October 27, 2010
Marie Claire’s Maura Kelly has been getting a lot of scrutiny for one of the posts in her blog “A Year of Living Flirtatiously”. In a recent blog post “Should ‘Fatties’ Get a Room? (Even on TV)”, she writes about how she is uncomfortable seeing overweight couples on TV or even in public. Specifically, Kelly cites the “morbidly obese” characters on the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly. The show centers on two singles who meet each other at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting and focuses on their budding relationship. The characters and actors in the spotlight are played by Billy Gardell and Melissa McCarthy. It’s a pretty ridiculous post, so if you have the time, please just read the entire thing. But, here’s a few A+ excerpts: And while I think our country’s obsession with physical perfection is unhealthy, I also think it’s at least equally crazy, albeit in the other direction, to be implicitly promoting obesity! No one who is as fat as Mike and Molly can be healthy. So anyway, 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 addict slumping in a chair. But … I think obesity is something that most people have a ton of control over. It’s something they can change, if only they put their minds to it. Maura Kelly continues on her ranting with health advice to the so-called-fatties. APPARENTLY you’re supposed to eat healthy and maybe, walk around a bit? Thank you, Kelly, for that wise advice. But, who is this girl to complain that fat people make her feel uncomfortable? And more importantly, who the fuck approved this post? Honestly, this is something you joke around with with your friends… in a private “I-secretly-feel-this-way-but-can’t-actually-voice-this-in-public” setting. It is not something you share with uhm… say AN ENTIRE NATIONAL MAGAZINE AUDIENCE (and one that might actually even be directed to your readers). From what I know Marie Claire targets an older, more mature audience… one that consists of a lot of working professionals… many of whom might not be able to hit the gym everyday and probably DO fall in that overweight category. So was it plain oversight or should someone actually be held responsible? What adds to the outrage and—quite frankly—my confusion is that Kelly has openly admitted to having a past dealing with anorexia (not really sure of her specifics and what she’s previously disclosed about this). I’m sure Kelly already has her set of unresolved issues with food and body image, SO you would think she would shy away from a potentially controversial topic since she can’t be “rational” or “unbiased”. But nope, Kelly’s insensitive and crass enough to openly group every fat person together as someone who just sits around and eats fast food. I think her attempt to be funny and ironic failed really badly. It may have been a little bit witty if only she didn’t seem so 110% behind what she was saying. And trying to push her “it’s only satisfying to see skinny, attractive people make out and be intimate” feelings to everyone else just doesn’t cut it in a setting where a lot of people are considered overweight. So, REALLY, does the picture above really make you uncomfortable? LOLLLLLLLZ What do you think about this whole situation? Is Maura Kelly allowed to say what she feels? Or does Marie Claire have to realize that they really actually fucked up by letting her go about this rant? Tumblr reply, comment below or shoot me an email if you want jesksa@gmail.com!

Marie Claire’s Maura Kelly has been getting a lot of scrutiny for one of the posts in her blog “A Year of Living Flirtatiously”. In a recent blog post “Should ‘Fatties’ Get a Room? (Even on TV)”, she writes about how she is uncomfortable seeing overweight couples on TV or even in public.

Specifically, Kelly cites the “morbidly obese” characters on the CBS sitcom Mike & Molly. The show centers on two singles who meet each other at an Overeaters Anonymous meeting and focuses on their budding relationship. The characters and actors in the spotlight are played by Billy Gardell and Melissa McCarthy.

It’s a pretty ridiculous post, so if you have the time, please just read the entire thing. But, here’s a few A+ excerpts:

And while I think our country’s obsession with physical perfection is unhealthy, I also think it’s at least equally crazy, albeit in the other direction, to be implicitly promoting obesity! No one who is as fat as Mike and Molly can be healthy.

So anyway, 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 addict slumping in a chair.

But … I think obesity is something that most people have a ton of control over. It’s something they can change, if only they put their minds to it.

Maura Kelly continues on her ranting with health advice to the so-called-fatties. APPARENTLY you’re supposed to eat healthy and maybe, walk around a bit? Thank you, Kelly, for that wise advice. But, who is this girl to complain that fat people make her feel uncomfortable? And more importantly, who the fuck approved this post?

Honestly, this is something you joke around with with your friends… in a private “I-secretly-feel-this-way-but-can’t-actually-voice-this-in-public” setting. It is not something you share with uhm… say AN ENTIRE NATIONAL MAGAZINE AUDIENCE (and one that might actually even be directed to your readers). From what I know Marie Claire targets an older, more mature audience… one that consists of a lot of working professionals… many of whom might not be able to hit the gym everyday and probably DO fall in that overweight category.

So was it plain oversight or should someone actually be held responsible?

What adds to the outrage and—quite frankly—my confusion is that Kelly has openly admitted to having a past dealing with anorexia (not really sure of her specifics and what she’s previously disclosed about this). I’m sure Kelly already has her set of unresolved issues with food and body image, SO you would think she would shy away from a potentially controversial topic since she can’t be “rational” or “unbiased”. But nope, Kelly’s insensitive and crass enough to openly group every fat person together as someone who just sits around and eats fast food.

I think her attempt to be funny and ironic failed really badly. It may have been a little bit witty if only she didn’t seem so 110% behind what she was saying. And trying to push her “it’s only satisfying to see skinny, attractive people make out and be intimate” feelings to everyone else just doesn’t cut it in a setting where a lot of people are considered overweight.

So, REALLY, does the picture above really make you uncomfortable? LOLLLLLLLZ

What do you think about this whole situation? Is Maura Kelly allowed to say what she feels? Or does Marie Claire have to realize that they really actually fucked up by letting her go about this rant?

Tumblr reply, comment below or shoot me an email if you want jesksa@gmail.com!