I’m watching both of these shows in their entirety and I don’t know why they’ve historically gotten so much backlash. One reviewer called TBL “a dumpster fire of a TV show” and others seem to think M6L is downright abusive. However, I can’t find anything particularly bad in either.
Although it’s true that in TBL the contestants are losing an egregious amount of weight each week, it’s likely (actually almost certain) that most of this is water weight and it would have been more dangerous to instead not lose the weight. The intense exercise scenes seem pretty typical for anybody who’s serious about athletics. Finally, the famous “damaged metabolism” study that shut down TBL turned out to be debunked due to “damaged metabolism” being a boring, normal adaptation under high physical activity.
And although there are tons of bare naked shower scenes in M6L, everyone knew that going in and they agreed anyway. Some also complain how the stars don’t receive enough support for things like therapy and other cost centers. I would say that would actually have been a great thing to add, but it would be impractical at scale and have a high chance of bankrupting the production with how much healthcare costs, resulting in a net loss of benefit for those who need the surgery.
So, what’s your viewpoint here?
Because they are exploitative trash.
I remember when TV channels like TLC used to air educational content (The Learning Channel was actually an appropriate name). It has since morphed into a channel that airs “lets gawk at these people who aren’t like us” content. It’s no longer educational.
So now they are The Leering Channel.
I was SO surprised to find that out about TLC. I have only ever associated them with shows like say yes to the dress, cake boss and toddlers and tiaras.
What typ of shows did they used to air?
You remember Connections, with James Burke?
John Romer/Roemer, whatever, his docu-series on Egypt?
That kind of thing.
Connections was only like 20 years before my time, so not really.
I did however see that they made some form of re boot last year, so I will try to check that out it sounds fun.
haven’t seen the reboot, but i remember the original connections and it was fantastic.
Then let’s hope the re-boot is just as good.
Get this: The History Channel used to show documentaries about history. Everything is turning to shit. Capitalism rocks.
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These are television shows that exploit people who have the mental illnesses which result in obesity.
You wouldn’t take a bunch of people with clinical depression and make a show called “smile, ya dipshit” about them.
Biggest loser is centered around the idea that losing weight is the answer to people’s problems when it’s not.
The one where they have these severely ill people living their lives is just so others can watch, leer, and feel quietly superior that “at least I’m not those people”.
They are just exploitative, harmful garbage.
Introducing our newest reality show, “Smile, Ya Dipshit.” It’s the uplifting tale of everyday depressed individuals as they battle their way through life while we prod and cajole them to find that inner happiness within themselves. Watch as these brave contestants attempt to smile against all odds, as our team of experts forces them into stressful situations meant to inspire joy. Will these victims of melancholy be able to overcome their debilitating emotions, or will the crushing weight of their sadness prove too much? Join us every week to witness the struggles and triumphs of those striving to become happier, one forced grin at a time. So sit back and enjoy the rollercoaster ride that is “Smile, Ya Dipshit!”
forced to spill entire history of childhood SA and is depicted to have it resolved after brief pep talk with coach
The same garbage humans who enjoy public humiliation porn like Judge Judy. An absolute deal breaker in a relationship, for me.
Sure people would watch that. Especially if some people got help and turned around. Hoarders, intervention, M600L, my strange addiction, love on the spectrum, wife swap to some extent etc etc etc all have similar themes and have huge viewerships. They are not mean spirited, though they are not super intellectual, and show different aspects of the human condition and humanize the people in those situations.
If anything, at least if you watch a show like m600L you can see how under the weight there is a real person with deep trauma, instead of just thinking “Look at this guy who can’t put down the fork”.
There are better things on TV for sure, but had OP said GoT the top comment would be parallel universe you saying something about it being just gore, sex, and revenge porn, or Sopranos and someone saying it’s a wholesale misrepresentation of Italian Americans, or breaking bad being about glorification of drugs and reckless lifestyle. Maybe we should all just read instead.
You seem to have overlooked the exploitative part.
If these were charities, helping people manage health issues with no cameras, that would be great - but that’s not what these are.
Someone is making money off the plight of these people.
It wouldn’t be very engaging if it were “watch healthy normal Jane wash the dishes”, would it.
Additionally, producers put significant effort into fomenting drama. Just dirty tricks like long bus rides in the early hours followed by 3 hours of standing around waiting for something with no breakfast - hoping that some poor contestant will crack and say something snippy for the camera.
You’ve described basically every unscripted TV show, and it is totally fine if you don’t like them. Everyone is getting paid including the participants, and yes manufacturing drama where possible is what makes it better than watching James quietly eat a salad or watch Karen sort through the pictures in her extra-full house.
All that notwithstanding, there is still an audience for this kind of programming and it drives more awareness than basically any charity ever could.
Sure, but the question posed in this thread is why everyone hates them, and that’s the answer - they’re exploitative.
It’s fat shaming for public amusement. It’s a thoroughly awful concept from top to bottom… it doesn’t offer advice for healthy weightloss or encourage a healthy life style… it’s just making a spectacle of something people struggle with.
It comes from an entirely negative place.
TBL is a show that proves if you have a nutritionist, personal trainer, and heavily restricted diet you can lose a lot of weight really quickly. It’s still somewhat dangerous to do that, and almost guaranteed to not lead to long term success. People almost killing themselves to massive applause and congratulations isn’t actually a good thing.
Even with that supervision, the show encourages unhealthy practices like dehydration to meet a weight goal
True. They essentially lived on water and vitamins while on the show.
So I was fat (really fat, not chubby)and had a very good financial situation before COVID, so I hired a personal trainer, went to the most tech gym, went to the same nutritionist as the bodybuilding team , and the “star” dermatologist (with all her expensive treatments) No joke, in 1 year I was fitness and beautiful. You wouldn’t believe. When Covid hit I got fat again but now I know, nobody is really ugly, you are only poor. If you have money you can be whoever you want in the time frame that you want
I, honestly can’t see how that is in any way the fault of your financial situation.
had a very good financial situation before COVID, so I hired a personal trainer, went to the most tech gym, went to the same nutritionist as the bodybuilding team , and the “star” dermatologist (with all her expensive treatments)
Where do you live where all that is free?
I am just saying that it’s not necessarily a problem with just money.
Not to be mean but there is some blame that could be attributed to the individual too for not doing their part. I kinda* understand that it’s hard to lose weight, but if one has lost it already and goes up again, I would argue that the weight gain is even more of their responsibility and not capitalism or whatever.
*I’m personally pretty thin with a BMI between 18 and 19, so I don’t really get why people just don’t eat less. But I am well aware that it’s not that simple for some.
I have more trouble with eating more, which seems like it should be harder than eating less. Because eating less doesn’t require any effort.
Because eating less doesn’t require any effort.
Eating less takes a lot of effort for me because if I eat until I feel reasonably full, it’s actually too much food, and I gain weight. If I’m maintaining my weight, then I’m constantly hungry. If I’m losing weight, I feel like I’m starving.
I used to be pretty thin, even slightly underweight. Then I went on a medicine for a few months, and it completely ruined my appetite. I’m currently on a medicine for something unrelated that happens to curb my appetite, and it’s the only reason I’m not severely overweight.
Oh no, it is my fault, I’m just saying that with money the effort is WAAAAYYYYY less. Believe me, speaking from experience. I can’t pay all that right now and it’s being a chalenge, even using all the knowledge I have
why the fuck would you watch something like this
Just FYI, please don’t downvote this question into oblivion… it may be obvious to you, but I think it’s asked in good faith.
We’re in NoStupidQuestions and this is a legitimate question someone might be afraid to ask.
It’s vulnerable people that the general people laugh, mock and say “glad that’s not me”.
TLC is the new Jerry Springer only washed through a pseudo documentary style. There is nothing educational or informative about watching morbidly obese people ignore doctors and receive toxic “advice” from amateur fitness trainers.
Watch what you like, but understand that it’s junk food trash TV. I enjoy trash like love is blind, so I’m no better, but at least that’s affluent conventionally attractive people harassing each other. Not gawking at the vulnerable and suffering.
When I was more active in ED spaces, shows like these were really popular. I watched a lot of Supersize v Superskinny but didn’t really bother with the others.
Came from a starved mindset where I so obsessed with food and weight that I only wanted to watch stuff that related directly to food and weight.
There was also discussion in ED spaces I was in about how the stuff that these shows were doing was unhealthy and fucked up but had been deemed entertainment and therefore permissable. But us doing similar stuff was (rightfully) seen as fucked up.
I want to stress that no one in the communities I was in was ever judging the contestants. The only people we were viewing negatively were the producers who were putting people in danger and also like, ourselves.
Erectile Dysfunction?
Eating Disorder
Personally I think the contestants are forced to try way too hard. They get taught that extreme suffering is a necessary consequence of losing weight. Of course they are going to stop trying and rebound once their part in the contract is done. They don’t know how to live a lifestyle that effortlessly maintains their weight.
most people don’t like trash tv, most reality tv are trash tv. both of the show you mention are trash tv.
I wish there was an episode called, “So, I Married a Snacks Murderer.”
“Hate”? No.
I just don’t care about the shows at all
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I’m not even overweight let alone obese, but I can’t stand those shows. They feel unethical, like a modern day “freak show” that they used to have in circuses way back when.
Also, being not fat is extremely hard for a lot of people.
