Berlin - I couldn't agree with you more. Now that the public is going to have to pay the medical bills for everyone morbidly obese people have a social responsibility and moral obligation to lose weight and lead healthier lives. Otherwise they are negatively affecting the livelihoods of their fellow citizens by unnecessarily driving up health care costs for everyone.

>I love that people responded to my theory that the masses are
>extra appreciative of Gabourey because of her size.

NO the masses responded to her because she is a TALENTED ACTRESS who because of her exceptional acting talent got to lead a multimillion dollars film DESPITE the fact that she is fat. They were NOT interested in her fatness but that she was able to overcome her fatness due to her talent and convince the hiring producers to focus on her obvious acting talent.

Some are reacting to the fact that they feel she is a role model now that she is in the public eye. Those people could care less about her acting ability and constantly harp on the fact that she is fat/obese two hundred pounds over the standard weight class.

>The example I used is a 350 pound woman. That is morbidly obese. There is a difference between being overweight and being obese.
Obviously not to her, otherwise she would be doing the surgery to reduce her stomach and flesh folds as she DEFINITELY has the money to do so. She is right in saying that people should look at her ACTING ability if they seek anything to emulate about her. NOT what they obviously see, which is the fact that she is fat. I guess she does NOT think like Star Jones -- at least not now anyway.

And again THAT was the reason the producers who hired her as they could have gone with a smaller woman. She got hired because the role was not for the stereotypical cinderella but a powerful emotional engaging performer. And she is that.

>Does either of these examples incite you to pick up a pack or a needle?
Me personally? No. But public promotion of an act or stereotype and its adoption by many IS a fact that given the mental attitude of many, especially the young. It is that public release of content that shows certain actions and habits to be either classified as taboo or outright illegal because so many will accept thsoe acts or conditions as tolerant if not to be adopted. Using your idea of smoking that is one of the reasons that cigaretts ads are limited to areas where young people NOT merely people under 18 will be able to see them. Magazine and television ads have been outlawed for DECADES. And even on cable programs the actors can NOT use tabacoo products and MUST use non tabacoo cigars and cigaretts. And almost ANYTHING that can be thought of promoting smoking to the young crowd such as the cartoon like characters such as Camel Joe and the recent legal ban on candy flavored cigarettes are very specific to the idea that smoking is not something to be appreciated in general society.

>Why is the fat example so different?
Fat is usually held to a different standard because it is personally repulsive to many. How many times when you see a report on obesity, do you notice that such reports like CBS will show people from the back or side who are so large that they are barely able to walk without literally almost rolling themselves forward from side to side?

Smoking for years was held to be sexy and a sign of maturity. All one has to do is look at the old movies of the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s and early 1960s and practically everyone shown is puffing away on a lighted pipe, cigar or cigarette. Especially for that romantic interlude as he lights her cigarette and she accepts it and him. And of course after the never to be shown sex scene with him lighting up two cigaretts in his mouth before passing one to her. And as you personally know, it is still held as a sexual desire to many.

Though that acceptance of smoking is changing. Recent anti-smoking ads have gone and recruited people who have had to surgery to prevent the spread of cancer in their bodies like a women who developed advanced throat and mouth cancer and had half her face cut away. A man who lost his vocal cords and has the permanent open hole in his throat so he can breathe. And another woman who had many of her extremities amputated so her hands and feet look like she went through a blender always pushing the stumps up to present her point == "this is what smoking did to me. And can do to you".

So Gabby is fat. Some will say she is obese. Some say she will drop dead from health problems. Obviously at this point she does NOT care. And as long as there are people who are looking for talent regardless of weight considerations she will continue to get hired. And there will be those who keep ignoring that focusing on the fact that she is fat and wonder why she is getting hired. This is NOT a matter that should take up too much effort as it is NOT something that SHE is concerned with. And her movie is NOT something that parents are going to be showing on family night to the 12 year olds for the most part.

i guess youre right about it being a health issue i apologize for seeming too emotional in my post.........maybe i missed the point.......maybe i drink too much, i dont know.......

Blame it on? Who can we blame?

I totally agree with your points but now I am wondering. Americas are gluttons but what becomes Sumo wrestling?

Guess you started an itch I need to scratch. LOL