An Open Letter to TLC

Good going, Paul! Put the fat police in their place!

Nothing gets attention like hearing from the masses. I say that we let Dr Gately know exactly how we feel about being "cured." Dr. Paul Gately Email:epdenquiries@leedsmet.ac.uk www.leedsmet.ac.uk/carnegie [Mailing address removed - Paul]

I really, really loathe the ads for that show - the way they 'age up' the kids, and in addition to making them fat, they make them look slobby and unwashed and not unlike either a serial killer or a creepy person who still lives in their parents' basement. I've never seen a whole episode through, but one of my friends who is a dietician is (sigh)  a big fan of it.  I've watched bits and pieces and it seems aimed at sucking the joy out of people's lives. And when people melt down, they're being "bad," it's not that they're reacting with stress and frustration to the basically tyrannical plan imposed on them.  I'm just tired of all the shows aimed at "fixing" people - what not to wear, this one, the de-cluttering ones where they tell people to do things like throw out stuff they inherited from grandparents, The Swan, etc., etc. I suppose it's against the consumerist ethic of this society to air a show where people are happy as they are, but I'd still love to see one.  

I am very uncomfortable with the posting of someone's address and phone number. I don't care who he is, that's not right. One thing to look up the phone number for TLC and post that, but something else to encourage people to harass an individual who I assume is associated with the project. If we stoop to those tactics, what's going to stop the anti-fat people from doing the same to us?

A reasonable point. I'd love to post the phone number TLC provided but... no.

Also, this doesn't appear to be Honey, We're Killing The Kids, TLC's current entry in the Obesity Crisis Parade; this looks like a new show targeting way younger kids.

Sorry, I didn't mean to offend. It is business address, not a personal one and how are we to be heard if we don't speak out? Grumbling among ourselves may make us feel better, but it doesn't accomplish anything. Paul, feel free delete the posting with the address, I would do it myself if I knew how. I obtained the address in about 45 seconds using only Google and the information in the original post, so anyone who wanted to contact him could easily do the same.

That's cool - I've edited the post (and made a note in it), and it's definitely Google-able. I'm fine with mentioning that.

Some of these shows are crazy! I do like What not to wear - and they are always positive about people's bodies, and try to highlight their positives. And they have had some fat people on the show before, and never do they say anything bad about their bodies, but tell them how gorgeous they are, and how they have such a nice smile, or presence, or good curves... Now, Honey, we're killing the kids is horrible. First of all, the host is so bad, so dramatic, so hurtful... As a (former, obviously) fat kid, it brings tears to my eyes every time. And they try to make the people look so stupid - like they don't know what broccoli is. Just because they are fat, they don't know the names of vegetables... That's screwed up. And the swan is in a league of its own. I can't even begin to talk about it... 

"I'm just tired of all the shows aimed at "fixing" people - what not to wear, this one, the de-cluttering ones where they tell people to do things like throw out stuff they inherited from grandparents, The Swan, etc., etc." Agreed. Why do people have to be "fixed?" Why can't they just be accepted for who they are?

Yeah, the 'age them into looking like serial killers' is one of the most blatant and abusive things I've ever seen: I particularly like the assumption that the kids are going to lose all their teeth, have really bad acne, and get no exercise.