laugh track that I could do without, but other than that most of the jokes are good. It’s a nice premise for a show and the lead characters are believable, vulnerable and adorable together. They do make self deprecating jokes about their weight but it seems natural in the context of the show. I’m not the only one who likes it, Mike & Molly is faring very well in the ratings and is likely to get renewed for a second season.

The creator of the show has responded to this mean spirited story, and his reaction is very thoughtful and human. He’s a compassionate and funny guy who created a solid show that is striking a nerve with people:

MIKE & MOLLYTHR: What was your reaction to this post?
Roberts: The woman apologized at the end of it. Clearly, she realized she said some pretty hateful things. My initial reaction is she’s talking about [Billy Gardell and Melissa McCarthy] and I love them; I feel protective and angry about people being loose-lipped. I guess hateful is the only way to describe [the post].

THR: She says the leads “appear to be morbidly obese.” Do you agree with that description?
Roberts: I don’t know. I don’t think of anybody by their body type, certainly not people that I work with and love and respect. I think of them as unbelievably talented people who captured these characters and brought them to life. I struggled with weight all my life, and I don’t know how to address this without being angry with somebody else’s stupidity about other human beings.

THR: If this is her honest reaction to the show, is it wrong for her to express it?
Roberts: You know, everybody is welcome to their opinion, and clearly she can express her opinion, and thousands can express theirs about hers. I would never tell anybody to express how they feel about something. If you don’t like the show’s writing or acting, OK. This was just about human beings. It’s her face she has to look at in the mirror. I don’t mean that to sound hateful.

THR: She also accused the show of promoting an unhealthy lifestyle.
Roberts: I hate when people stand in judgment over anybody. We all have our own struggles. There’s something wonderful about embracing everybody; it’s what makes us human. And it’s what people are responding to in this show. I don’t see these people size-wise, they’re just so lovable to me.

THR: Is there anything else you’d like to add about this?
Roberts: The shocking thing is we live in a society where this was an issue. Jackie Gleason would never get on TV now because he’s a large man who drank on TV. We’ve taken steps backward under the guise of what’s healthy. Almost everybody I know struggles with something — whether it’s their weight or alcohol or temper. To stand in judgment of somebody — especially when you’re breaking it down to just the aesthetic. It just makes me sad … wow that makes me sound much more upset than I really am. But I am un-friending that woman on Facebook.

[From The Hollywood Reporter]

That was so cute how he added that he was unfriending her on Facebook! You can tell that he was hurt by that story, not for himself but for the actors that helped bring his vision to the small screen. I really agree with what he had to say about how we all have our struggles and issues.

Marie-Claire is going to be dealing with the fallout from this asinine editorial for a long time, especially given their response. There’s some very good analysis on this controversy on Jezebel and The Frisky if you’d like to read more.

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118 Responses to “Mike & Molly creator responds to cruel Marie-Claire ‘fatties’ editorial”

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  1. tekla says:

    well, let’s face it, being obese is unhealthy and thus it makes me feel uncomfortable and grossed out. I would say this show is promoting a very unhealthy lifestyle, which makes people die younger.for me obesity is like anorexia and it shouldn’t be shown on TV as “ok”.

  2. LOVE ANGELINA says:

    Oh yea people on Twitter were pissed about this even Dita Von Tease, who I proudly follow, was pissed and had the hastag #unfollowmarieclaire. Wow. I thought the article was pretty mean and goodness who knows what she stirred up in people with body issues whether they are skinny or big. It was mean but she did say sorry and she is probably never gonna live this down.

    I loved the creator guy saying he was gonna unfriend her on Facebook, so cute.

  3. gabs says:

    Her blog was horrible but to be honest, without it I never would have heard of this show. Im going to give it a chance now. omg is she the chick from Gilmore girls? I love her. I like the guys response to the blogger. He defended himself without sounding too bitchy about it. If the characters met at an overeaters anonymous meeting trying to get help, obviously the show isnt promoting obesity. What a stupid woman.

  4. PrettyTarheel says:

    I’m offended by her writing. I certainly wouldn’t want to watch her write. It might make me sick to my tummy…or crave a dose of heroine [sic](lol).(In case anyone doesn’t know, [sic] means “intentially as written,” which means it appears she misspelled heroin. I’m not assuming anyone is dumb, but just ensuring clarity.)

  5. Dorothy#1 says:

    Sad. I feel badly for the woman who wrote the article, she is clearly an extremely unhappy person. Someone who dealt with eating disorders should be more understanding.
    I really like Molly and that crazy sister is soo funny! I have seen her on other things and LOVE her! the main thing to be worried about on this show is Swoozie and her plastic face.

  6. dancingnancie81 says:

    so this show is unhealthy, as opposed to those that promtote teenage pregnancy? Or those that flaunt adultery under the guise of humor (desperate housewives)? Or how about the multitude of shows that portray/pay women to be disgutingly thin and caked with makeup and fake body parts? Yeah i guess being fat is the worst of them.

  7. elusive says:

    I find anorexic people more astheticly unappealing than obese people. I also find people who judge people based on their weight to be even more unappealing.
    So Ms Kelly….your anorexic shallow ass is more unappealing to me than any fatty kiss would ever be.
    I also dont see how it’s promoting being overwieght. A large percentage of America is overweight…this sitcom is REFLECTIVE of what an actual American looks like. I highly doubt the show is about how much they eat and dont exercise…that would be promoting obesity.

  8. cici says:

    i watch this show – i would agree that both of them are probably morbidly obese by medical standards but they’re both trying to live healthy lives and lose weight as part of the storyline. they openly talk about the issues they face with their weight (he was afraid to be naked in front of her, etc). i really like this show, and it’s funny. i hope it lasts.

  9. Brenda says:

    It’s a show about HUMAN BEINGS who happen to be overweight. These characters don’t sit around gorging themselves — they exercise, they diet, they struggle — just like other HUMAN BEINGS. And Dancingnancie81, you make some very excellent points. To be “grossed out” or “offended” simply reveals closed minds and prevailing ignorance. And no, I am not an obese person, because you ignorant, closed minded people are probably assuming that, just like you assume that all fat people sit around stuffing their faces with HoHos and “promoting” that lifestyle.

  10. Kitten says:

    Hell he should be thanking her for the free PR!

  11. Anne says:

    I agree with THR some people just love to judge others while never looking at themselves. There is a big difference between driving fat and driving drunk. MK showed that she is obviously no as smart as she would like to think she is.

  12. Steph says:

    @ tekla: Doesn’t the premise of the show have them meeting at Overeaters Anonymous? Therefore it’s safe to assume their struggle with their weight will be dealt with in a way that is realistic. They’re trying to do something about it, not say how great it is to be overweight.
    I would also counter that portraying 6 foot tall, 90lb woman as the norm and ‘ok’ on television is just as dangerous, if not more so. And that’s far more common on television today than characters with size issues.

  13. Kelly says:

    I love this show. My husband and I watch it and laugh quite a bit. This week’s show was the best so far. It’s not just about fat. It’s about a family that drives you crazy, a good friend (carl) and just trying to find someone who makes you happy. I hope it gets renewed.

  14. jen says:

    Can I open a can of worms?

    What if she had said this about a gay sitcom? That she’s grossed out by watching these people and promoting that “lifestyle”. Granted she’s had backlash, but not the outcry we’d be hearing about otherwise. Whether it’s nature or nuture we ALL have STUFF that others don’t agree with. She has exposed herself as a hateful bigot and Marie Claire should pay the (boycott) price just as any other vessel of hate spewing. You’re allowed to call it free speech, but if we don’t like it we don’t read your blog or your magazine. Any mainstream entertainment or news entity that runs hateful articles against ANY section of society are complete hypocrites.

  15. dahlia6 says:

    So because I’ve had a weight problem all my life, I shouldn’t be allowed love or happiness because I ‘gross you out?’ Eff you lady. Eff you with unhappiness and misery.

  16. khaveman says:

    Obesity is unhealthy in the long run. Your body is made for a certain range of weight on it. It doesn’t have to be perfect — 10 or 15 pounds over ain’t gonna kill ya. But obesity is another issue. It’s dangerous and can bring on arthritis, diabetes. None of us can look like Gisele, but being healthy is something we should strive for in order to stay out of the doctor’s office and be out there living life to the fullest.

  17. sparkledog says:

    This show has aired for half a season and is slowly developing with the relationship AND the health/obesity issue. Just as in our lives, relationships and the quest for a healthy body don’t always come overnight. I can relate to someone criticizing the show in a year or two if it gets off track, but I think it’s methodically showing their quest for a healthy body and love.

    BTW, SEVERAL successful shows over the years have promoted OR showed a character dealing with unhealthy lifestyles (2 1/2 Men, Mad Men most recently make jokes of or show struggles with alcoholism) and rarely do people take “offense” or say that it “grosses them out”. They simply DON’T WATCH.

  18. Vi says:

    i suppose we can only have shows now about people who don’t swear, drink, eat chocolate or get angry or sad. only perfect people. the marie claire post did make me angry but it’s clearly the warped view of someone who still suffers from the mindset of anorexia even if not a “practicing anorexic” if you know what i mean. her strong feelings about seeing fat people walking around are too extreme to becoming from a healthy minded place so i guess i feel sorry for her. ps love love love melissa mccarthy

  19. Just a Poster says:

    Wow.. just wow.

    I am a long time reader of Marie Claire, but now I am seriously rethinking that.

    For a long time Marie Claire used to be a smart informative magazine that had great articles about womens issues World Wide and with beauty and fashion thrown in. Now I see they have gone the Allure route (remember the trashing of the Fox News reporters because they were pretty? *whispers* aka trashing the right)

    And Marie Claire has a monthly article called “A Big Girl in a Skinny World” written by Ashley Falcon who is a plus-sized fashion stylist. I wonder how she feels about this article?

    I will admit I haven’t seen the show, not because I found it gross or a “OMG they are promoting chubby people”, simply because life is crazy busy with kid stuff. But I will make time now. It sounds like a sweet show about life.

  20. Leslie0195 says:

    @tekla: This show is promoting an unhealthy lifestyle? Have you ever seen it? It is well written and relatable. What do promiscuous girls and guys on reality TV promote? And worst of all, look at the lifestyle of the most highly-paid TV actor today: alcohol, drugs and paid “escorts.” Mike & Molly is about real people and real relationships . . . not about obesity.

  21. Samantha says:

    As someone who also struggled with an eating disorder, I can’t believe she would write so coldly about another person. I found the article very very offensive. HOWEVER – HOWEVER – HOWEVER – This woman who wrote the article also struggled (and I imagine still struggles) with anorexia. We all know what anorexia is. MAYBE, because of her issues and struggling with weight, she has a skewed view of overweight people. I know its terrible, and she should have NEVER written the article. She apologized though, and maybe if we could have a little compassion for one person struggling against an eating disorder and just step back and realize that perhaps in haste she made a horrible call as a blogger because she is still struggling with her issues as an anorexic. That doesn’t entirely excuse the article and I understand that. But perhaps it kind of explains a little why she feels the way she does, and the reactions she got from people hopefully opened her eyes and showed her that she is still struggling with her own demons. I say don’t throw her under the bus yet…we all make mistakes and hopefully she learns from this.

  22. teri says:

    Could care less what Marie clair editorial said. I love Mike & Molly, so cute and funny.

  23. Michelle says:

    It’s a misconception that “fat” people on average are less healthy than thin people. Statistically that is not the case as there are many “thin” people with just as many serious health problems related to poor lifestyle.

    A large factor concerning “fat” and health is whether or not the fat is the “metabolically active” kind that surrounds internal organs and causes health problems or whether it is more external fat that sits on the outside of skeletal muscles (such as the hips and buttocks in women). A person can look very skinny but carry fat around their organs which threatens their health. We call them “skinny fat girls”. They can barely climb one flight of stairs without getting winded.

    I worked as a country doctor with the Mennonite community in Canada and let me tell you… many of them were quite “obese” by superficial standards,(women were tall and could weigh 300 to 350 lbs easily) but underneath the layer of fat was solid muscle from years of hard exercise out in the fresh air. They were surprisingly long-lived (I had many healthy patients in their late 90’s).

    I remember asking a short, “round” 83 year old woman about her chest pain to determine if it could be angina (heart related). I asked her if she got the pain when she was exercising and she looked at me funny. I finally asked if she had gotten the pain when she’d done her “chores” that day. She recounted her routine…up at 5 am, chop some wood and get a fire started in the stove. Go out to the barn with a heavy pail to feed the chickens and pigs, pump some water from the well and bring it in to put on the stove before it freezes, wash up and read your Bible and then start breakfast…nope, “no chest pain”.

    I finally convinced her to loosen the tight corset she wore under her “garments” and take Maalox for the chest pain and lo and behold…the chest pain went away 🙂

    In Canada we have an organization http://www.nedic.ca (National Eating Disorder Information Centre) which has wonderful articles about weight, self-esteem, dieting and eating disorders. I wish the author of the Marie Claire editorial would check out the website.

    Dr. Michelle 🙂

  24. Just a Poster says:

    My thoughts regarding the writer of this article is “Bless your heart” (in the Southern way)

    I am more extremely disappointed in Marie Claire for actually posting it.

  25. LB says:

    I think I may be stating the obvious but as much as I despise what this woman wrote, didn’t this show’s creator put the characters’ weights and lifestyles into issue? I mean, he pitched the show as a love story but between people who aren’t your typical skinny sitcom characters. Which is fine – interesting premise and an obvious reaction to what’s currently out there on TV.

    But I call BS that the show’s creator doesn’t see people by their size. He clearly does since that is the very basis of his show; the thing that makes this show distinctive from others. And if he does see people by their size, so will the viewers. As for this Marie Claire woman, she just shouldn’t watch if she doesn’t like it. That’s the beauty of modern TV – there’s always something else on.

    It’s interesting though that when I heard of this show my first thought was it’s either one extreme or the other represented in the media. Either super skinny characters or those who are pretty overweight. How about those who are a little overweight? Typically don’t see that on television as a main character.

  26. a says:

    i have yo-yo weight issues… so sometimes i’m heavy and sometimes i am thin enough for that mag to consider me human.

    i think it’s offensive, not only do they most likely have some heavy readers, which i’m sure were either angered or saddened by the article… i think it’s good to have a show with heavier people.

    there have been sitcoms with one heavy character in them… and if this show does have heavy folks trying to live healthier and finding comfort with each other, it sounds fine to me.

    it could be like “bones” where no one is heavy and their skin is diffused to perfection… that annoys me.

  27. maria says:

    Marie Claire is leaving it up for page hits and publicity. The blogger is a typical self-absorbed elitist $#*&. It reminds me of an episode of Ugly Betty.

    Anyway, I was prepared to hate this show and see it gone after a month, but I was surprised by how cute it is. It has a nice cast and is something I now look forward to on Mondays.

  28. seVen says:

    Remind me to never buy THAT magazine again. I agree with many posters here. Seeing obese people is ” disgusting” but seeing ANTM with 6 foot tall 90 pound women is completely normal and not sickening. At least these “fat” people can admit they have an eating disorder as opposed to those anorexics who deny and deny and deny their problem until they are a corpse. all for the name of Fashion! UGH

  29. anon33 says:

    ITA w/Jen. She is a bigot.

    For me, this isn’t about the anorexia v. obesity thing. That is certainly a valid topic, however, and we could all debate about that all day. And to be honest, I too sometimes have a skewed view because I was overweight myself about ten years ago. Or about the merits of the show itself (I have read some commentary that proposes that the show is “using” overweight people to be the butt of fat jokes, but as I haven’t watched it, I can’t comment.)

    However, MK made this personal, and even went so far as to say that a fat person crossing the room makes her uncomfortable. That doesn’t have anything to do with a debate on the health of Americans or the merits of the show; that’s just being an a-hole. What if she had said “whenever I see a black man in a skullcap walking down the street I get uncomfortable”?????? Or as Jen pointed out above “Gay relationships portrayed on TV make me uncomfortable”?

    I had been considering subscribing to MC, but I won’t now. It’s amazing to me that they’re not even really apologizing.

  30. Abby says:

    I don’t understand why she’s suddenly horrified by this show. Lots of shows had heavy people as leads. Roseanne, anyone? That’s a married couple where both are overweight and it was a major hit. Family Matters, King of Queens… those are just off the top of my head.

    I agree with everyone saying how is this different than a show promoting other unhealthy lifestyles…

    The only good thing I see from this blog post is that more attention was brought to this show. I want to watch it now.

  31. Maybelle says:

    I don’t get why people think that a reason to not have Mike & Molly on TV is because it’s unhealthy to be fat. It’s even more unhealthy to sleep with 20 different human beings a year and that’s practically in every mainstream tv show these days. TV shows are about entertainment, they are not about trying to send a “healthy” message to the American public. If that was the case we’d all be watching Leave it to Beaver instead of Two & a Half Men.

    I wonder if this woman bullied overweight kids in high school too.

  32. Marjalane says:

    Apology or not, I’m sure this is exactly how the fashion/magazine culture looks upon overweight people. It’s their business to sell a ridiculous and mostly unobtainable dream to (most) women. Sad.

  33. cora says:

    Roseanne anybody?, one of the best shows ever….so yeah, real people struggle with weight, and honestly, the US has one of the highest obese population on earth…I just dont get americans, they get offended by this and not all these reality shows, they freaked out on Janet Jackson’s nipple but have the biggest porn industry, are unable to drink a beer at 16 but carry weapons and drive at the same age, invest trillions in war but dont have free social security…etc etc etc

  34. OtherChris says:

    Well, there’s reason enough to dump my Marie Claire subscription. There are plenty of equally crappy fashion magazines to take its place.

  35. Po says:

    I don’t like seeing obviously unhealthy skinny people praised for their lifestlye anymore than I like seeing obese people praised but that is not what this show is doing.
    As for the blogger, I think it should be remembered that she is anorexic, she has an illness, she probably is disgusted with herself more than anyone else. I have more disdain for Marie Claire printing the article than I have for her. The blogger has a mental illness, what’s the editors excuse?

  36. Shay says:

    What I find sickening about Maura Kelly is the way she dehumanizes the actors in the show, as well as overweight people. It is as though she is intent on generating physical prejudices. What is next from fashion magazines like Marie Claire? (Paradoxically a magazine that supposedly includes pro-female reportage) Are they going to approve that overweight people are discriminated against, vilified and ‘eliminated’ from society?
    Maura Kelly and her editor should be sacked.

  37. a says:

    #21 – i agree with you, i can see why she wrote that article the way she did… yet i can’t believe the mag published it.

  38. Statler says:

    ‘Jackie Gleason would never get on TV now because he’s a large man who drank on TV.’

    I liked the rest of the interview, but, sorry, that line is pure bollocks.

  39. padiddle says:

    @Dr. Michelle –
    Thank you!!!! Many people still don’t understand that being fat doesn’t necessarily mean you zone out on the couch and eat ding dongs all day. One thing I can’t stand is people who say “fat people could not be fat if they wanted to.” – Some people are just genetically predisposed to be larger, and could never get themselves down to what would be considered acceptable by todays standards. We all need to understand that whether a person is fat by choice ( i.e. poor eating) or by design (genetics, health issues) they are HUMAN BEINGS deserving of respect, love and compassion. Most of all, they have a right to have self esteem and feel good about themselves. No one is saying that you shouldn’t live healthy, but if you are comfortable with your lifestyle and happy with your body how it is (whether that is fat or not) isn’t that what we all strive for? I really encourage people like this writer and the first commenter to look into the fat acceptance movement. It is NOT a movement to normalize or “glorify” obesity as is often misconcieved. It’s about campaigning for equality for fat people and for ending discrimination against someone simply for what they look like. Check out these sites if you are interested:
    kateharding.net
    definatalie.com
    fatshionista.com
    http://www.therotund.com

    And because it will probably be said, or at least thought, no I am not fat. I’m a size 2/4 25 yr old woman who believes in basic human decency.
    That people feel the way Maura Kelly does makes me sad, but I can see how her history with anorexia would warp her mind. Hopefully all this backlash will make her think twice and encourage her to change her views.

  40. Roxanne75 says:

    I don’t read that magazine anyway and although I disagree completely what this person has said it is their opinion. Free world equals free speech. EVeryone has pretty much summed it all up that has commented on this. There’s a lot of trash on TV that is glorified. This show which happens to have “overweight” people as the main characters rather than the plastic hollywood barbie dolls that are as smart as a wet roll of tp is somehow offensive? wow….*huge eye roll*

  41. Kitten says:

    Roseanne was AWESOME. Saw a rerun the other day and that shizz STILL holds up. I was LMAO! Timeless.
    I kind of think that if your point is to say that “making fun of obese people is cruel”, maybe the best way of saying it is not to say “skinny, anorexic girls are more disgusting to look at.”
    How about we accept all shapes and sizes and agree that neither extreme is healthy but bashing women at EITHER end of the spectrum doesn’t do us any favors.

  42. Peekaboo says:

    I am disgusted, but not surprised. Kelly has apologized, but she said what she meant and she meant what she said. She even admitted that she wrote the article in a rush, meaning that she didn’t take time to re-read it, edit it and make it politically correct. She just put her real feelings down and pressed “Enter”, like many of us sometimes do and live to regret it.

    Overweight people have no protection from such criticisms. It has always been OK, even acceptable, to pick on them and make comments like Kelly’s. Maybe if there were some repercussions, it would stop.

    I love Mike & Molly, and think the actors on the show are awesome. I hope the show sticks around, but it would be nice if the main characters stopped making self-deprecating comments. I’m an obese woman and I make an effort to not mention it, ya know what I mean?

  43. jen says:

    Marie Claire just increased this shows ratings.

    I had never heard of this show before, but I’ll definitely check it out now!

  44. l says:

    My daughter is a gymnast and at her gym is an older teenager that is about the size as Molly. When I first saw her I thought she must be new and just wanting to try things out to help get her in shape. HOLY COW was I wrong! That girl has more energy and is more in shape than I ever have been or will be. She’s at the gym at least 4 days a week for 3-4 hours a night. Yet she is still HUGE. It’s crazy.

  45. im awful says:

    i never watched the show and have no desire to. it looks cheesy and the idea is just odd to me. lets make a sitcom about large people??? really??? meh. that show is insulting.

    i dont get why overweight people get so touchy when theyre called out on being overweight. im not talking 20lbs here. 50 lbs up, you should do something about it for yourself and your health.

  46. The Truth Fairy says:

    @Tekla makes a good point: What if this show were about 2 anorexics who met at a group therapy session for anorexia? What if the 2 lead actors were painfully UNDERweight with bones sticking out and gaunt skin?

    Just try putting a show on TV about 2 skeletal anorexics and see how long it stays on the air! People would be outraged. Overeating is an eating disorder just like anorexia is an eating disorder. If you look at it this way, then the editorial has a point.

    PS For those of you who are saying stuff about how we shouldn’t assume that they are overweight because they are eating all day … uh, they meet at an Overeaters Anonymous Meeting, so in this case, yeah they are fat because they overeat.

  47. Jimmyzatl says:

    The fact the writer is anorexic explains it all…

  48. Trillion says:

    #14, being fat is not analogous to being homosexual. Hence, no takers on your wish to “open a can of worms”. Maybe on another website you can give it another try.

  49. Jean says:

    Wow, talk about making a mountain out of a molehill.
    She can’t stomach fat people? Why on earth watch a show that stars two obese actors then, for crying out loud?
    Then again, maybe she thought it was a show about weight loss and/or the daily misery of the fat folk and was disappointed when her expectations weren’t met.
    Don’t get me wrong I’m in no way a proponent of obesity and/or anorexica for that matter, but the author wrote the article solely to vent, and she couldn’t even do it in a clever, snarky way, which makes her a petty, uninspired bad writer who should stick to fan fiction and/or obituaries.

  50. omondieu says:

    I can see that other posters have already said what I’ve been thinking, but I’ll say it anyway.

    This show is not “promoting” obesity. It’s not saying that it’s a good thing. I haven’t seen the show (yet, but the positive responses here have made me consider taking a look!). But it seems to me that the premise involves two characters who KNOW that they have a PROBLEM, and are trying to deal with it, and have realized that dealing with it together is better than dealing with it alone.

    Most people have this notion that people who are overweight/obese are dumb, white trash slobs who sit around in a La-Z-Boy eating Doritos and drinking Mountain Dew all day. So rarely do we see such people as complex, often fragile and troubled human beings who have every right to be loved in spite of their “flaws”.

    I was borderline anorexic in highschool, and throughout university struggled with (and still do) with binge eating disorder. So I can to some extent understand where the writer of that article is coming from. She sees in Mike and Molly everything that she hates, everything she’s afraid of becoming. I have a similar reaction when I look at the overweight women in my family: “God, I hope I never look like that…”. So keep in mind that this article was written by someone with a very warped mindset. I just don’t like that it was published. What was the editor thinking?!

    Anyway, this idea that M&M “promotes” obesity is stupid. You think that the Jersey Shore kids are living a healthier lifestyle? Boozing, partying, sleeping around? But no one goes off on them, because they conform more closely to our society’s standards of “beauty” than Mike and Molly do.

  51. padiddle says:

    Tekla and the Truth Fairy – I don’t think you understand that a show about either two fat people falling in love or two anorexics falling in love isn’t glorifying those lifestyles – it’s simply showing that even people with eating disorders may still live “normal” lives – try to find love, struggle with body image, etc. The implication that either a show with anorexic people or a show with fat people “glorifies” that lifestyle is hyperbolic. It’s not wrong to show either thing on television because those people exist in society and have a voice. It’s wrong to say that eating poorly (either starving or overeating) is healthy, which the show clearly isn’t saying.
    I agree with kitten: we can’t “lift up” overweight people by putting thin people down. All people are deserving of respect, even people who are anorexic. They have an obvious disease and need treatment, not body shaming.

  52. Sandy says:

    Is this that smug bitch editor on Project Runway? She stood by this play ground bully nonsense? I smell more than one boycott.

  53. orion70 says:

    I don’t understand the comparisons here… how is watching two overweight people kissing comparable to watching a drunk stumble across the floor or an addict slumping in their chair? Even if you assume that their “drug of choice” is food, they’re not even eating in the comparisons she mentions.

    This makes as much sense to me as saying you’re disgusted with watching a sober alcoholic dance.

  54. GatsbyGal says:

    Why am I not shocked to discover that the writer of that awful article was once anorexic? Something tells me she’s still not over it. Anorexics usually hate fat people, even if they won’t admit it, and I think it’s because they’re pissed off that someone could be happy with weight on their bones, since they’re so miserable trying to be skinny all the time.

    As for the “a show about fat people will never be successful” mentality I’d like to direct you to a little show called Roseanne.

    And damnit, the show isn’t PROMOTING overeating. The characters meet at an Overeater’s Anonymous meeting – meaning, they’re trying to get help for their conditions. The show, I think, is more promoting the notion that you can be any size and still find true love.

  55. TaylorB says:

    What bothers me about this is that she didn’t mention, as someone above stated, some of the other sitcoms with larger leads as equally offensive… like According to Jim, King of Queens, Grounded for Life, Still Standing, The Simpsons, hell even the Flintstones etc. but in those cases only the man is heavy and the women are all thin. Perhaps it just bothers her if the female lead is heavy set, she must just hate Drop Dead Diva, and I am curious how she felt about Roseanne. For some reason, which I can not understand, many people are comfortable with a heavy man if he has a thin wife, but they can not wrap their brains about a thin man with a heavy wife or just two larger people together.

  56. lucy2 says:

    I’ll say it – what a BITCH. I agree with everyone who said this Maura Kelly is a very unhappy person, and if she truly was anorexic, she should have a little more sensitivity when it comes to food and body image issues. Clearly she needs to revisit some of her own issues, because it seems she still puts all of a person’s value on how they look and what they weigh – dangerous for a former anorexic, I’d think.

    Considering she nor her editors have ever even seen the show, I don’t know why they thought it was appropriate to publish an article about it – shoddy journalism at its worst. HAD they bothered to actually watch, they would have seen that in no way does the show “promote obesity” – both characters want to be healthier and more fit, both attend Overeaters Anonymous, are trying to watch what they’re eating, and exercise. To me that sets a GOOD example about getting healthier, while showing that’s just ONE aspect of a person.
    The creator of the show handled his response well, but I agree with LB – BS about not seeing size, it’s part of the basis for the show, and half the jokes are “fat jokes”. But if Maura Kelly wants to pick on a Chuck Lorre show…how about the one that pays millions to the lovely Charlie Sheen? What healthy lifestyle is he promoting?

    Though I love Melissa McCarthy, I actually don’t find the show all that funny and find some of the “fat jokes” directed at the Mike character to be a little too frequent and mean, and I’m probably not going to keep watching it. It feels a little dated and sitcom-y for my own tastes, but I still do recognize the good parts of it, and I wish Melissa great success with it.

  57. gg says:

    Hello, I thought we were past this decades ago with the Roseanne show??

    Not to mention – seems like every time weight is brought up, the victims of the weight discrimination usually shows up on the cover of some mag having lost 50 pounds.

  58. Kiki says:

    One of my favorite authors Jennifer Lancaster wrote a great counterpoint for this article.

    EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A READ.

    http://www.jennsylvania.com/jennsylvania/2010/10/ive-got-your-counterpoint-right-here-marie-claire.html

  59. minnie says:

    My thoughts exactly, LB!

    And it’s ridiculous to compare obesity to skin color or sexual orientation. Being born dark skinned or homosexual isnt a choice or “lifestyle”, and neither is unhealthy like MORBID obesity (not talking just a few extra pounds here). Skin color and sexual orientation also don’t drive up the cost of everybody’s healthcare, which is my main problem with the obesity epidemic.

  60. TeeTee says:

    Just like her I cringe when I see a certain body type..

    stick thin girls that almost disappear when they turn sideways! women that think because they are thin–they can judge others, when it looks like they could use an IV in there arm as they saunter down the street–I can almost hear their bones creaking.

    another waste of space writer, Thx, I’m def gonna watch this program!

    I need to laugh and if its done tastefully, I’m in. I will be unsubscribing from this rag.

  61. Feebee says:

    All this PC crap is getting a little tiresome. All this ‘everyone’s entitled to their opinion’ cos that’s what America’s about and what we’re fighting for blah blah blah.

    Yes, everyone’s entitled to their opinion but when your mother said “if you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all”, she may have had a point. Since when had the right to an opinion meant you can say whatever the hell you want ie take merciless personal potshots at people (and don’t give me the ‘they’re public personas who have to take it’) on a stage as large as Marie Claire? Obviously you’re “entitled to your opinion” you miserable woman but please don’t feign surprise when the backlash smacks you in the face and hurts.

  62. Kitten says:

    @#58-Her counter-argument was excellent-very funny and SO many good points. My only issue with what she wrote was her assumption that because MK is a recovering anorexic or skinny that she must deprive herself constantly and is miserable/angry because of it. Not every skinny person lives a life of depravity and misery.
    I am thin and actually enjoy healthy food AND treats (it’s pie-baking season, kids!).
    Again, It would be great if we could refrain from assumptions and sweeping generalizations about people based on their weight. Happy and unhappy people come in all shapes and sizes, ladies.

  63. gg says:

    It’s up to everybody’s PERSONAL LIFE to either continue to deal with being large, or go healthier. Judging somebody’s size is not right. Helping large people lose weight has boundaries and should be respected.

  64. Just a Poster says:

    Kiki thank you for posting that link. It’s a great article.

  65. Crash2GO2 says:

    Roseanne was the first show that came to my mind too. I don’t understand what it is about THIS show that set this woman off. I think it really says far more about THIS PARTICULAR WOMAN than it does about anything else, and where she is in her recovery from anorexia.

    I take what she wrote with a very very large grain of salt.

  66. Miss. Thang says:

    Let me tell you something that has not been said that I think a lot of people are unaware of.
    I am a woman who is medically obese. This is not something I choose to be and it is not something I want to be. It is because I have a medical condition that makes me that way. There is nothing I can do about that. All my life I have been an attractive woman (strangers have regularly paid for my dinner in restaurants). I was always very active and I loved running and yoga and did both all the time. But then I got sick. Now I can’t run and can only do a little bit of yoga. I still eat a very healthy diet, but I am overweight. It’s hormonal and because of that there is absolutely nothing I can do about it until my hormones are fixed. I don’t sit around on the sofa all day eating donuts, and I long to experience the feeling of my muscles pumping and my heart racing again. But I can’t. I did not choose to be obese and there’s nothing I can do about it.
    Because of that I deserve the same respect you would give anyone else who is subject to prejudice. For someone to say looking at me disgusts them truly is the same as someone saying looking at a person of a different race or sexuality disgusts them. None of us can help it.
    I was not obese until I got sick.
    Now, I know what you are all thinking-that I am the exception to the rule, but let me inform you otherwise. My friends are a random collection of people that I know from HS and college that I met in classrooms and study groups and dorms, all before I was overweight. MANY of them are overweight and all but one of them is overweight because of a medical condition (the one who I’m leaving out I’m not sure about her medical state). They did not get these medical conditions from being overweight, these medical conditions caused them to be overweight. They do not all have the same one, and not one of them has the same condition I have.
    None of us choose to be overweight, but when someone sees us walking down the street we are all under the same scrutiny. When we eat in restaurants we know everyone around is watching to see if we order dessert (for the record I almost never do-I MAYBE have sweets once a week, if that). People whisper about us and stare at us and say things to their friends when they see us like “God, cut back on the donuts and take a walk, already.”
    Yes, we hear them, and that is the same as being prejudice about a gay person, because we don’t choose our weight, just as they don’t choose their sexuality.

    Sizism is the last acceptable prejudice and it truly is prejudice. You cannot tell by looking at a person if they are fat because they overeat or if they are fat because they have a medical condition that cannot be changed. So, we all get judged the same. Does it make it acceptable to say things like “You obese people need to do something about your weight” just because some of us can help it?
    I personally know two different women who were gay because they wanted to try it out. Both of them said they did not have a particular attraction to women they just wanted to know what all the fuss was about. They lived with and dated women for more than a year each and both are now happily married to men. Both say they do not have an attraction to women. So, because they did choose to be gay and then chose not to be gay, do I get to say that all gay people choose that lifestyle?
    No, because it’s simply not true.
    The same goes for obese people. We don’t want to be different. We don’t want to be unhealthy. We’re not happy about our current weight, but a lot of us simply can’t do anything about it.
    So, please, show us the same respect you would show someone with a disability or who is of a different race or sexuality, because you don’t know if the obese person you are talking to is a lazy overeater or truly has medically caused obesity. Can’t we just think the best of people? Can’t we give everyone the benefit of a doubt? I do that for people who stare and make horrible comments! Rather than thinking “What a bitch!” I think “She must not know that some obese people can’t help it.”

  67. MARYANN says:

    I think it a funny show. The sad thing is that the characters of the show are self-conscious of their weight. People are not happy unless they are putting others down. Maybe if she watched the show before she opened her big fat mouth. She would see it is not that bad. Remember the tv makes you look bigger that you are.

  68. Jacquie says:

    So a show about real life situations bugged someone? Well that’s never happened before (please note the sarcasm).
    Acceptance is the key all of us should be searching for. Opinions are like A**holes, everyone has one and no one really care about them. People are who they are so let’s accept them and move on. Enjoy the show for what it is, they don’t all have a message, some of them are just for fun.

  69. Beca says:

    *high-five to Miss Thang*

    I guess what bothers me the most about both the editorial and some of the comments here is the assumption that fat people are fat because they don’t want to put in the effort to be thin. that’s really unfair. do you think i don’t know i am fat? do you think i don’t care? do you think i am not making an effort, every day, to make positive, healthy choices?
    losing weight is a hard, slow process. instead of being cruel about how i look, celebrate with me because i walked an extra mile. come over and eat the healthy food i prepare. suggest outings that don’t involve food. congratulate me because i quit smoking. be kind because i am a human being and deserve it, even if i can’t magically erase this extra weight. and understand that everyone’s journey is different, and try to find it in you to be compassionate. we all deserve it, no matter how much we weigh.

  70. Miss. Thang says:

    Back at ya, Beca!

    Congratulations on quitting smoking! You’re tackling two really difficult challenges!

  71. Mairead says:

    I’ve never heard of this sitcom, but Rosanne Barr being overweight certainly never influenced me to become obese – I just have. Through my decisions and my compulsions.

    So what is this woman’s gripe? That decades of “pro-skinny” tv programming has failed to have the desired effect on me and my fellow lard-arses? Feck off!

  72. Lola7 says:

    That writer sickens me….I would be repulsed by HER ” walking across a room”!

    @ seVen – good post, I completely agree with you.

  73. MissyA says:

    Somehow, I think that hateful Nina Garcia is behind all of this. . .

  74. Mary says:

    Anorexia is as bad as being obese. When I see a skinny person I want to go help them walk. They look like a cadaver. Anorexia is a reverse version of morbid obesity.

  75. Crash2GO2 says:

    @Miss Thang: I wish you all the best in your quest for good health! Truly we all have our struggles – ALL of us. It never ceases to amaze me when people say they don’t feel sorry for so and so because they are too rich or too beautiful or too fat or too thin or had too much plastic surgery or did too many drugs or….

    Life is hard no matter who you are. But find the good people that are everywhere and keep them in your circle. Ignore the rest.

  76. Peekaboo says:

    @ im awful – (don’t take this personally, as it is not directed at you just meant to answer your question)

    I’ll tell you why overweight people get so touchy when they’re called out on being overweight. BECAUSE IT’S NONE OF ANYONE ELSE’S BUSINESS. If I’m overweight and I am not your wife, mother, sister or some other family member – shut the heck up! SERIOUSLY!!

    Case in point…If you looked like a babboon’s butt, would you want some random person making it their business to bring it to your attention? Certainly you would know that you weren’t the most attractive person on the planet, but it is not anyone’s business to point that out to you!

    Do overweight people know that they are overweight? YES! It becomes glaringly clear when we shop for clothes, sit in a chair with arms, etc.

    Just in case you are missing the point here…overweight people are aware of the fact and don’t need anyone to point it out. Now, if you are still determined to call an overweight person out, first ask yourself if you are willing to put in some time to be their diet and workout buddy. If not, KEEP YOUR FAT MOUTH SHUT AND KEEP IT MOVIN’.

  77. DrM says:

    Someone who has been an admitted anorexic is hardly a great source of ‘balanced’ opinions on weight, appearance, health or body image…”

  78. Heather says:

    If she has anorexia, than she’s just as sick in the head as someone with a food addiction.

    Just saying.

  79. im awful says:

    Peekaboo, i usually dont respond when people comment on my comment but im bored at work so here we go.

    i didnt mean “call out” as im walking down the street and i see an overweight person and say, hey youre fat, do something about it.

    i meant when someone writes a blog or comments about obesity in america and you get a lot of comments like the ones here where so many say that its ok to be overweight and it isnt unhealthy. i think theres a lot of denial and i think people need to accept that if youre overweight, most times it cant be good for you.

    i would only call someone overweight if we were family or friends and i wanted to do something about it.

    ps. did join the gym with my sis and did go on a diet with her… i know its not easy.

  80. ergo69 says:

    Does no one remember the Roseanne show ??? No one seemed to have an issue with teh size of Roseanne and Goodman!

  81. Jeri says:

    Great article and large reactions. I haven’t seen this show but have watched both stars in other series and shows and have always liked them. At the rate shows are being cancelled I’ll probably try to schedule this show on my DVR.

    There’s never a reason to be hateful just to provoke or any other reason, everyone has opinions. Unless you’re talking about Charlie Sheens’ or Lohans’ excuses think twice before firing off hateful critisims on people that would get you arrested if you said them about gays or people of color. Your bias is showing.

  82. Julia says:

    Only flawless women who are at least 15% below normal body weight and have breast implants are deserving of love and sexual satisfaction. Geez, people, don’t you pay attention to advertising?

    /sarcasm off

    Actually, I feel compelled to point out that when we internalize all the advertising and media pressure (both implicit and explicit), we often feel that we’d have better sex/love lives if we were just a little thinner. The reality is that women who are normal sized or carrying some extra weight are more sexually satisfied than those who are underweight. As much as the stick-thin body type is pushed as sexy, the reality is that being that underweight makes people cranky and lowers libido (not to mention that often being skinny does not equal feeling sexy or thinking one is skinny enough). Don’t believe the hype: that model making the “come hither” look to sell makeup is not necessarily great in the sack. 🙂

    Plus, at last count, underweight women on t.v. outnumbered overweight (or even NORMAL sized) women by a ri-damn-diculous margin, so this woman is just a crackpot.

  83. fizXgirl314 says:

    This is great… now I’m going to start watching this show just to spite this bitch…

  84. original kate says:

    she writes for a fsahion magazine, so it is no surprise that she is anti-fat. i think her actual writing is atrocious and i am amazed that she is a writer by trade. she seems like an insecure, vapid and rather immature woman – who cares what she thinks?

  85. Alarmjaguar says:

    Thanks, Freebee, for pointing out that all of the people who complain about not having free speech when they insult people and get a backlash clearly a)have no manners and b) don’t understand that free speech means you can say whatever you want, but it doesn’t mean there aren’t still consequences ie people can disagree with you. Geez.

  86. Beca says:

    @i’m awful: i don’t think anyone here is trying to make the point that being overweight is good for you or not unhealthy. obviously i can only speak for myself, but all i meant (and what i got from most of the comments) is that no matter what size, every human being deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. and that simply assuming, based on someone’s size, that they don’t bother to work out, eat right, etc. is not necessarily fair.

  87. devilgirl says:

    @Miss Thang-Great post and I hope that you find your good health once again soon!

    Nice to see you around!

  88. Lindsay says:

    I now don’t read Marie Claire because I find people with ugly personalities displeasing. It is unhealthy for them to be so hateful because it pisses off people who are ‘bigger’ than them. Dangerous.

    And she has a history of anorexia. An eating disorder. Just like ‘over-eating’. Irony?

    I think she may just be a bitch.

  89. Lady D says:

    “the reality is, women who are normal sized or carrying extra weight are more sexually satisfied.” How in the hell do you know how sexually satisfied I am? Cause I’m underweight I don’t have fun in the sack? Unbelievable.
    “The reality is being underweight makes people cranky and lowers libido.” Does this mean overweight people are jolly sluts? Like Kitten (bless her) said, bashing women at either end of the spectrum doesn’t help anyone.

  90. Cruisin Through says:

    Very good post Miss Thang!

    I agree 100% that obesity is one of the last tolerated predjudices. While some people can help it, others can’t, anymore than someone can help being an adddict or an alcoholic.

    Everyone needs to be alot more accepting of people who aren’t cookie cutter images of themselves. I’ve never seen the show, but am going to make it a point to now.

  91. Crash2GO2 says:

    @ Julia: — “The reality is being underweight makes people cranky and lowers libido.”

    What the hell? If they are anorexic, or undernourished than perhaps yes. Otherwise, you are simply bashing, because it is nonsensical shit like this that whallops women on the other side of the weight spectrum just to be spiteful.

    Go away with your nasty comments. You are just as bad as that nasty writer we are discussing.

  92. daisy says:

    Roseanne was one of the best shows ever and the lead characters were not what i would call SLIM. I would totally watch the show.

  93. Raven says:

    If Maura Kelly is a “former anorexic” and spewing vile comments like this, she is very similar to a dry drunk. In other words, she still has the disease, she is just not starving herself too much at this point. Because we don’t have a photo of her, we have no idea whether she is model thin, a step up from anorexic weight, or more normal size.

  94. ERM says:

    And we wonder why bullying has become such a problem! It is never okay to attack someone for their looks !

  95. Jamie says:

    I for one have loved Melissa McCarthy ever since she played Sookie on Gilmore Girls and I just saw her new movie with Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel last weekend. I found her as hilarious as ever. And, I remember Billy Gardell from when he played the friend on Yes, Dear. He was actually really funny on that show.

    I disagree that Mike & Molly is promoting an ‘unhealthy lifestyle.’ If the two characters met at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting, then isn’t that implying they’re trying to get help for themselves? I would think that actually sends a positive message, not a negative one.

    #6, that’s a great point. The Secret Life of The American Teenager pretty much promotes teenage pregnancy from what I’ve seen. I don’t actually watch that show though, so maybe I’m wrong.

    I don’t watch this show, but what she said was completely and totally out of line in my personal opinion. Saying she was an anorexic herself does not excuse her from her very hurtful and cruel comments. As someone who has battled an eating disorder in the past, she should be more understanding, compassionate and sensitive than anyone else. How would she like it if someone called her a twig and made a comment about how they didn’t want to see two people who were ‘sticks and bones’ making out on television? As a naturally thin girl myself, I am completely outraged by her insensitivity and total lack of class. Just no tact whatsoever and this is why bullying has become such an epidemic.

  96. Anti-icon says:

    Oh I love this actress who plays Molly, from Gilmore Girls. I haven’t watched this yet, but it’s got good ‘net cred. I’ll watch now.

    I hate any kind of body scrutiny, really. It’s what’s between our ears that matters most.

  97. alinisigrr says:

    i’ve been watching the show since it started and i think it is a fair look at what probably most americans have to deal with. aren’t the statistics of obese and overweight people astronomical? this sitcom shows them trying to deal with their bodies in a more responsible way than other shows, attending over-eaters anon…ymous and limiting their intake rather than being on ridiculous fad diets.
    as for the author of the article, i get that she has issues with weight (admitting that she used to be anorexic) and probably has a skewed point of view. however, saying that it makes you sick to see two fat people walk across the room or be affectionate with each other is wrong. she’s not making a point about their acting or the content of the show, she is flat out insulting them, and insinuating that overweight people don’t deserve love.

  98. I Choose Me says:

    Uh anybody remember Roseanne? I do and I loved that show. Why is everyone acting like a couple like this is somehow strange or outside the norm. I don’t remember any such articles like the one in Marie Claire being written when that show was on the air. All this so called concern for people’s health is a sad blind from a generation of narcissists who are unhappy with their bodies and define their self-worth by how physically perfect they can be. It’s all about aesthetic and not personality or character. And while I’m ranting, why is pubic hair on women or facial hair on a man considered ‘gross’ by so many nowadays. It’s a natural part of the human body ffs. I hope Molly and everyone else who thinks like her gets a clue.

  99. locamochagirl says:

    ….Being overweight is the cause of MANY health problems. While this show doesn’t necessarily PROMOTE obesity, it does send a message that it’s “ok.” The Maire Claire woman was probably a little too extreme in her criticism, but she has a right to her opinion. This IS America, where we are able to exercise the right of free speech. People are so over sensitive these days. EVERYTHING offends everyone.

  100. sauvage says:

    I hate it when people feel entitled to tell others who should get together and who shouldn’t. So big people aren’t “allowed” to fall in love and be happy, have babies, have SEX?

    By the way, I’m underweight naturally, just in case somebody feels the need to call me out on that one.

  101. Miss. Thang says:

    @devilgirl and Cruisin Through:
    Thank you for the well-wishes and support!
    I hope someday people in my situation can find support without having to tell the whole story.

    About those pictures of MK: She definitely looks underweight in them, should we all assume something mean about her?

  102. Chris says:

    I have had it up to Pussy’s bow with people thinking they have carte blanche to heap scorn on people for taking drugs whilst getting all defensive about fat people. Obesity costs the health system in my country way more than illegal drugs do. If some of the people on this site replaced the word crackie or junkie in their posts with some other derogatory description of another minority group they see how disgusting they sound.

  103. Aspen says:

    She doesn’t hate fat people. She’s frightened of fat people. They are her worst fear for herself. Watching two fat people on a screen who are capable of being happy and living life…when her entire life has been about avoiding becoming fat makes her uncomfortable and anxious. Looking at fat people terrifies her. It’s not hate it’s fear. She’s a fatphobe.

    Be that as it may, she’s an adult and adults are expected to control themselves or suffer the social consequences.

    #48, No, obesity is not analogous to homosexuality…but bigotry against fat people IS analogous to bigotry against homosexuals. It was a very apt analogy. Bigotry is bigotry, and hurling ugliness all over a group of people who aren’t like you in the way that this blogger did was textbook bigot behavior.

    It’s just that discriminating against and dehumanizing fat people is still socially acceptable in America.

    Cheers.

    Marie Claire deserves the subscription and social fallout they’re about to receive. That was horrendous and should never have made it past the editor.

  104. Sara says:

    This woman used to be anorexic and it sounds like she still has some really unealthy ways of thinking.

    Being really fat isn’t good for you, ok whatever, but what’s even worse is having low self esteme and thinking awful things about yourself. I’d rather be mentaly healthy than f-ed up like the woman who wrote this article.

  105. ! says:

    There is nothing wrong with humanizing those who are overweight. They’re human beings like any of us, and as far as I’m concerned, their vice should be far less of a concern than those who are on drugs or alcohol. It’s a deeply personal and emotional struggle for many and trust me, the’re far harder on themselves than you are on them, and they don’t need your hate. I didn’t think this show was all *that* stellar, but I think I’ll watch it now, even if only to spite that Marie Claire writer.

  106. Catherine says:

    Trying to paste in a picture of the aesthetically perfect blogger who hates fat people:

    If that didnt work, try: http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b23/catbud/kelly/kelly.jpg

    The thing that is the most irritating is that neither she nor the editor have watched the show. No excuse for that. Be informed before you claim your right to have an opinion!

  107. wonderful says:

    Why is everyone getting into a discussion about the validity of her points? If this were posted on her own random blog, everyone would just conclude she was a completley bigoted jerk and move along. THE POINT IS this was posted on the website of a reputable women’s magazine that proposes to promote all body shapes! This is beyond insulting, beyond disgusting. Just another reason to belive feminism is dead.

  108. dj says:

    Mike & Molly is a great show and very funny. My husband and I both love it. I highly recommend it.

  109. Jane says:

    Okay, seriously, what’s with the ‘promoting obesity’ bit?
    What healthy young people are going to see this show and say “Wow, I think I’ll gain some weight. It looks so cool!”?

    No one’s saying that obesity isn’t unhealthy, including the show’s characters!
    But no, God forbid, fat people believe that they still have worth as people or that there’s more to them then their weight or that they deserve to be loved! No, fat people should remain shameful and self-loathing. They’ll never learn to stop eating so many doughnuts otherwise!

  110. diane says:

    I really like the show. I just wish they would not focus so much on their weight, but would allow these two great actors to show how talented they are!

  111. Melanie says:

    I wish I actually read Marie Claire so that I could stop reading it.

  112. big feet bunny says:

    is this show copying “roseanne”? i’ve never seen it.

  113. Zin Craig says:

    So Comedy Central has this new series called Mike and Molly. This program is a diabolical plot formulated in Hollywood to find the morbidly obese funny, engaging charming and watchable.

    I don’t think so.

    Everyone under 150 lbs. (10 stone 10 pounds) should be highly offended by this television show.

    The dialogue is quick and pithy and would be just as funny if the characters were anorexic, bulimic or from one of the starving countries in Africa!

    I think this is America’s way of conditioning us – preparing us, for the next new genre of comedy… Fat people!

    Mark Roberts who is no slim pickens himself is the producer. How fat are you anyway? You should be ashamed of yourself. Now go and order yourself a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken, you fat pig! I cannot watch this program, it makes me never want to eat food again!

    Zin Craig
    103 lbs., 7.3 stone

  114. TVjunkie says:

    Does not one here remember the show “Roseanne”? It was one of the most successful sitcoms of the ’80’s and featured “real” people in terms of weight and social class.

  115. hellcat says:

    YES. Everyone remembers Roseanne. You’re only the 465th person to bring it up.

  116. liz says:

    For all the comments about not reading Marie Claire magazine again….well I think you didnt think about what you were saying and reacted out of anger for ONE comment from ONE columnist. There are many other people working for this magazine that have their own opinion.
    I will continue to purchase this magazine,and will encourage my friends to buy it as well.

    You people are no better than the columnist when you attack her eating disorder as well.

    You people abviously have an emotional problem with your weight, cause im fat and it didnt bother me.

    Not everyone has the right to freedom of speech. So I quite like people who make such comments because their not afraid to say what they think, and I would rather read articles from someone like that than from someone lying in every turn of life.

  117. liz says:

    What is really annoying is that I am not allowed to say what I really feel here,my comment will be removed by some fat person offended by my opinion.

    I guess we dont have freedom of speech.