As I was riding the bus uptown I was reading "The Buzz with Julie Gordon", a regular column in the AM NY (www.amny.com) daily paper...This column caught my eye because the header read:
MTV to models: Lose Weight
I took the article below from the AM NY's online component......It really pissed me off.
As if young girls didn't feel enough pressure to be thin, MTV is glorifying weight loss to achieve a model-esque figure with a new reality show.
The network's upcoming series "Model Makers" puts girls who are tall enough to be models — just not skinny enough — through 12 weeks of intense training to help them get down to their ideal size.
Women must be between 17 and 24 years old, 5'9" to 6' tall and 130-190 pounds to enter. A 5’9” woman weighing 130 pounds has a Body Mass Index of 19.2. The healthy range is 18.5 to 24.9.A 5’9” woman weighing 130 pounds has a Body Mass Index of 19.2. The healthy range is 18.5 to 24.9.
The show, which is currently casting, will begin taping in September and air sometime next year.
Here's an excerpt from the press release I received:
"Women come in all shapes and sizes, but models don't. The term model conjures an image of stick-thin, towering beauties oozing confidence, glamour, poise and sexuality from every pore. "Skinny," "no body fat," and "size zero" are the words and phrases associated with models. "Chubby," "well-fed," and "big- boned" are not."
It goes on to say, "With weekly eliminations looming, models must put their best foot forward at all times while staying focused on losing weight."
A show rep responded by saying, "The goal of the show is for women who have the potential to be a model by losing weight in a healthy and realistic time span. Ideally we are not accepting model-thin girls for the competition just women who have a little extra weight and are ready to do what it takes to become the next supermodel."
Model manager Michael Flutie will spearhead the "transformations." The winner will receive $100,000, a modeling portfolio, a personal trainer for a year and "the chance to jumpstart the career of your dreams."
We'd prefer "America's Next Top Model" to this excuse for entertainment any day.
Amen to that comment!
This was the comment that was REALLY the burr in my damn saddle:
"Women come in all shapes and sizes, but models don't."
HUH??
WHAT KIND OF B.S. IS THIS???? AND WHAT SEED, PEEL & SALAD EATING, CIGARETTE CHAIN SMOKING & COFFEE DRINKING IDIOT CHOSE TO BE QUOTED SAYING IT???
OOhhhh...kaaaaay....everytime I read some drivel like this in the press it makes me want to pull my hair out!!! The only thing that saves me is the fact that I don't have any damn hair left!!!! WHAT exactly is wrong with this country? You can have shows about the Greatest American damn Dogs, The Biggest Loser, Hairstylists, Stylists, Housewives, Bridezillas, Sweet 16-ers, Supermodels, Smart Models, Dumb Models, Designers, Drag Queens, Assistants, Singers, Actors, Dog Whisperers, Nannies...the list is ridiculously long but they (the folks in charge) CONTINUE to ignore the plus sized community!!!
And to think that I initially posted the open model call for this show on several plus sized themed forums and encouraged my plus sized gals to apply. I truly apologize for this gaffe my sistas!!!
The immediate success of shows like Mo'Nique's F.A.T. Chance and the fact that the Plus Model episode of MTV s MADE (Yeah! I SAID MTV!!!) was the most watched episode in the history of the show should make it glaringly apparent that this audience is woefully under served and more shows focusing on plus sized women should be created.
As I have said many times before 2/3 of the population are women who are a size 14 and larger...it is absolutely ridiculous to think that you can continue to only serve the minority of the public!!!
Wake Up People!!!
Who STILL believes that you have to be skinny to be a model???? I modeled all over the world and so did many of my friends...successfully....for years....and NONE of us are skinny!
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