Cruel April Fool Joke played on GMTV

[Ktd]

I have to say guys that I didn't think it was funny at all.

As a slimmer who has wasted hours and hundreds of pounds on quick fixes making huge promises I can understand being desperate enough to want to believe in something of this nature.

The fact of the matter is, the joke would not have been remotely funny to anyone unless some people fell for it. Surely the only people to fall for such a joke would be those with a weight issue, others would surely dismiss it as the latest fad and not spare a second thought. To me that implies that the target audience for such a stunt was infact over weight people.

As both a slimmer and an employee of a Slimming Organisation I am disappointed that GMTV did not come up with something a little more entertaining. This is a show that regularly feature competition winner from SW and advertises WW on there web site, suggesting they understand their target audience.

I think the joke was thoughtless, more than a little crap and yes, it was offensive.

The last thing people with weight issues need is to made to feel foolish on top of any burden they might be carrying already, this play on hope for a miracle cure was crass and in my opinion not amusing. There would have uproar if it was a pretend cure for cancer, and anyone who has been touched by cancer will understand the suffers need to invest hope in any possible treatment. Is this any different?

 

[sun]

here here ktd !

xxx

 

[Ktd]

Thanks Sun!

Its not often I get on my soapbox but when I do..............!!

Xx

 

[rainbow]

The last thing people with weight issues need is to made to feel foolish on top of any burden they might be carrying already, this play on hope for a miracle cure was crass and in my opinion not amusing. There would have uproar if it was a pretend cure for cancer, and anyone who has been touched by cancer will understand the suffers need to invest hope in any possible treatment. Is this any different?[/quote]

Hmmm - that puts a very different slant on it x

 

[rainbow]

Sorry - was quoting you Ktd but its not showed up properly x

 

[Ktd]

Ha ha, thought you were mimicking me for a min then Rainbow!

 

[mrspnut]

Your analogy, ktd, is slightly skewed as cancer is a medical condition that is random in who it affects. Being overweight is not a medical condition and it affects those who consume more calories than they use up.

There are lots of comedians who use weight in order to make a joke and I class this as another dimension of this, apart from the fact that it wasn't funny.

If people spend ridiculous amounts of money on get slim quick schemes without doing proper research then more fool them. I researched LL for over a year before deciding to commit to it so I was certain that I wouldn't be wasting my money.

 

[Lisa Marie]

Shame we are not all as sensible as you then Mrspnut.

 

[Ktd]

Me thinks you are calling me a fool!

You are lucky that you are analytical enough to not react emotionally to your weight problem. Its surprises me with such a mathmatical approach to weightloss that you have chosen to use LL as a weight loss tool, surely if it is down to less calories in that out you can govern that yourself?

Whilst obesity is not a random illness it is an illness. Not only can it have an extremely detrimental effect on ones body it can also effect ones mental health.

As an individual who had been low enough to consider taking my life as a way out of weight issues and all the spin off problems, I have invested time and money in these quick fixes. I am not a foolish person, I work in the business, I am educated and I have a loving family around me. So you can see I'm not an idiot who deserves ridicule for investing hope, or is that not what you are saying?

I think the comparison is a valid one, I also think that people who are not offended by the joke should be open minded enough to appreciate that other will be and vice versa. This is after all about opinion and nothing more. I think I have made mine quite clear!

 

[toller-girl]

What if instead of cancer, it was alcoholism or drug addiction? A magic pair of socks that would 'cure' an alcoholic? Would THAT be acceptable?

 

[Ktd]

No t-g I believe it wouldn't! A much more valid comparison, well done!

Interestingly isn't LL based on the theory that food is also an addiction??

 

[Gen]

Food is an addiction.... but a 'magical' pair of socks with cream won't help the addiction... neither will a VLCD without doing the proper maintenance programme when finished... and even then I don't think it will crack the addiction side of it!!

This is getting wayyyyyyyyyyyyy out of hand.... IT WAS A JOKE!!!! Some people found it funny.... some didn't.... everyones sense of humour is different!!!!!

 

[toller-girl]

That's certainly my feelilng on the subject. I know that I have a skewed relationship with food, and that it's the first thing I turn to when I feel upset, scared, worried, sad or happy! Same way an alcoholic turns to drink.

Both are detrimental to your health and your happiness, and both can take control over your life.

Neither is an appropriate topic for comedy IMO.

 

[toller-girl]

Sorry my post was meant as a reply to ktd.

I don't think jokes that hurt people are funny

 

[Gen]

Sorry my post was meant as a reply to ktd.

I don't think jokes that hurt people are funny

Blonde jokes, paddy english man paddy irish man paddy scots man jokes, never laughed at any of them????? I'm sure they hurt some people if they are taken up wrong... I'm overweight and I can even laugh at a joke about fat people... if its funny of course!!

I don't think the GMTV thing was in the best of taste but my god the outcry here is amazing!!

 

[Summerskye]

I think it was so unbelievable, how could anyone think it was true? She looked like she was wearing a fat suit (and she was!). Much ado about nothing.

I didn't see this piece earlier on GMTV - but I've just watched the clip and it was SO obvious she was wearing a fat suit. Her head looked like a turtle coming out of it's shell at one point

Personally I don't find it offensive - just plain daft and a complete waste of time and effort! A misguided Aprils Fools 'joke', perhaps, but more plain silly than insulting.

Erm ... besides ... since when have pop socks (with or without cream!) looked good on anyone?

 

[toller-girl]

Not really because most of them aren't funny, but it's really not the same any more, because now they are just shorthand for saying 'stupid'.

However, those stereotypes do affect people as well. I remember talking to an irish bloke about it and he was saying that he had real problems with people thinking that anyone irish is stupid.

I might laugh at an innappropriate joke in my own living room, and it would be partly the shock value that would make it funny. It's not acceptable on a mainstream daytime TV programme.

Overweight people ARE discriminated against, Duncan Bannatyne said he would never hire an overweight person because they were lazy, and I've also experienced complete strangers thinking they have the right to make comments about me.

I think that this joke was cruel, particularly the bit where the actress was talking about how hard she found it going out. It just didn't sit right with me at all.

The fact that people were hurt and upset by it just makes it more wrong in my opinion.

 

[toller-girl]

Was replying to Gen then!

 

[Barb]

Can i just say that whilst being overweight is technically only the result of eating more calories than used, there is still an issue that some folk are genetically inclined to gain weight. That is scientific fact not fancy. If you are one of the poor souls with that genetic make up then it's not all about stuffing your face.

Thats better, needed to get that one off my chest!

 

[Kellie=]]

this is just silly!
It was a practical joke on the 1st of April- it has sod all to do with offending those over weight there was clearly no malice involved! get a sense of humor and lighten up!