The TV segment
This is the segment that was featured on the daily Australian ‘current affairs’ show, Today/Tonight last Friday evening. I am obviously the fat chick in the segment! The blond woman is journalist Susie O’Brien, whom I have mentioned previously. She is not a fat ally by any stretch of the imagination! The male is the President of the Victorian (my state) branch of the Australian Medical Association. Take special notice of him saying that I will definitely end up with arthritis, cardiovascular problems, hypertension and cholesterol issues because I am fat. This is despite him never having laid eyes on me let alone knowing my family history or my personal medical history.
I didn’t have anything to do with the title of the segment (Fat is Good) and I probably wouldn’t have phrased it that way, I did make a point of saying that Fat Acceptance is not about encouraging people to gain weight but you know what these shows are like… They also edited out all the statements I made that referred to actual studies that would back up my claims. They naturally included the part where they ask me how much I weigh. I wasn’t expecting that and my reaction is not something I am particularly proud of. Naturally I thought of lots of witty comebacks to that question when it was way too late. Generally I am reasonably happy with the way they portrayed me and how it all came off. Of course I detest the headless fatties and the inane comments from Susie O’Brien and the medico but hey, you can’t win ‘em all and it could have been a heck of a lot worse!
ETA: Nick from Axis of Fat (another Aussie fat blog) will be appearing in a Today/Tonight segment tomorrow (Tuesday) night. So if you are in Australia, be sure to tune in!
It has an image up, but when I press play, it says “this video is a duplicate of a previously uploaded video” and won’t play. *SADFACE*
Yay, that’s better! You look awesome, but I may have skipped everyone else’s bits…
ahhhh…. dear Susie O’Stupid…
i’ve just arrived home from my monday night boxing class, an extreme, high paced, high energy, fantastic lot of fun, outdoors in the fresh air…
i train outside rain or shine, 3 days a week.
i dance once a week.
i walk most days.
i’m a vegetarian. i eat fruit, vegies, legumes, lentils, and sometimes i might have a tim tam or bowl of icecream, but they’re not regular visitors to my mouth.
i’m healthy and i’m fat.
so suck it!
and, dear Susie O’Stupid… i’ll now imagine your face when i box.
oh.
wait.
you’re just not worth it.
ps
well done Bri.
you know i’m always proud of everything you do
oxox
Can some explain the whole “the camera adds an extra 10 pounds” thing? I think I looked quite spiffy ROTFLMAO….
omg you looked fabulous Husband
you’re so dang tall!
xox
I think the interview came off very well, considering that they can edit these things to something unrecognisable from what they started with.
And you know, how would you have answered the weight question anyway? It is a number on the scale and it’s irrelevant. Answering it makes it relevant to ‘them’.
I don’t even know what I weigh. I was last weighed in May this year and I know I’ve changed shape alot since then and I assume I’ve lost weight, but I don’t know. I prefer to focus on how I’m feeling and how my clothes are fitting. If I can answer ‘well’ to both of those things, then whatever I’m doing is the right thing for me.
@ Not quite Nancy Drew – He’s only 6′2″… her real husband that is LOL…
You’re so brave!!! It makes me really happy to see more and more of us Fatties of the Fat Acceptance getting coverage and speaking! Not just headless forms. You’re beautiful, so are your children and, I think for the 3rd time, Mr. Husband is flippin’ sexy as hell!
As for those other two “experts,” they’re full of it. I did notice how the doctor said you “would” have problems and my first question was “Have you even seen her, you self-absorbed idiot?!”. Oy. And really, they must be afraid of the truth if they’re going to edit out all of your back-up references. >.< Stupid media.
You were great, and I think you handled the “how much do you weigh” question perfectly.
And Susie O’Stupid said ‘um’ many more times than you did!
Considering ACA normally are really anti-fat this segment was really positve! I am in shock!
Bri, you were amazing. It’s so hard to keep composure in an interview and you did fantastically. You can “speak for me” as a fat person anytime!
You can across to me as real, as healthy, as balanced, while the others interviewed seemed to be coming from a very tight, rigid place. The other interviews begged the question — if it’s unhealthy to be fat, what can be done about it that doesn’t cause more harm than good?
Your whole family is beautiful, too.
Thank you for taking this on, and for talking about the fatosphere as a whole, as well.
Great job! You came across as very confident, self-possessed, and full of life! Very inspiring to a lot of people I bet!
Was that doctor pretending not to be fat?
Anyways, I thought you did really well, all things considered, and I’ve now realised your name is Briii, not Breeee.
Applause!
I can’t watch the video of the segment right now, but I wanted to send kudos your way for having the guts to do this. It takes a lot of courage to do stuff like this and you did it….good for you!
I haven’t gone on TV but I do go around and speak at conferences and challenge people’s biases re: pregnancy and childbirth in women of size. It’s rewarding work, but it does take nerves of steel sometimes. Esp when people distort what you write or say. Augh.
So hang in there! Ya done great, and good on ya for having the nerve to speak your truth. You rock!
Interesting that Doc is a fat dude himself. Oh it’s only ok for you to be fat is it Dr Doom and Gloom?
You did an awesome job and I’m glad they didn’t tear up your interview too much.
Thanks everyone!
lilacsigil: Yeah I wanted to skip the other bits of the segment too! Although I have to admit I sat there thinking ‘Is that really what I sound like?’ lol.
NotquiteNancyDrew: Who would have thought that quiet fat farmgirl would end up on national TV telling everyone she is a size 22?! lol. And ‘Susie O’Stupid’…I love it!
Husband: You always look spiffy darling. Even in your neon orange jeans…
Minxi: Thanks hon! I would have liked to have responded to the weight question with something like “The number of the scale is irrelevant, it doesn’t define me or my health”. Next time I will be ready!
Lexie di: Thankyou! I was a bit annoyed about the editing out of all the salient points but oh well. And yeah, that doctor would know all about my health wouldnt he? *headdesk*. I keep telling Husband he is hot and that other women think he is hot but he just won’t believe me! I didn’t feel very brave let me tell you. I was so damn nervous!
Julia: Thankyou!
wellroundedtype2: Awww shucks, thank you. That means a lot to me.
Amanda: Thanks heaps! When I was considering not doing the interview I figured if I could encourage one self hating fatty then it would be worth it, that was what got me through the whole thing!
wriggles: Almost everyone starts out calling me Bree rather than Bry. lol. It is short for Briah. And yeah, doctor man didnt look so svelte himself did he?
Gail: Thanks!
wellroundedmama: I think what you do would be harder, I forget everything when I am confronted face to face about stuff, especially when it is academics, doctors or media. The interview wasnt too bad because it was pretty much one on one. In a group situation, well I dont know how I would go with that!
Kath: I agree with you about the ‘good’ doctor! But then it is always easier to sling mud at someone else isnt it?
@Bri- my pleasure (both creating “Susie O’Stupid” and being a boisterous farmgirl with ya), and well done – a braver woman than i
luv ya xox
Thank You Bri. We only just saw the story tonight, here in country WA, and I loved it. You came across beautifully. I too have decided that if people dont like the way I look, then they better look in another direction, coz im happy the way I am. You are a beautiful person and your husband is a very lucky man.I would rather be fat and happy than skinny and morose. Now, where’s my ice-cream…oh there it is!!!!