So, I tuned into Fox’s premiere of “More To Love,” a reality dating show for the “traditionally built.” To be honest, I mean, other than a few pounds, it basically replicates “The Bachelor.” Luke Conley, 26, is Mr. Eligible, a real-estate broker weighing in at 330-pounds who is looking for love. And his choice picks? Women with some meat on their bones. This all leads me to believe there will be some unamusing twist at the end and everyone will exclaim in unison, “I can’t believe this!”
But, this isn’t about him or his to-be blushing bride. This is about Facebook and the general public. I know – no connection, right?
Well, within five minutes of the show airing I saw at least 10 people on my Facebook feed page lending their statuses to quote a “fact” aired on the show, as if to prove some shocking point:
“The average woman on reality television is a size 2. The average woman in the U.S. is a size 12. So what’s so real about reality television?”
Um, the answer is nothing is real about reality television – and waistlines are the smallest issue of them all (pun intended). That’s why we like it.
My friends thought this was such a great line that maybe they forget to realize this isn’t the first time we’ve seen a picture painted that isn’t necessarily real by the media. Take for example “reality” in a way magazines portray it. They flood us with advertisements showcasing women who make even Nicole Richie feel fat.
But let’s take it back to reality shows, since this is what seems to have them all on a hang up.
First things first, I’ll admit it. I’m not innocent. I watch television reality shows and love them – unconditionally. But they don’t portray my reality in any way, shape or form.
I’m a recent college graduate with a good job, but I’m not making enough money to be as complicated as Denise Richards. I’m also a size 6 or 8 depending, so I guess I don’t really fit the mold of Paris Hilton’s new best friend forever.
We don’t watch reality television to see reality. We watch it to escape our own reality.
Only a minuscule percentage of the population has millions to blow at a couture boutique, or have had eight kids and a nasty divorce in the public eye. But us, as the working majority, have enough common sense to watch this, laugh a little and keep living our perfectly happy lives.
So please, let’s not look at this new show, “More To Love,” as a saving grace. It’s not. It’s another reality show with a twist. It’s not there to make women in the U.S. feel great about themselves – because for every show such as this, there are five more in the works with the next Lauren Conrad signing up for it as we speak.
You, as a beautiful, curvy woman don’t need to watch a reality show to prove that you’re fabulous.
You just need you. You don’t live in Heidi Pratt’s world, and believe me – she could never survive in yours.
Thanks for this, Lisa!
As a “plussy” myself, I refuse to watch this show because as it is, too many people think that plus-sized women deserve only men who are the dregs of society. So because this Luke guy is an eligible bachelor who happens to like a bigger woman, they’re going to be like the women on The Bachelor series, only it’s going to be funnier (and sadder) because they’re not twigs. Women like the contestants on the show already look desperate; this just makes it worse.
Whew, sorry, had to get that off my chest. Thanks for putting this out there, it needed to be said.
This is genius!!!!
Thanks for posting the article, was certainly a great read!