Kirstie Alley's 'Fat Actress' Hits Sore Spot

WCCO ^ | March 8, 2005 | staff

[EveningStar]

Comedy heavyweight Kirstie Alley is capitalizing on her super-sized self -- and the sensitive subject of obesity -- in her new sitcom, "Fat Actress."

The Early Show correspondent Kelly Cobiella says it's an-over-the-top show in which Alley plays herself, a woman at war with food, her weight, and Hollywood.

With self-deprecating humor, she makes jokes about being fat and unemployable in show business.

"She's the fat girl on the outside trying to get back in," notes TV Guide critic Rochelle Thomas, "and that's why people will watch. People identify with her, at least, I identified with her (struggles)."

But, observes Cobiella, Alley is also hitting a nerve.

While plus-size actresses such as Camryn Manheim and Queen Latifah have helped break the Hollywood cookie-cutter ideal, this show, women's groups charge, is a giant step backward.

[EveningStar]

Did anyone watch this? I didn't. I checked the website and all the clips were unfunny, at least to me.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Showtime had a free preview weekend last weekend, I didn't bother to watch any of it. The only movie worth watching all weekend was Shawshank Redemption, the rest of the weekend was filled with garbage, including Kirstie's show.

[EveningStar]

ping

[Paul Atreides]

Camryn Manheim is a woman?

[cyborg]

I wish I had Showtime.

[gopwinsin04]

The 30 minute pilot is free to watch on Yahoo. http://tv.yahoo.com/feature/fatactress.html

[cyborg]

bless you

[gopwinsin04]

Just doing my job.

[freedumb2003]

I watched 5 minutes of it and it was decidedly unfunny.

They packed more sex talk into 5 minutes than Sex and the City does in a whole episode.

It was sad and a bit pathetic. They were shooting for the low-hanging fruit (pun partially intended).

[EveningStar]

Kirstie Alley can be funny and sharp witted but I don't really care for her anymore and it has nothing to do with fat (I have a large "spare tire" so I can't talk).

[EveningStar]

Be glad you don't have to pay for it. LOL! :)

[BigSkyFreeper]

Camryn Manheim is a woman?

Yep. Stars in the TV drama The Practice, also a plus-sized actress.

[EveningStar]

I forgot to ping you. Sorry. :)

[cyborg]

I don't have windows media so it won't play. Oh well.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Kirstie Alley can be funny and sharp witted but I don't really care for her anymore and it has nothing to do with fat (I have a large "spare tire" so I can't talk).

I find nothing wrong with the way she looks, I actually think she looks rather attractive. But, like you say, she has her funny and witty moments.

[Paul Atreides]

I know. I was just funnin'.

[EveningStar]

Real Player should work.

[BigSkyFreeper]

I think there is a Windows Media Player for the Mac. I'm not sure, as I use a IBM-compatible PC.

[BigSkyFreeper]

LOL. It's OK. I didn't know who she was, I've never watched that show, so I had to Google up the name. :)

[EveningStar]

I'm not a person who requires that a woman be thin. I've seen many attractive "large" ladies.

[cyborg]

I got it working. I dunno... I'm getting that 'Growing Up Gotti' feeling.

[Paul Atreides]

"She's the fat girl on the outside trying to get back in," notes TV Guide critic Rochelle Thomas, "and that's why people will watch. People identify with her, at least, I identified with her (struggles)."

I would like to know why this merits a sitcom. Wynona Ryder is no hefty and her career is in the Clinton. I don't see anyone making a sitcom of her, or any other actress's, struggles. Sounds like someone cloaking herself in victimhood to me.

[A CA Guy]

Nobody wants to watch a show about a female stuffing her face and then complaining about it while wearing enough makeup to pass for a geisha hooker!

Maybe they'll take a close up of her wheezing after a run, or how red her face gets just before a stroke just about hits her.

Maybe she will find a new fabric named after her for it's ability to vastly outstretch her expanding waste line.

I REALLY DON'T CARE.
Let her eat cake!

[Paul Atreides]

She was the one screeching about the Bush Administration staying out of her vagina, or some other such nonsense.

[gopwinsin04]

I'd recommend turning it off at about the 24 minute mark when Kirstie recreates the food scene from '9 1/2 Weeks..'

'I wanna see what's in Veronica's Closet!'

[EveningStar]

It's "unscripted."

[BigSkyFreeper]

I'm not a person who requires that a woman be thin. I've seen many attractive "large" ladies.

I absolutely agree.

[dakine]

"plus-sized actress"

What the Heck is that? We use to call 'em fat....

[BigSkyFreeper]

Oh! That Camryn Manheim!

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

I saw it and thought that it was very clever.

[BigSkyFreeper]

On second thought, wasn't that Whoopie? John Kerry looking on with that idiotic Lurch smile of his.

[BigSkyFreeper]

I admit, I didn't want to risk offending anyone.

[marajade]

She kinda had a point... John Goodman... Marlon Brando... She's not playing a victim... I wish Jenny Craig would pay me to do their diet.

[ShadowDancer]

Sounds like someone cloaking herself in victimhood to me.

For what it's worth, and I should state first that I can't stand this woman, she is flat out obnoxious, I read an article on her in the Sunday paper where she was interviewed and she said something on the victim thing. She basically admitted that she had allowed herself to fall into that and was ashamed that she had and wanted to change it.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Nobody wants to watch a show about a female stuffing her face and then complaining about it while wearing enough makeup to pass for a geisha hooker!

I think this show is better than watching 30-minutes of Anna Nicole Smith rolling around in a dope dazed stupor on a cheap sofa, mumbling incoherent words.

[EveningStar]

Well, you're magnanimous and I'm not. ;)

Seriously, I probably needed to watch the entire show. As I said, when I saw the clips at the site I felt like doing anything but laughing. :)

[BigSkyFreeper]

She went down that dark lonely road of doing drugs, and her body punishes her for it.

[Doohickey]

I wonder which will end sooner: Her show, or her endorsement contract with Jenny Craig?

[A CA Guy]

Good for you, keep those standards high! LOL

At least that waste of time had a 80 million dollar issue surrounding her life at that time that was unresolved.

Well, don't fear Whitney and Bobby Brown have been shopping around a reality show about their life that will be picked up for sure.
Wonder of they will call that "Nose Candy"?

[BigSkyFreeper]

She's not doing Jenny Craig any favors by stuffing her face with greasy cheeseburgers and other various fattening foods. I think Jenny Craig will dump her endorsement deal before too long.

[Doohickey]

And by the way, The Italian Job was on Showtime this weekend too. That's not a bad flick.

[BigSkyFreeper]

I was hoping they'd make a cameo on Cops. Bobby Brown charging out of the double-wide in a slightly torn, ketchup stained T-Shirt, yelling to the cops tha the's innocent. Cops usher him back in, and in the background, TV on the fuzz.

[BigSkyFreeper]

I did catch the end of that movie. I have to admit, it wasn't bad. The onscreen guide showed it was a 3 out of 4 stars movie.

[marajade]

What's wrong with a greasy hamburger once in a while? As long as you aren't doing it every day but maybe once a week, I'd say its healthy.

[cyborg]

Crack is whack.

[A CA Guy]

"Snow Days"

[BigSkyFreeper]

What's wrong with a greasy hamburger once in a while?
Not a darn thing. I'm a redmeat eater myself.

As long as you aren't doing it every day but maybe once a week, I'd say its healthy.
If everything so called experts say is unhealthy is consumed in moderation, there is no danger.

[EveningStar]

BTW, in case anyone is curious, I'm about 50 pounds overweight. It's all in my tummy. If that's not fat, I don't know what is. :)

[cyborg]

heh!

[BigSkyFreeper]

Crack is whack.

LOL!!