I was just browsing through the news and alighted on this charming little story from the Daily Mail. I know, I know. I shouldn't have. Anyway...
Dawn French is a bad girl according to a "nutritionist", Mary Strugar, who has spotted a way of raising her profile by shitting on someone famous.
You see French has not shown the necessary shame and self loathing that is required of someone who deviates too far from the socially proscribed weight. French has even had the temerity to say that we should not judge people by how they look and that she is very happy with her size. Horror!
The Mail reports "her stance has now incurred the wrath of a Harley Street nutritionist for "encouraging people to accept their obesity".
"Dawn French is one our most loved comediennes but she has also, perhaps unwittingly become a role model for the overweight and obese. Her constant ‘big is beautiful’ statements, arguably are sending the wrong signals and are perhaps encouraging people to accept their obesity and ignore the health implications of being overweight."Excuse me but who's body is it? I'm not aware of any law obliging French, or any other person in the public eye, to issue mea culpas any time they do not conform to an optimum healthy lifestyle. Feeling good about yourself is neither a crime nor is it to be frowned upon. Unless French is employed as a health professional I see no reason for her to issue health advice, nor does she appear to be someone from whom many people might take such advice.
"I only wish she could use her profile to raise awareness of how to go about the process of change as well as giving clear information about the serious health risks associated with obesity, such as diabetes, stroke and heart disease".
Anyway, to encourage people to feel bad about themselves is a pretty bad signal in itself - no? Is it really better to take a pot shot at fatty for daring to show herself in public without a sandwich board declaring herself "UNCLEAN".
I think it's fascinating that someone can be offended by the idea that some people think ‘big is beautiful’. It looks like an emotionally stunted position to me when you cannot tolerate other people's right to be themselves without shame.
Annie Leonard and co. (
Adrienne Mayor (
Ed Howker and Shiv Malik
Floella Benjamin (
Mark Watson (
Tim Jackson (
David Wilson (
Clive Lord (
Nickie Roberts
5 comments:
Hey Jim
you should have a word with Rupert
http://oneworldcolumn.blogspot.com/2009/12/no-chocolates-please-were-british.html
he's busy lining up the fat feckless tossers for the showers
Excellent post Jim
Great stuff, Jim. I find this particularly sad since Dawn is one of the very few female celebrities who is anything other than stick thin. And the fact that her whole act isn't about feeling bad about being fat actually makes her much more interesting - the whole Jo Brand schtick of preemptively self-insulting really grates on my nerves.
Dawn French strikes me as mentally really, really healthy, which is more than you can say for some of the messed up neurotics who masquerade as celebrities nowadays.
Sadly, I don't find her all that funny (Vicar of Dibley, yawn).
Ta everyone.
Re: Jo Brand. I don't mind self deprecating but she's essentially been specialising in sledge hammer self loathing for twenty years or more. I think there's an understandable defense mechanism when she started out but I have no desire to watch it.
It's annoying because she's a clever woman - but she doesn't seem to feel that wit or intelligence would be a useful addition to her act. I get the impression it's quite lazy on her part.
Ta everyone.
Re: Jo Brand. I don't mind self deprecating but she's essentially been specialising in sledge hammer self loathing for twenty years or more. I think there's an understandable defense mechanism when she started out but I have no desire to watch it.
It's annoying because she's a clever woman - but she doesn't seem to feel that wit or intelligence would be a useful addition to her act. I get the impression it's quite lazy on her part.
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