# Celebrities in fatsuits



## DazzlingAnna (Dec 10, 2019)

Hi everyone,

maybe you can help me to figure out my opinion on this celebrities in a fatsuit topic.
I usually don't like these "put a slim person into a fatsuit and show the world how awful this life must be"-shows. And it is even worse when it is a celebrity in it.
I am not offended by that, I just don't like it.
I am pretty clear on my opinion up to this point.

Some months ago my favourite music group has released a new song and video, lead singers both slim, wearing fatsuits... but here I kind of like it.

What is different now?
It looks quite realistic maybe (?)
I like the music & other songs they,'ve published.
In their other video clips is always shown a wide range of different body types in a very respectful way.

Have a look on the video mentioned above...


(For lyrics and translation if required ask the www...)

What is your opinion on fatsuits in general, celebrities wearing them, and maybe on this video?

Would be glad to hear you opinions...


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## RVGleason (Dec 10, 2019)

I was very impressed by the fat suit and make up John C. Reilly wore in his portrayal of Oliver Hardy in ‘Stan and Ollie’. It looked realistic and showed Hardy when he was younger and not as heavy up to his later years when he was much heavier.

Reilly gave a wonderful and sympathetic performance as Oliver Hardy. The movie should have won an Oscar and Reilly in particular for his portrayal. A movie well worth checking out.


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## Tad (Dec 11, 2019)

First of all it is a great sounding song, which has to help create a positive impression?

But to me they were not being all "oh it is so horrible to be fat" and not much of "ha-ha what a fatty". Mostly it seemed a stereotype of success and excess, with the fat implying they have been enjoying a lot of good food and alcohol without caring what anyone else thinks. It is not entirely a nice image, but it is not giving false pity to fat people, in a way it even looks up to fat as a sign of success (if success without good taste).

It also looked like they were having a lot of fun!


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## DazzlingAnna (Dec 11, 2019)

Tad said:


> First of all it is a great sounding song, which has to help create a positive impression?
> 
> But to me they were not being all "oh it is so horrible to be fat" and not much of "ha-ha what a fatty". Mostly it seemed a stereotype of success and excess, with the fat implying they have been enjoying a lot of good food and alcohol without caring what anyone else thinks. It is not entirely a nice image, but it is not giving false pity to fat people, in a way it even looks up to fat as a sign of success (if success without good taste).
> 
> It also looked like they were having a lot of fun!



@Tad 
thanks for your reply.

you are right with the stereotype of success and kind of decadence in behaviour and it is not not the "ha-ha what a fatty" - thing.

But I don't see why they had to make up this fat image.
Success - as promoted in this world - mostly goes with slim, fit, healthy,... people.

I am still not sure what's my opinion on it.

snd yes, it is good music 

And seeing Mr. Dellé getting out of this car is just hilarious. Could have been me  if I ever would have made into that car ...


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## LarryTheNoodleGuy (Dec 11, 2019)

What always strikes me is how much fun some of the people have when wearing the suit, despite some women's reporting of being ignored or treated harshly or such. Put it this way - I don't know a single skinny person, male or female, who hasn't stood in front of a mirror and pushed their stomach allll the way out, and imagined what it must be like to have a belly that big. It's a chance for slim people to walk around large and in charge, although of course a 150-pound fat suit doesn't WEIGH 150 pounds so it's not realistic a'tall. 

In today's landscape, I really have no opinion of people wearing fat suits. You go after that and you can go after 1,000 things, and go after, and go after. Eventually it's just one big bowl of crazy, us, I mean.


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## DazzlingAnna (Dec 15, 2019)

Thanks for you replies!

I'd like to give another example.
Maybe less "smooth" than in the music video.
(I only have these German examples - maybe you have others....)

A few months ago a women's magazine that claims to deal with women's topics - except diets and work-out plans - had chosen body / fat - acceptance on their agenda.

On the magazines cover it is always shown the same women, the one who initiated this magazine an gave her name for it. She is also a quite known as a TV presenter and talk show host. She is a bit "bigger than average", but lost some weight recently. 

There was a bit of a controversy about the fact that on the body acceptance-story she was shown on the cover wearing a fat suit.

In addition there was a video published showing her in this fatsuit, eating from a big bowl and saying something like: "Not that I have anything against big/fat people, I myself am one of them..."




For me it feels wrong to deal with that topic in this way. And I definitely don't feel represented by this.

First of all - she says she is big/fat. Well, more than average maybe. Fat would mean something else - at least for me.

If they want to say a big womans' body is beautiful - then: go ahead and show a real big beautiful woman on that cover. 

I addition with the video showing her eating I more and more believe that it was just a PR-stunt to promote this magazine.

Or I just don't get it...

How does this cover help any women to accept her big body that can't be taken off like this suit.

Any ideas or opinions?


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## Iannathedriveress (Dec 15, 2019)

As a transwoman, I always imagined that in order for me to be a woman I would end up wearing a fat suit and heavy prosthetic makeup. I got this idea from watching movies like "Shallow Hal," "Big Momma's House," and "Mrs. Doubtfire." Then I discovered things like hormone replacement therapy and gender reassignment surgery. My opinion about fat suits is quite complex today. I understand how it can be harmful to plus size people but for me before discovering proper options on being a woman the idea of wearing a fat suit still has a powerful meaning to me.


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## DazzlingAnna (Dec 15, 2019)

LarryTheNoodleGuy said:


> Put it this way - I don't know a single skinny person, male or female, who hasn't stood in front of a mirror and pushed their stomach allll the way out, and imagined what it must be like to have a belly that big.



Skinny people do that? 
well I tried for many, many years the other way round... No chance to hide a big ass and belly... 

As long as those people are having fun wearing it they can do whatever they want. 

I just don't like it that much - my own experience shows that having fun could easily get to making fun of those big/fat people who can't change their body like change the suit.


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## DazzlingAnna (Dec 15, 2019)

Iannathedriveress said:


> As a transwoman, I always imagined that in order for me to be a woman I would end up wearing a fat suit and heavy prosthetic makeup. I got this idea from watching movies like "Shallow Hal," "Big Momma's House," and "Mrs. Doubtfire." Then I discovered things like hormone replacement therapy and gender reassignment surgery. My opinion about fat suits is quite complex today. I understand how it can be harmful to plus size people but for me before discovering proper options on being a woman the idea of wearing a fat suit still has a powerful meaning to me.



Interesting - I never thought about it this way.


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## AmyJo1976 (Dec 16, 2019)

For me it would depend on the situation. I don't mind them in movies. I don't really like to see comedians dress up in them and poke fun like SNL and such. It's not very funny to me.


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## Shotha (Dec 17, 2019)

I don't mind fat suits in movies. When it comes down to making fun of fat suits to make fun of fat people, then I don't like it. I'm happy enough with and proud enough of my body to be able to take these pathetic attempts at humour but many people are still vulnerable. Many people use fat suits, whether bought or improvised (padding), because they think that fat is beautiful and want to be fatter themselves. However, it needs to be done in a way that does not hurt other people's feelings.

The idea of someone wearing a fat suit and eating to draw attention to weight-related issues somewhat disgusts me. It strongly implies that fat people are responsible for their own plight. There is no denying that how many calories we consume has an effect on how fat we are. However, this in no way excuses the blame that other people put on us for being the way we are. Some of us have slower rates of metabolism than others and put on weight more easily. This is just part of our natural diversity. Some of us have bigger appetites than others. This again is part of our natural diversity and people should not have to feel ashamed of how big or small their appetites are.

The situation is complicated even more by the fact that many people deliberately gain weight. Most people are familiar with sportspeople "bulking up", in order to fit into a desired weight category. What few people outside of specialized forums such as this do not realize is that many of us gain weight, because we like being fat, because we think that it's beautiful.


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## DazzlingAnna (Dec 19, 2019)

In my younger years, whenever a slim woman was promoted as beautiful, successful, happy... , in media or in real life, I thought, how great it would be if I could take of my big body like a suit and I will become beautiful, successful, happy as well.

I thought this beautiful person is in me, covered in fat, no one can see it.

As I said this was many years ago.
And these are my personal experiences. I know that there is a wide range of opinions.

I never was on a serious diet to find out if I would be happier as a slim person. I had some doubts about it - because most people, even the slim ones, had their own struggles in life as well.

The idea of a beautiful slim person being in me - sometimes when I see a slim beautiful women it is still in my mind. If I only could just take off my personal fat suit.... (that was my in my head for 30 years - it flashes back once in a while...)

Today I understand more that being fat can be seen as beautiful as well. 
I am not yet at the point that I could say I completely love the way I look. Parts of my body I love, some are accepted, some are tolerated only.


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## TwoSwords (Dec 19, 2019)

DazzlingAnna said:


> Would be glad to hear you opinions...



I don't usually care for it when they do fake fat suits on TV to show how different it is, but that's mainly because I find those segments kind of depressing. Normally, I think the use of fat suits is no problem. Someone plans to dress beautifully, and increase the total beauty content of the world? Yes, please. That's fine with me.


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## RVGleason (Dec 20, 2019)

Daniel Everidge as the Fat Man in the movie ‘The Greatest Showman’ where he sings and dances. He wore a fat suit to make him look bigger, and in the movie Barnum played by Hugh Jackman pads him up to look even fatter.


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## DazzlingAnna (Dec 22, 2019)

DazzlingAnna said:


> Thanks for you replies!
> 
> I'd like to give another example.
> Maybe less "smooth" than in the music video.
> ...



This is off topic ... 
I recently read an interview with her. I am pretty sure that all she is doing might be done with good purpose. But for me she is not representing what she claims - body diversity. 
This interview opened with "Barbara. the big woman known from TV"


Is she big?
for some people she surely is classified as big. I am fine with that.

For me, as a "real" big women (super size maybe) it feels like a joke, a bad joke btw.
If I were younger I would be frustrated if I had a shape like her body and being classified by media as big = "not good". I don't need to see only super-size women when it comes to big. A variety of shapes would be nice.

I appreciate what she is trying to do. 
I wish there would be shown real diversity.


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## SSBHM (Dec 23, 2019)

DazzlingAnna said:


> This is off topic ...
> I recently read an interview with her. I am pretty sure that all she is doing might be done with good purpose. But for me she is not representing what she claims - body diversity.
> This interview opened with "Barbara. the big woman known from TV"
> View attachment 134381
> ...


I totally agree with you. Barbara is not big - imo she is thin and it is preposterous that she is being called big or plus size.


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## SSBHM (Dec 23, 2019)

RVGleason said:


> Daniel Everidge as the Fat Man in the movie ‘The Greatest Showman’ where he sings and dances. He wore a fat suit to make him look bigger, and in the movie Barnum played by Hugh Jackman pads him up to look even fatter.


He doesn't look very big to me.


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## DazzlingAnna (Dec 24, 2019)

SSBHM said:


> I totally agree with you. Barbara is not big - imo she is thin and it is preposterous that she is being called big or plus size.



She is called big by media but she is using this term to describe herself, too. It is not credible nor convincing.


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## SSBHM (Dec 24, 2019)

Nope, only star I think is big right now is on TV - This is Us - Chrissy Metz. 

Well, Merry Christmas! Hope you have a wonderful holiday!


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## Shotha (Dec 26, 2019)

DazzlingAnna said:


> She is called big by media but she is using this term to describe herself, too. It is not credible nor convincing.



She might be describing herself as "big", because that's how she identifies. I know I've always identified as a fat man on the inside, even when I was thin on the outside. Could she be a potential gainer?


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## DazzlingAnna (Dec 27, 2019)

Shotha said:


> She might be describing herself as "big", because that's how she identifies. I know I've always identified as a fat man on the inside, even when I was thin on the outside. Could she be a potential gainer?



Maybe she identifies as "big", could be the reason. 
I think in media business it is more likely to use this way of polarization to be recognized and stay in business. 
And with this fat suit cover the got some attention.


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## Shotha (Dec 28, 2019)

DazzlingAnna said:


> Maybe she identifies as "big", could be the reason.
> I think in media business it is more likely to use this way of polarization to be recognized and stay in business.
> And with this fat suit cover the got some attention.



I'll have to trust you about that. I don't watch television.


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## DragonFly (Dec 28, 2019)

SSBHM said:


> Nope, only star I think is big right now is on TV - This is Us - Chrissy Metz.
> 
> Well, Merry Christmas! Hope you have a wonderful holiday!


The man that plays her husband wore a fat suit for all of the episodes until this last set before the show’s mid season break. He suddenly found CrossFit and is now a big guy with muscles and abs. When I first found out he was wearing a fat suit it irritated me quite a bit. I was certain there were plenty of big men that could play that part. Now with the plot twist of the Cross Fit, I can understand the purpose of the fat suit.


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## DazzlingAnna (Dec 28, 2019)

DragonFly said:


> The man that plays her husband wore a fat suit for all of the episodes until this last set before the show’s mid season break. He suddenly found CrossFit and is now a big guy with muscles and abs. When I first found out he was wearing a fat suit it irritated me quite a bit. I was certain there were plenty of big men that could play that part. Now with the plot twist of the Cross Fit, I can understand the purpose of the fat suit.



Stories tend to develop only this way. Not from slim to big - or is that a false impression of mine?

(except pregnancies of course, surprisingly fast after giving birth they are as slim as before pregnancy)


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## Yakatori (Dec 28, 2019)

Shotha said:


> _I'll have to trust you about that. I don't watch television._


Wait, you mean just generally speaking? Or as a matter of principle?

The fat suit controversy is a bit different from, say, someone wearing black-face or otherwise portraying a character of a different racial or ethnic background. It's not the kind of thing about which we can so readily meaningfully generalize, it actually depends on some more context, how the fat character is actually being portrayed.


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## Shotha (Dec 28, 2019)

DazzlingAnna said:


> Stories tend to develop only this way. Not from slim to big - or is that a false impression of mine?



What about gainer fiction? And my autobiography, which I am writing, develops from slim to fat.


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## Shotha (Dec 29, 2019)

Yakatori said:


> Wait, you mean just generally speaking? Or as a matter of principle?



I just don't find much of what is on TV in New Zealand to be very interesting. I watch the 6 O'Clock News on my computer and that's about it. I have a life and I would rather live my life than watch other people living their lives. I don't have anything against TV or the people who watch it. I just find that other things exert a stronger pull on me.


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## Yakatori (Dec 29, 2019)

Shotha said:


> "_...would rather live my life than watch other people living their lives..."_



Mhmm...calls to mind what Socrates said about the problem with the poets and playwrights, encouraging a kind of vicarious living.


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## Shotha (Dec 29, 2019)

Yakatori said:


> Mhmm...calls to mind what Socrates said about the problem with the poets and playwrights, encouraging a kind of vicarious living.



Yes, but unlike Socrates, I don't take a moral stance against TV. I just find many other things more interesting.


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## DazzlingAnna (Aug 23, 2020)

I have to add something to this thread because I just found this piece while going through YouTube.

Like in my initial post in this thread I am not sure if this is a fat shaming or fat celebrating moment. 

What is your opinion? 



I had doubts about their dimensions when watching it.

At 1:11 I was pretty sure that this is a fat suit incident...

Inam curious what do you think?


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## Shotha (Aug 23, 2020)

DazzlingAnna said:


> I have to add something to this thread because I just found this piece while going through YouTube.
> 
> Like in my initial post in this thread I am not sure if this is a fat shaming or fat celebrating moment.
> 
> ...




It's hard to make the call on things like this. The words of the opening music, "I like it like that", carry the implication that some of us are attracted to fat people. At times it seems to celebrate fat people and then there are "jokes", which seem to be quite fat-shaming.

I see no problem with fat suits per se. The problem lies in the way that they are sometimes used. If a fat suit is needed for a character, I see no problem with it. These days fat suits and inflatable suits are readily on the internet. Most of the people, who buy them are not making fun of fat people. They buy them, because they find fat people attractive and even want to be fat themselves. So, I don't see that as fat shaming. Similarly, people collect videos such as the one that you've post, because the find them beautiful and erotic.

This leaves us in a Catch 22 situation. Do we want to prevent performances like this from happening, because they include "jokes" our expense? Banning fat suits on screen would close one of the channels, through which fat admirers come out into the open and show their love for fat people.


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## TwoSwords (Aug 24, 2020)

Shotha said:


> This leaves us in a Catch 22 situation. Do we want to prevent performances like this from happening, because they include "jokes" our expense? Banning fat suits on screen would close one of the channels, through which fat admirers come out into the open and show their love for fat people.



Even in the realm of jokes, there are multiple different kinds. Some are just plain mean-spirited, while others are all in good fun. The problem is that some people have difficulty discerning which is which, or even figuring out whether a specific thing is meant to be a joke at all.

Now, in the case of this particular dance number, I don't see anything going on in it that real fat people couldn't do in a dance, and there's certainly no atmosphere of negativity to it. I'd probably just sit back and enjoy it, personally. It seems to me like people who would be ashamed of productions like this would be the sorts of people who don't think *real* fat people should be seen dancing either.


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## Shotha (Aug 24, 2020)

TwoSwords said:


> The problem is that some people have difficulty discerning which is which, or even figuring out whether a specific thing is meant to be a joke at all.



I notice the same thing happening in everyday life. I also notice that some people take offense at comments, which are not meant to be hurtful or fat-shaming. Before my retirement, I would frequently overhear people at work pointing me out with comments like, "Go and have a word with the fat guy over there." I don't take offense at purely descriptive comments like that, because being fat is my most noticeable feature. However, other people would feel shame for me: "Hey, Frank, Eddie just called you 'fat'." So, I agree with you. Sometimes, we are too sensitive.


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## DazzlingAnna (Aug 26, 2020)

Shotha said:


> Sometimes, we are too sensitive.



I just picked this sentence because it made me thinking.
Maybe it is true that we are too sensitive, especially about those clips and other things that originally were not meant to harm.
Unfortunately if something is online and comments are allowed on things like that you usually can find some disgusting comments which I try to avoid to read and worry about. But I agree on the possibility of being too negative towards something that should be seen as positive.
When it comes to real life I have a slightly different view on this.
"She is the big /fat woman over there." I am ok with that.
I learned over the years that most comments or actions are meant to harm. And I am sensitive on what people do or say.
If they say loudly and laugh: "look how fat she is" - it is a description of my shape. Everybody can see it and actually I am aware of my shape. I don't need this description. I (now) can deal with those people.
I also can deal with those people looking at me with disgust or admiration. 
When people spit in my face because I am fat (yeah, things like that happen) I actually see it as offence and I need to be sensitive. And in real life I need to be sensitive what's happening around me. 

For media projects or productions I probably tend to be too sensitive and expect a negative connotation.

In my real life I need to figure out with whom I can get along and whom I should ignore.


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## Shotha (Aug 26, 2020)

There are different things going on in these situations.

When someone says, "Go and have a word with the fat guy over there," this is purely descriptive.

When someone comments, "Look how fat he is," and laughs, this is mocking and is offensive.

When someone spits in your face, because you're fat, this is physically abusive. I can't say that I've ever experienced that. It might be because I live in a sparsely populated country. It might be because I'm a man. It might be because I look quite ferocious.

I cope quite well with the first two but not with the last of these situations.


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## Iannathedriveress (Sep 18, 2020)

5 out of the 6 members of Rammstein dressed up in Fat Suits for the "Keine Lust" music video.


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## DazzlingAnna (Sep 19, 2020)

@Iannathedriveress thanks for sharing this.

I didn't know this song. 
I read about the idea they had when making the song/video. If I understand correctly they are fed up with fame, success and money and everything that comes with fame. They just want to do music again. And the reason why they are fat in the video is symbolic for excess.

Inyerestingly - if you look at the initial post here - this song there is about money and its excesses.
To express excess it is only necessary to get fat - is it that easy?

I am not sure but most likely that's the easiest way to show a transformation to an audience. 
Being fat here has a negative connotation, doesn't it?


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## Dayeme35 (Oct 4, 2020)

*



I remember when Tyra did this episode as an alleged expose of what its like to be an obese woman . She went on a few blind dates and was promptly rejected by the guys. She then expressed on her show that dating and the life of a larger person must be so terrible and miserable. I will say in the guys defense that they did not know that their date was going to be a bbq/ssbbw and they did let her know that their preferences were for women of a smaller size. In that case the dates were doomed from the start. Everyone has their preference and in this day and age its hard to not be selective of what you are seeking or looking for on or offline. too many camera phones, video chats, etc available now to be talking to ghosts.lol .I find it ironic though that the moment she gained weight in real life she got mercilessly fat shamed. She didn't care for that too much needless to say.*


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