I’ve had that song stuck in my head for a week and a half because that is how long I have been mildly freaked out about BEING in Los Angeles today and tomorrow to tape the Dr. Phil Show.
That’s right, me and MeMe Roth and a handful of other people are once again taking up the thorny question THAT IS NOT SO THORNY that is fat.
Y’all, debating this topic is such a mixed thing for me. I mean, WHY are we debating my fundamental right to exist? Right? On the other hand, if we have to debate it, I want to debate the hell out of it until the other side realizes that legislating and judging my body is not going to make it go away.
Rar.
If you are in LA and you would like to come to this taping (and, holy crap, I would love to see you at this taping), here is the number you need to call, direct from an email from a producer! So you know it’s true. *laugh* The taping is March 10 at Paramount Studios.
If anyone is interested, they should call 323.956.3334 or 323.956.8497.
After this, I’m hoping to resume regular blogging again. Apparently I cannot blog when tv stuff is eating my brain. I hope that seems fair.
23 Comments
Shortly after watching your last debate online (nicely done, btw!), I listened to the This American Life podcast (81 Words: Ep 204) about how changing the definition of ‘gay’ in the DSM for psychiatrists changed how the country viewed gay people in general and the fight that had to be waged in order to change an 81 word definition.
During the entire podcast, I just kept thinking about how a similar battle on lots of fronts must continue to happen for FA. We must continue to talk about it – on the web, in real life, with our friends (and enemies!). Thanks for being on the front lines helping share the message!
I am an Angeleno born and raised and I hope you show my town what’s what! I wish I could go but I absolutely have to work. Go get ‘em!
WHY are we debating my fundamental right to exist? Right? On the other hand, if we have to debate it, I want to debate the hell out of it until the other side realizes that legislating and judging my body is not going to make it go away.
Yes. This.
sock it to ‘em, marianne!!! dr phil BETTAH be putting you up in a nice hotel.
What strategies can we think up to re-interrupt Meme, after she interrupts you? Whenever I get interrupted, and I’m sick of it, I always want to say, “Excuse me, I am speaking!” But I never do. Meme, please let me finish ? Too Ross Perot? Am I dating myself too much?
Anyway, I’m looking forward to this…and I can’t wait to see what Dr. Phil says. He’ll shut it down.
You have my condolences on having to deal with Dr. Phil. He is just too….what are the words?? Pompous? Full of himself? Euphamistic? “All ya gotta do is CHOOOOOOSE to do the “right” thing”….I could go on. I would LOVE to hear more about your experience with him and can’t wait to see you in action once again with MEMEMEME.
Good luck….kick some ass….set them straight! Thank you for tackling this issue in a public way. I know it puts you out there to be scrutinized and open to vitriolic criticism, and I just wanna say a BIG FAT THANK YOU! for fighting the good fight. Rock on!
Marianne, you are a braver woman than I going on Dr. Phil. I mean, I loved your Nightline segment, but I don’t know if I can bring myself to watch any Dr. Phil, even if it’s to see your kickass self on TV. But I wish you all the luck in the world and I hope it turns out great!
I thought you held your own very well on Nightline, and even in the final edited version you were a great Fat Advocate (yay!). I sort of wished everyone had touched more on the issue of whether anyone’s health is anyone’s business (and maybe this was just not in the edit shown on TV) and everyone, to a certain extent, makes crappy choices about their health. It’s called LIVING.
For example – all that running MeMe does – can you say ‘increased risk for knee replacement’? Are we obligated to pay for HER choice to run if her running causes her to need a knee replacement? Of course we are. That’s what living in a society and buying into health insurance is. Her judgments of fat people are based entirely on appearance. I feel like this is a good analogy to all her pearl clutching re: paying for fat “problems” in the health care system; no one complains about all the HS athletes that tear their ACLs and need expensive surgery.
Anyway. Rant over. What I meant to say is: Whatever you say or do on Dr. Phil, you are an awesome person to have on my fat body’s side
PS – I love that song.
Holy crap, you’re going on Dr. Phil? You are SO awesome. Not all of us are able to speak out that way, even if we did have the opportunity on national TV – it’s a deeply personal and difficult subject and it takes a hell of a lot of strength to stand up to people like MeMe Roth and freaking Dr. Phil (who has made a living out of telling people what to do with their life because he obviously knows how to do everything right). Go kick their asses! Verbally, anyway!
The best of British Luck to you, Marianne!
I’m sure someone shared this link with you before but it’s full of so many sweet points that could be used to put a spoke in MeMeMe’s wheel, I think it bears re-linking:-
http://www.fathead-movie.com/index.php/2010/02/18/meme-roth-a-burden-on-us-all/
You go, girl!
Soul Coughing is one of my favorite bands. “Screenwriter’s Blues” is great…that whole album is great, really.
Good luck! Visibility leads to acceptance.
I remember Dr. Phil on Oprah once doing a follow up on an earlier weight loss episode. One woman was apologetic that she hadn’t lost weight because she’d spent the past year writing a book of poetry (her dream) instead. And Dr. Phil said that was perfectly OK. He said that you don’t have to lose weight if you don’t want to. He may have changed since, but remember his catch phrase–how’s that working for you? Because yo yo dieting and torturing ourselves over food isn’t working for us. So we stopped.
Also? Dr. Phil is a bigger blowhard than MeMe. I can’t wait to see him shut her up.
I am so pleased to have you as a representative for fat acceptance on this level.
Just keep your cool. Also, having been to a taping of this show, bring a cardigan. They keep it freezing in the studio. Its chilly and really windy in LA right now, so you’ll need a jacket, anyway.
If given the opportunity, can you please refute the “purported” findings of that damn starvation and longevity study? (Meme alluded to it on nightline) General media seems to have missed the buried part where the difference in longevity for the starved monkey vs. the happy monkey were statistically negligible.
http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2009/07/calorie-restrictive-eating-for-longer.html
I hope Dr. Phil chooses to play nice, but if not, you’ve got science and a wonderful attitude on your side. As a psychiatrist, he should offer Meme one of those free interventions he likes to throw around. She could use some therapy. Perhaps she and her fat family in one of those hellish fishbowl-house stunts he inflicts on people would be illuminating.
That would be so freaking awesome, to have MeMe Roth’s family as the new Dr. Phil Family.
Thank you for doing this for yourself and the rest of us that don’t fit the airbrushed mold!
*huggles!*
Good luck good luck!
And now “Bus to Beelzebub” has appeared randomly in my head.
Lots and lots of luck to you!
You have guts. When does it air? This will be interesting to see, especially after knowing what an advocate for weight loss Dr. Phil has been. I hope you re both prepared.
Fantastic, Marianne. I’m so happy to have you speaking for us on this. Loads of your posts are my go-to when I’ve had ENOUGH, and the thought of you putting some of those ideas across on national US tv gives me much happy.
I so absolutely have that bit of The West Wing in my head where Bartlett’s all “Well, we’ve got the law on our side now, and we’ve got the facts on our side now……bang our fist on the defense table, but we’re not listening any more. We’re not having that any more. We’re gonna win on Wednesday. We’re gonna win on Wednesday! Thank you all. God bless you, and God bless America.” It’s always a godo sign when a Bartlett quote pops into your head, I find.
Best of luck!
OMG Dr. Phil, I think he’s so awesome!
I’m so excited! I’m so scared! *
Here’s knowing that you will be nothing short of outstanding, and hoping that dr. phil and his producers will be fair in their treatment of the issue.
*i just found this terribly appropriate, given this news + the kind of morning I’m having.
i am hoping that it went well. I haven’t seen anything on the sphere about how it went which concerns me.
your courage and willingness to speak out is too cool for school.
thanks so much
Hey yall! I was just wondering if anyone can direct me to a few active FA sites/blogs for men? Or written by men?
Thanks and congratulations on your healthcare bill! (I’m in Australia)
xx