Cavett trashes fat people in NY Times

2nd August 2007

Cavett trashes fat people in NY Times

Former television personality Dick Cavett has written a scathing diatribe on fat people in an article entitled “Is Bigger Really Better?” Perhaps he and Jamie O’Neill are brothers from another mother, because both elevate fatness to something worthy of Dante’s seventh circle.

Because fat people are occasionally included in the media (usually in some token fat person role) Cavett is offended that he now has to look at the occasional fat person on television and is worried this might lead to, god forbid, acceptance of fat people.

It’s interesting to note, by Cavett’s own admission, the most common portrayals of fat people on television. I mean, it’s not as if fat is being glorified in any case, which would lead to the tacit global fanaticism the likes of Baywatch.

It is by no means a rarity on the wonderful Judge Judy’s show when both plaintiff and accused all but literally fill the screen. I guess a nice person would not point out that Jerry Springer’s guests and audience frequently bring to mind (particularly for those of us from western states) a herd of heifers. But there it is. I’ll try to be nicer.

Television comedy, in particular, has become an equal opportunity employer of the gigantic. It seems as if nearly every sitcom has a requisite fat, sassy black lady (or man) or a fat, avuncular white Uncle Jim large enough to absorb the scripted fat jokes.

The vitriolic spew doesn’t end there. Cavett goes on to use such terms to describe fat people as “heavily larded,” “gigantic” and snidely notes a comic “the size of the Hindenburg.” He compares fat people to carnival freaks, calls obesity a “tragedy” and waxes nostalgic about the childhood ditty (“Fatty, Fatty, Two by Four”). Showing fat people on television is as sinister and dangerous as featuring Nazis, the Mob and/or Klansmen, Cavett says.

Blogger Angela Mitchell has written an excellent response to the piece here:

…there’s still the matter of the fat guy on the bench in that commercial. No matter what Mr. Cavett thinks, I’m not watching those commercials and smiling smugly to myself, going, “Ha, another fatty on our side!” I’m watching them and feeling relief at no longer being marginalized. I’m happy simply to see an overweight person visible right there onscreen as a person who’s a valued part of society, and who is smiled at, spoken to, and treated with respect. That’s it.

If, as Mr. Cavett feels, only ‘healthy’ people should be seen on TV, does that apply to disabilities as well? Should a person with a cane, a wheelchair, or an illness be kept from the screen because they do not promote ‘optimal’ health? What about the underweight (let’s face it, TV is still full of those)?

Though, I would think Mr. Cavett would argue disabilities are unavoidable, and fatness is simply a case of fatties eating too much. Or at least, that seems to be the party line amongst those who attempt to justify their discrimination of fat people.

But though Mitchell’s retort is deliciously scathing in reply, it seems she too has drunk the “obesity epidemic” Kool-aid:

I’m not thrilled about being a fat chick – I don’t love my fat, find it empowering, or promote the joys of being overweight to others. I take it (and its associated health risks) very seriously and address it every day of my life.

Comments to Cavett’s postings range from the concurring woman who sees her friends committing “slow suicide by chocolate cake and whipped cream” to those calling Cavett on the bigoted, prejudicial act of fatphobia his article truly is.

I suppose it’s a good thing Cavett’s show is off the air, because we wouldn’t want television to “endorse” a fatphobic, arrogant, narcissistic jackass, would we?

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1 On August 2nd, 2007, Jeanne said:

Death by chocolate cake and whipped cream? And that is seen as bad????

I would rather enjoy life to the fullest, the chocolate cakes, the creamy ice creams, the oatmeal raisin cookies, the happiness of having a family, the grief of losing a loved one, all of it, than to live to be 200 and never savor the pleasures, be numb to the joys and sorrows because I am not nourishing my whole self.

posted on August 2nd, 2007 at 11:39 am

2 On August 2nd, 2007, Meowser said:

I’ve said this before elsewhere, but I’ll repeat it here: Cavett had no compunction about having people on his show who were two-fisted alcoholics, chain smokers and drug addicts, who were often soused or puffing it up on the air. Which means I call bullshit, bullshit, bullshit on this “we have to keep unhealthy people off the air” stuff. Oh? And have on whom, exactly? The Mormon Tabernacle Choir?

posted on August 2nd, 2007 at 12:51 pm

3 On August 2nd, 2007, withoutscene said:

What a load. But I have gotten some great ideas from this post. First of all, I want to make a Fatty 2X4 shirt, sort of like those XXL shirts or ones that say est. 1896. I also want to want to make a “Don’t drink the “obesity epidemic” Kool-Aid” shirt.

I was contemplating the “heavily larded” comment, and I never really thought about what it was exactly to be called a lard ass before. I just assumed it meant fat, cuz that’s the gist of it. And in that case I’d be happy to make a “Heavily Larded” shirt too. But I looked it up and it is strictly pork fat, which I’d never thought of. So it always comes back to the pig references. But whatever, maybe I will make a heavily larded shirt, cuz there’s nuthin wrong with pigs and lard is really useful and delicious.

posted on August 2nd, 2007 at 2:14 pm

4 On August 2nd, 2007, Celeste said:

I don’t think Dick Cavett’s good looking, so I guess it’s okay if he doesn’t think I’m good looking.

Because in the end it’s all about the looks. If it was about health like he says, he’d be taking on smokers and meth addicts.

posted on August 2nd, 2007 at 2:44 pm

5 On August 2nd, 2007, Rose said:

Here’s a letter I wrote to the Times in response. They haven’t printed it, but at this point, they haven’t had any letters printed on this topic, I suspect they consider this all pretty beneath them.
____________________________________________________________________

I would like to thank Dick Cavett for taking a courageous stand against the bombardment of images of fat people on television. Still, I would suggest that he doesn’t take it far enough.

As a relatively young woman of 36, I’m finding the rising presence of elderly people in the media a disturbing development. Everyone knows that old age leads to a myriad of health problems, such as cancer and heart disease. The grim truth is that old age leads to death 100% of the time! Elderly people are a serious financial burden on our dwindling Social Security and Medicaid resources. And let’s be totally honest here, their wrinkled skin is far less attractive to look at than the sight of beautiful, firm, young bodies that epitomize health and purity, like for example, Lindsay Lohan. I think it’s about time we younger people take a stand against the ever increasing elderly population and tell them that we’re sick and tired being constantly reminded of our own mortality by being forced to view them not only on television and movies, but on our very streets!

The hysteria over obesity has opened the door to a very dark side of the American psyche. If we have it in our hearts to hate people for their physique, where will this road lead us? I don’t want to be a nation divided into bullies and their victims. I want to be better than that and I sincerely hope I’m not alone.

posted on August 2nd, 2007 at 3:08 pm

6 On August 2nd, 2007, withoutscene said:

Bravo Rose!!!

posted on August 2nd, 2007 at 3:14 pm

7 On August 2nd, 2007, Hope said:

So Cavett is feeling some pangs of guilt over featuring neo-Nazis. mobsters, and KKK members on his show? Then he needs to take a self-inventory about his journalism career, and not project his bad feelings onto anothr group of people. But wait! Duh! *smacks forehead* Always easier to blame someone else, isn’t it?

Brilliant letter, Rose! The line about Lohan is a great, great touch.

posted on August 2nd, 2007 at 3:51 pm

8 On August 2nd, 2007, littlem said:

“If we have it in our hearts to hate people for their physique, where will this road lead us? ”

You know exactly where. Just from the way you phrased it I know that you know.

“I don’t want to be a nation divided into bullies and their victims.”

Been there, done that globally. Right around, oh, 1939 or so …

posted on August 2nd, 2007 at 6:53 pm

9 On September 8th, 2007, Maya's Granny said: