It’s been rare lately that something has struck me to the point where I immediately had to blog. I mean really, just look at my “recent posts.” I think I’ve posted 3 times in all of 2010.
Today I saw a link on Twitter to an article about “Mike & Molly,” a TV show that I watch and enjoy. Jethro Nededog (follow him at @TheRealJethro for entertainment scoopage) posted: RT @zap2itrick: “Mike & Molly” creator Mark Roberts responds to the Marie Claire affair: “It makes me sad.” http://bit.ly/a44uhy
Since I like the show, I clicked the link. I read an article posted on Zap2It’s TV blog about a different article posted on the Marie Claire magazine’s website. There was a lot of link clicking to get back to the source! And even the Marie Claire “blog” referenced back to another article (which I also read). As horrific as the Marie Claire blog was, I needed the context. And in the end, I was speechless (wordless?) by what I read.
For those that don’t know, the premise of “Mike & Molly” is about two people who meet at an Overeater’s Anonymous meeting and fall for each other. Given their meeting place, it’s safe to say that they are of a certain body type/shape. Molly is played by my beloved Melissa McCarthy (Sookie of Gilmore Girls) – an absolutely precious and hysterically funny comedienne who has always been a great character with no regard to her size. I’m less familiar with the actor that plays Mike, but he’s a big boy.
I guess I’m still wordless because I cannot even begin to describe the blog on Marie Claire. No, I’m not going to post the link – it’s not worth it. Especially with the recent news onslaught of the tragedies that can be tied back to bullying, I cannot believe that anyone would publish that diatribe, and that the editor would approve it. Perhaps they did it for the reaction it would generate, but considering the apology/update that was added to the bottom of the blog, I’m guessing the author was just completely clueless to the power of her words. She actually said that she had friends that are “plump” as a way of excusing her horrific words. That’s like saying “I’m not racist, I have black friends.” “I’m not homophobic, I have gay friends.” Hey, I have a friend named Smith!
I feel that the environment that I was raised in was colorblind – people are just people, skin tone is nothing to me. Along those same lines, I see no reason to discriminate or judge (as long as all opinions are respected – don’t hate on me, I won’t hate on you) based on someone’s religious choices, or their sexual orientation. I know what I believe and I’ll respect what you believe and I’ll let God sort it all out in the end.
I feel the same way about size. Who gives two shits about what size two actors are? There are more people that look like them than what look like the size 0 actress, or the ripped muscled actor. They might be slightly larger than “normal” but who determines what is “normal?” I realize we all have the right to free speech – it’s one of the reasons I’m proud to be an American.
But really? What if this woman was put out there with her biggest imperfection magnified? The TV show doesn’t stray from fat jokes, but the crux of the show is that here is two people who are lucky enough to have found each other and now have to navigate the world of courtship amongst the standard comedic asides of crazy family and friends. And not only that, who says that these actors think that their weight is an imperfection? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
I watched the show and laughed more at the crazy family than the weight-centered jokes. Let me repeat myself here: WHO CARES how much they weigh? I don’t care how much I weigh so I certain don’t care how much someone on my tv weighs. And you know what? I was actually jealous of Molly. She has someone who cares about her, no matter what. Personally, I think Melissa McCarthy is beautiful so who wouldn’t be crazy about her?
I can’t get over what the Marie Claire blogger said. In a way, it’s almost a reflection of what is wrong with the world. One person thinking that they can pass judgment on something that doesn’t matter! Freedom matters. Basic human rights matter (one of which is to weigh however much you damn well please). I hope that the actors on Mike & Molly give no weight (sorry, no pun intended, no other word to choose) to that blog.
And I hope that collectively we can all grow up and realize how much words can hurt – and how much they can heal.