# Documentary: Chubby Chaser



## Tad (Sep 5, 2012)

I happened to catch a promo for this last night. First airing on Sept 26, on TVO....so not much use unless you are in (or close) to Ontario. I imagine it may show up elsewhere later.

http://ww3.tvo.org/story/chubby-chaser

Blurb from the TVO website:


_Chubby Chaser is a thought-provoking documentary film that explores female beauty. It looks at larger women in society who celebrate their size - and the men who desire them.

The impetus for Chubby Chaser came when Ontario filmmaker Jeff Sterne saw a Facebook post from his 13-year-old niece: Im fat and ugly, she wrote. This was not only a sad indictment of the pressure society puts on young people to be thin but, for Jeff, it was a glaring contradiction. Hed always seen fat on a woman as beautiful. So the idea to explore societys view on big women was born.

I made the film, ultimately, for my niece, says Sterne. I wanted to open up a dialogue between her and her friends around the subject of body image.

In high school, Sterne himself didnt really date. I guess maybe because the girls I was attracted to were not the kinds of girls that people dated. It wasnt normal, he says. So I just focussed on other things until I got more confidence in myself and started dating the types of women I was attracted to in university.

In the film, Sterne explains that todays most desirable female body shape is very different from what it was as recently as the mid-20th century. He looks at the advertising industrys role in the creation of the thin ideal as well as the recent proliferation of websites dedicated to people who are larger than average, and those who admire them.

Chubby Chaser is a film that questions our very definition of beauty and exposes those in our society who swim against the stream to assert their belief that big is beautiful.

Chubby Chaser has its world broadcast premiere on TVO at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, September 26th. _


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## moore2me (Sep 5, 2012)

Tad said:


> I happened to catch a promo for this last night. First airing on Sept 26, on TVO....so not much use unless you are in (or close) to Ontario. I imagine it may show up elsewhere later.
> 
> http://ww3.tvo.org/story/chubby-chaser
> 
> ...



I suggest Mr Sterne tread very carefully in talking to a 13 yr old girl (not his daughter) about how sexually desirable she is. In the US we refer to this situation "jail bait" and most men of legal age know to avoid discussing sexual issues with these non-adult girls unless the man is a licensed medical therapist hired by the court system to assist with a case.

Probably this whole thing is innocent, but it does read a little strange. We have enough trouble in our size acceptance community without stirring up ghosts of past sex offenders.


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## bigmac (Sep 6, 2012)

moore2me said:


> I suggest Mr Sterne tread very carefully in talking to a 13 yr old girl (not his daughter) about how sexually desirable she is. In the US we refer to this situation "jail bait" and most men of legal age know to avoid discussing sexual issues with these non-adult girls unless the man is a licensed medical therapist hired by the court system to assist with a case.
> 
> Probably this whole thing is innocent, but it does read a little strange. We have enough trouble in our size acceptance community without stirring up ghosts of past sex offenders.




Canadians don't have as many hangups regarding sex -- including teen sexuality -- as Americans.


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## Lamia (Sep 6, 2012)

it's his niece...It's not like it's a strangers daughter.


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## CastingPearls (Sep 6, 2012)

I don't think it's strange at all. I think he was inspired by her sadness and our overwhelmingly thin-centric culture and he wanted her to know that men are attracted to bigger women too. 13-year-olds are already discussing sexual things so even if this might be too mature for her, it certainly wouldn't be in a year or so. I like the idea.


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## PrettyOne1 (Sep 6, 2012)

It didn't read to me that he talked to his niece about being sexually desirable but more that he probably wanted to show her about positive body image in general as related to a person who is fat. It also doesn't seem to necessarily be a documentary focused on sexuality but exploring definitions of beauty and attractiveness..while that can be linked to sexuality, it doesn't have to be. 

Sounds like an interesting documentary...maybe it will be popular and other networks will pick it up..I have seen that happen with some others that seemed to be CTV sponsored and then show up on American TV and whatnot.


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## mithrandirjn (Sep 6, 2012)

Yeah, body image issues don't necessarily have to be discussed in overtly sexual tones. 

When I was in grade school I was one of the bigger kids, and I got made fun of for it for a few years, up until around the 3rd grade, I think. I certainly wasn't sexualized or very close to puberty at that point, but I was still made to feel badly or "ugly" because of it. I do recall things getting better around 4th or 5th grade, though my memory of the small details is pretty fuzzy at this point. 

Plus, it's probably not a bad thing for the concept of a "chubby chaser/FA" to be discussed more openly. There are a number of guys who are into bigger girls (not necessarily BBW's, but maybe just curvier women in general) but, as the director here describes, many of them don't want to come to grips with it and will sometimes retreat away from their sexuality. And it doesn't take a biologist or behavioral scientist to explain how bad a repressed sexuality of any type can be.

That ties into a larger issue, in my opinion, of a number of FA's coming off kind as kind of creepy, or at least as not very socially graceful; repression means not engaging what you're interested in, and when you suddenly DO get the chance to do so you likely handle it badly or handle things in a negative way. Allowing a more open and frank discussion shows other guys out there "you're not a weirdo, just chill", which is a nice step.


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## moore2me (Sep 6, 2012)

I agree that young fat girls need all the social encouragement they can get. I too ran the junior high gaunlet of fear many, many times and was tormented incessantly. I had no one to make me feel pretty - an uncle would have been nice. Actually, any male that breathed would have been nice. However, like a blacksmith making a horseshoe or a person crafting steel - these fires that I spent time in did not ruin me -it made me strong, a weapon to sharpen, and did interfere with a girl's expected social graces. I would hope that young ladies of size growing up in today's world get better treatment from their peers. I say "bring it on" to anything that can help their social lives.

But I stand by this caveat, young girls should be socially matched with young boys of their same age group. Older men should be matched socially with women of their own age groups. In the US, this could protect the men as well as the women. Stuatory rape (even if the female is willing) can land an older male in the pen for years.


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## PrettyOne1 (Sep 6, 2012)

moore2me said:


> But I stand by this caveat, young girls should be socially matched with young boys of their same age group. Older men should be matched socially with women of their own age groups. In the US, this could protect the men as well as the women. Stuatory rape (even if the female is willing) can land an older male in the pen for years.




Of course! I think that goes without saying, particularly when it comes to minors...I just don't really think that is at all what this documentary is about or what this man was implying about his relationship or thinking with his niece from what we read. 

I also completely agree with the first part of your post! and I do hope they get better treatment from their peers too but I think it might even be worse :-/ not totally sure on that though but bullying in general sure seems to be more harsh.


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## CastingPearls (Sep 6, 2012)

I don't think this has anything to do with molesting a child. I was molested as a child and even being hyper vigilant, I couldn't even make that assumption or jump regarding this. At all.


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## Isa (Sep 6, 2012)

moore2me said:


> But I stand by this caveat, young girls should be socially matched with young boys of their same age group. Older men should be matched socially with women of their own age groups. In the US, this could protect the men as well as the women. Stuatory rape (even if the female is willing) can land an older male in the pen for years.



This is not a case of a young girl being socially matched with an older man. The man in question is her uncle who was simple moved by a very sad post she made on facebook. Two totally different situations.


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## Nenona (Sep 7, 2012)

CastingPearls said:


> I don't think it's strange at all. I think he was inspired by her sadness and our overwhelmingly thin-centric culture and he wanted her to know that men are attracted to bigger women too. 13-year-olds are already discussing sexual things so even if this might be too mature for her, it certainly wouldn't be in a year or so. I like the idea.



It's not strange at all, actually.
Because Chris Rock did the excellent documentary Good Hair based on his daughter's question:
"Daddy, why don't I have good hair?"
and he went on a crusade to figure out what "good hair" is and how the perception of what's "good" is ultimately shaped by what you can sell black women.


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## moore2me (Sep 7, 2012)

Do you know what time it is? Time for me to go fishin' again. I have nightcrawlers in the refrigerator and some liver I haven't eaten yet (or is it I have some nightcrawlers I haven't eaten yet?) and catawba worms in the freezer - actually it's both. 

The water in the pond is low 'cause of the drought, so if I leave now, I can catch brim and catfish . . . . yum, yum. :eat2:

And Mr M2M volunteered to clean the fish if I cook them. :wubu:

So, I'll quit goring everyone's oxen and go drown some worms. :blink:


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## musicman (Sep 9, 2012)

OK, now back to the original topic. I look forward to seeing this documentary, although I probably won't be able to, since I am nowhere near Ontario. Thank you, Tad, for posting the info. I don't know how well the film will portray FAs, but judging from the filmmaker's website, I really applaud his attempt to point out that beauty is an entirely SUBJECTIVE thing. Too many people, especially young people, seem to think that standards of beauty are determined by some all-powerful ruling body, have the force of law, and that no one can dare to disagree with them. Correcting people on that point alone is a major part of what the fat acceptance movement is trying to accomplish, I believe.


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## PeanutButterfly (Sep 10, 2012)

musicman said:


> OK, now back to the original topic. I look forward to seeing this documentary, although I probably won't be able to, since I am nowhere near Ontario. Thank you, Tad, for posting the info. I don't know how well the film will portray FAs, but judging from the filmmaker's website, I really applaud his attempt to point out that beauty is an entirely SUBJECTIVE thing. Too many people, especially young people, seem to think that standards of beauty are determined by some all-powerful ruling body, have the force of law, and that no one can dare to disagree with them. Correcting people on that point alone is a major part of what the fat acceptance movement is trying to accomplish, I believe.



My anthropology professor last semester tried to argue that beauty is biological, not subjective and that *everyone* is attracted most to the "ideal" male and female body types. I wish I'd had the courage to raise my hand and refute her. She tried to claim that women are only attracted to fat men when they have additional resources and that fetishes are a pathology. Otherwise a very brilliant lady but she really needs to see a documentary like this. I think everyone should. Someone let me know when its available in the US


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## RabbitScorpion (Sep 15, 2012)

Those in the Southeast Michigan area, or small parts of Ohio (like Toledo) generally can't get TVO on the cable or satellite service, but may be able to watch it if they have a digital TV and a decent antenna.

Point the antenna to a spot 10 miles south of Windsor, and try channel 32 (actual and virtual channel both 32).

I'll try to tape it if I can remember.


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## RabbitScorpion (Sep 15, 2012)

PeanutButterfly said:


> My anthropology professor last semester tried to argue that beauty is biological, not subjective and that *everyone* is attracted most to the "ideal" male and female body types. I wish I'd had the courage to raise my hand and refute her. She tried to claim that women are only attracted to fat men when they have additional resources and that fetishes are a pathology. Otherwise a very brilliant lady but she really needs to see a documentary like this. I think everyone should. Someone let me know when its available in the US



I'm surprised an anthropologist, of all people, would assert that beauty is not subjective. Excavations of prehistoric sites all over the world have produced works depicting women of exaggerated proportions. Even today (or in very recent years) we have people gaining weight to improve their appearance in places like Tonga, or some parts of Subsaharan Africa, where women stuff their pants with old clothing to give the illusion of a large butt - thought of as ideal for breeding.


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## PeanutButterfly (Sep 18, 2012)

RabbitScorpion said:


> I'm surprised an anthropologist, of all people, would assert that beauty is not subjective. Excavations of prehistoric sites all over the world have produced works depicting women of exaggerated proportions. Even today (or in very recent years) we have people gaining weight to improve their appearance in places like Tonga, or some parts of Subsaharan Africa, where women stuff their pants with old clothing to give the illusion of a large butt - thought of as ideal for breeding.



Actually she would agree with those observations and say that they fit her argument. Any augmentation of the breasts, hips or butt would make a woman appear more fertile in a man's eyes. But she would definitely disagree that men could ever find, say big bellies attractive without it being a pathology because a big belly on a woman doesn't show signs of fertility. Similarly a big belly on a man goes against that "V" that shows signs of masculinity and the strength to protect resources. 

But I totally agree its a ridiculous, one dimensional assumption for a woman with a PhD to have.


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## rickydaniels (Sep 20, 2012)

Thanks for sharing! I hope this doc pops up on you tube or PBS at some point. I'd like to see it.


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## Scorsese86 (Sep 20, 2012)

A bit off-topic, but am I the only one who hates that term? "Chubby chaser".


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## CastingPearls (Sep 20, 2012)

Scorsese86 said:


> A bit off-topic, but am I the only one who hates that term? "Chubby chaser".


You're not alone. I don't like it either.


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## Tad (Sep 21, 2012)

CastingPearls said:


> You're not alone. I don't like it either.



Me neither.


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## wrestlingguy (Sep 24, 2012)

I had the opportunity to interview the director of "Chubby Chaser", Jeff Sterne.

You can read the interview on my blog page.
http://thenatural54.wordpress.com/2012/09/24/chubby-chaser-the-director/


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## moore2me (Sep 24, 2012)

wrestlingguy said:


> I had the opportunity to interview the director of "Chubby Chaser", Jeff Sterne.
> 
> You can read the interview on my blog page.
> http://thenatural54.wordpress.com/2012/09/24/chubby-chaser-the-director/
> ...



Dear Wrestlingguy,

You did an excellent job on the interview. And the write-up for the blog was great too.


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## Tad (Sep 25, 2012)

wrestlingguy said:


> I had the opportunity to interview the director of "Chubby Chaser", Jeff Sterne.



Cool--glad you did that! Adds some more background/context to the documentary. And getting more questions coming to him/his producer from non-Canadian sources can't help but give them some encouragement towards working on wider release.


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## CarlaSixx (Sep 25, 2012)

Looks like I need to find myself a television to watch this. Lol. I'm not sure we get TVO in my area anymore, but I can check. It would be nice to see it.


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## Tad (Sep 25, 2012)

Carla: I'm sure it is on cable, but I'm not sure about over the air in corwall, since the change to the digital transmitters and all.


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## Ned Sonntag (Sep 25, 2012)

Scorsese86 said:


> A bit off-topic, but am I the only one who hates that term? "Chubby chaser".


 That unfortunate choice-of-title does nothing to dispell potential Jail-Bait opprobrium.:blush: Sounds like the guy's trying to re-invent forty-four years of wheel sizeacceptance-wise.:blink:


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## CarlaSixx (Sep 25, 2012)

Tad said:


> Carla: I'm sure it is on cable, but I'm not sure about over the air in corwall, since the change to the digital transmitters and all.



Hmm... My gym has cable... I'm wondering if it's still channel 2... or 3... I used to watch TVO allllll the time, haha. Looks like I'll be sneaking a gym appointment to go watch this thing. Or, if someone's there... billiards room has as tv as well :happy: I may not have had television for a year, but I've got my ways. haha


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## RabbitScorpion (Sep 25, 2012)

CarlaSixx said:


> Hmm... My gym has cable... I'm wondering if it's still channel 2... or 3... I used to watch TVO allllll the time, haha. Looks like I'll be sneaking a gym appointment to go watch this thing. Or, if someone's there... billiards room has as tv as well :happy: I may not have had television for a year, but I've got my ways. haha



With TVO's Ottawa area (actually in Québec) transmitter about 100 km away and only 95kW, getting channel 24 direct seems iffy, but not impossible.


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## wrestlingguy (Sep 25, 2012)

Ned Sonntag said:


> That unfortunate choice-of-title does nothing to dispell potential Jail-Bait opprobrium.:blush: Sounds like the guy's trying to re-invent forty-four years of wheel sizeacceptance-wise.:blink:



Ned, in the interview he gave me, he said that "Chubby Chaser" was really just the working title. He said his nieces and nephews claimed that's what they called guys who liked big girls in high school, and the name stuck for lack of a better title.

From what I could gather, he's not really active in the community. He's been happily married for over 20 years, and they don't attend BBW/FA events or rally for size acceptance. He did attend a few events in doing his filming of the movie, but hasn't since.

That could account for his misunderstanding of using the term today, and what it potentially does to hurt size acceptance.


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## FA Punk (Sep 25, 2012)

I think I'll be checking this out but I think I'll be skipping the parts with Zik though, if I hear about how he is the Hugh Hefner of BBW porn one more time I think I'm gonna be sick.


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## Tad (Sep 26, 2012)

There was a small box article about this in the Globe and Mail this morning, about 2/3 picture with a bit of text. But given the picture was of a lounging woman it may grab enough eyeballs to bring in more viewers than would normally be looking at the Wednesday night documentary on a public TV station.

(something I should mention for the non-Ontarians: TVO is the provincially owned television station, the closest equivalent in the US would be PBS. TVO doesn't run adds, getting its money from a mix of government grant and viewer donations. It runs a mix of kids programming, panel discussions, documentaries, and some shows (mostly from the UK. I don't know if any brits watch New Tricks or Midsommer Murders, but TVO runs a lot of that sort of stuff). So....not exactly a super-high ratings type station. I don't know what the typical viewership for the Wed night documentary feature is, but I expect it is not all that high.


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## Tad (Sep 27, 2012)

Meh, it was a pretty low budget documentary, and pretty scattered in its approach. But at least it was sensationalist, and for someone totally uninformed of the topic it probably had a lot of info.


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## TheIceManVer2.0 (Sep 27, 2012)

not crazy about the term Chubby Chaser either. What are we, running after hard on's?


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## FA Punk (Sep 27, 2012)

Anybody posted the documentary online yet?


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## RabbitScorpion (Sep 27, 2012)

Saw the show today (after taping it last night). Not bad, a pretty good intro to the community and the issues involved.

I do agree with two statements in the show - one that women are harder on each other with regard to weight than men are to women, and two that a lot of men who do prefer or accept larger women are sometimes afraid to let other men know it.

One interesting comment came about 30 minutes into the show - a visit to a Canadian couple that had moved to Houston, because, they said, that people were more tolerant of overweight people in the USA than in Canada. I wonder how many people here would agree with that? (I've noticed that, for a long time, shows in Canada's English-speaking networks usually only portrayed thin women in attractive roles, whilst on SRC (the Francophone network that disappeared from Michigan in July) would have some very pretty women in their shows with a little more weight (say, size 16, not SSBBWs).

If anyone in the "Detredo" area wanted to see the show, but could not get TVO, PM me and I could arrange for you to borrow the tape.


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