'09
The guys over at Fox are really patting themselves on the back right now. They’ve created a new reality-dating show focused on overweight people. And they’re pretty proud of themselves, if their interviews are any indication. That’s right, it has nothing to with ratings or being too lazy and cheap to create scripted television. They’re doing this for you. For me. For the common (wo)man. They want to help the average American get a date, or at least put a show on the air that proves we can.
Fox is teaming with “The Bachelor” producer Mike Fleiss for a new dating-competition series that casts “average-looking” people. The series, titled “More to Love,” is billed as the first “dating show for the rest of us,” throwing open its doors to overweight contestants.
“For six years it’s been skinny-minis and good-looking bachelors, and that’s not what the dating world looks like,” Fox president of alternative Mike Darnell said. “Why don’t real women — the women who watch these shows, for the most part — have a chance to find love too?”
The project has a similar format to “The Bachelor,” where a group of woman compete for one man (producers describe him as a “Kevin James-type”).
“This show is going to get a lot of people talking,” Darnell said. “It may be a little controversial, but I think it will mostly be positive. This is so simple and so obvious, yet it has never been done.” Broadcast reality-dating shows such as the CW’s “Beauty and the Geek” and NBC’s “Average Joe” have featured less-than-handsome men but paired them with model-esque women. “Most of the country isn’t a Size 2,” Fleiss said. “It’s the dating show for the rest of us.”
Contestants will do the sort of activities seen on “Bachelor,” but producers suspect Jacuzzi or massage dates will take on a different perspective. “More to Love” will have makeover aspects — when contestants wear ballroom gowns, for instance — but Fleiss said the focus will not be on physical improvement.
“We want to send the message that you can be the size you are and still be lovable,” he said. “We aren’t going to thin these girls down so they can find love — that’s a backwards message.”
[From the Hollywood Reporter]
This has exploitation written all over it. More than the average reality dating show. That part about the Jacuzzi and massage dates made me especially uncomfortable. Like it’s supposed to be, “Look, he likes her despite all the jiggle!” “He loves her even though she’s disgusting!” Not that I think overweight people are disgusting – far from it - but instinct tells me that’s what this show will focus on. Something along the lines of, “Sure, person X is hideous, but they still need love.” If there’s some way the producers shock me and actually do this with a touch of humanity, I’ll gladly eat my words. But reality television is about as lowbrow as you can get. I’m not hopeful.
Here’s “More to Love” producer Mike Fleiss (far left) with reality show bigwigs Lloyd J. Schwartz, Sherwood Schwartz and Steve Koonin at the premiere after party for ‘The Real Gilligan’s Island’ on November 30, 2004 in West Hollywood.
Written by JayBird
Posted in Reality Shows, Weight
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12 Responses to “Fox making overweight reality-dating show to make real people feel better”
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I really don’t understand what goes through the mind of people that appear on these type of shows. Do they not realize they’re going to exploited? Do they even care? Its going to be on the internet forever, so your kids, grandkids, and so on can see you at your worst.
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These people want their 15 minutes, that’s why they go on these shows. *rolls eyes* People are so…fame-hungry nowadays. They’ll do anything for attention. I don’t understand it.
And will people stop calling “average” people “real”? That bothers me to no end. I’m “real” as hell but I’m not pimply, I don’t have dimpled thighs, I don’t slave away in the gym, I haven’t had plastic surgery, I don’t get facials every week, I don’t get my eyebrows (or anywhere else) regularly waxed, I’m not a size 12 and above which has become “average” aka “real”.
I just do not understand this “real” vs “fake” woman crap. And it bothers me that we live in a society where someone who is overweight is considered “real”. Being a size 12 and above might be the “average” in this country, but it isn’t healthy.
Creating a show around it will either encourage people to stay overweight or shame them into losing weight. Neither of those are good.
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Oh Fox! What a shining gem in the crown of network television you are.
@HashBrowns I’m a size 12 and I’m quite healthy dear. For someone with such a positive self image, you seem a bit angry.
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Yea, I gotta say, being a size 12 doesn’t make you a “real woman”. I hate that notion. I don’t think your size determines how “real” you are. And “Skinny-minnis”? Really Fox? Really?
Very very annoying and undermining to those of us who consider ourselves very real! And great to boot. And aren’t a size 12 or whatever they’re pegging as “a real woman’s size”. thankyouverymuch.
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Why don’t we just get rid of dating shows forever? I despise them…dating show premises are usually a bunch of women clawing at each other to get to ONE man.
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Why does one have to be overweight now in order to be “real”? I really don’t like that lingo. maybe I’m just nitpicky though.
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This whole idea of finding love on some corny, ‘average-friendly’ dating show doesn’t seem healthy at all.
And you’re not even finding love, anyway. You’re competing for some pseudo-Kevin-James-type. Lovely. -
Nicely done JayBird! It would be really… awkward to watch this when you know that they will be focusing the camera (maybe not the dialogue) on the OMG ROLLZ factor. It’s so Fox
The fact that they are trying to frame the whole “Hey let’s have a fatty dating show!” into self-righteous garbage like “we’re doing a show for YOU REAL Americans!” is insulting no matter what size you are. I’d rather be a ‘fake American’ then contribute to any of this nonsense.
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Wow. Real people huh? Not sure the obese should be qualified as “real” people. They are a percentage not regularity. A very unhealthy percentage of the populous. The only thing, for most not all, that is real about them is that they’re real lazy. What we SHOULD be doing is promoting more programs about encouraging healthier life styles instead of tolerating the unhealthy. They have problems getting a date because 1. they’re not confident with the way they look. Well then change it. 2. Not many people want to be with someone who doesn’t care about themselves enough to start being healthier. It’s not about vanity…it’s a health issue. Why should anyone care if they never find love? They don’t care about themselves. The only good thing about reality shows is that it can be used to spread a message. Like Pedro in the Real World or The Biggest Loser. For the most part, all these shows are doing is showing others how ignorant this country is and fueling stereotypes many cultures try to avoid. If you can’t be creative enough to write a proper show then get out of this business and let someone else with talent try their hand at it.
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I think that it is a very interesting and amusing article. Practically all its main points are true.
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Am I the only one who thinks that the morbidly obese “real” people watch skinny shows? It’s overweight ACTORS who want TV to show more “real” (overweight) people. Fat people want to watch fit people on “Melrose Place” rutting like badgers.
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can’t wait to see the controversy on this one. the “pretty” people will be saying “who wants to see these average people” and the overweight people will saying “you call THESE people average??!” thinking that the chosen contestants are too pretty and “not fat or average.” NO WIN SITUATION!
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