Obesity and glorifying it on TV: Honey Boo Boo

here, here!! WTG, exactly what I was thinking. 

I totally agree. Thanks for saying it before I did. The whole basis if the original post was that the show shouldn't exist because the family is FAT. Wtf. So if Honey Boo Boo and her family were skinny then the show would be ok? I hate when fat, or former fat, people look down on other fat people.

I agree 100% with this. They are wild, they are ill-mannered, and they like to eat unhealthy foods BUT they love each other and just live their lives. I think that's all that matters. They are much more loving and realistic than the Real Housewives, The Kardashians, and so many of these other reality shows. That little girl IS shown to love herself despite her size and that is a beautiful thing. Do I wish they would eat better? Of course. But the reality is, they don't care what we think! LOL

The first half of your post made me want to ask you to marry me.  ;)  I totally agree and it's so good to hear other people feel the same way about American Idol.

I've never seen Honey Boo Boo, but the second half of your post did come across as a bit harsh.  These are just people, afterall, that are either exploiting the ridiculousness of modern television programing, or are being exploited by producers of modern television programing.  But, in the end, they are just people worthy of love and kindness.  (Not to sound too kumbaya!)

I remembered seeing this article the other day on Yahoo News (yeah.. news?? reality TV mentality goes beyond entertainment.  News outlets also use the reality programming mentality in the worst way.)  about Honey Boo BOO and her mom: http://omg.yahoo.com/news/mama-june-sets-trust-fund-honey-boo-boo-181043925.html

Without having seen the show at all and only reading this article, I think the mom sounds pretty down to earth and level-headed.  She's being very smart with that money they are making from the show and making sure it goes to her kids when they are old enough to handle it.

Reality TV is never, ever, ever reality.  Whatever you all see on the Honey Boo Boo program isn't likely at all representative of what this family is actually like.   It's what the producers and editors of the show WANT them to be like - for the "freak show" purposes that American viewers apparently love to watch.  What is portrayed isn't real.  It's a caricature of this family.

In any case... OP, I like the way you think and i wish more people were vocal about media issues.  Not enough people are really thinking about what is being presented to them and why.  They just accept it and consume it, and that cannot be healthy for our collective psyche.

Remember when MTV had music videos all day, and TLC actually stood for "The Learning Channel"?  Sigh.  I've probably just dated myself.  "back in my day!!!"  But, seriously, the media is getting more and more screwed up all the time.  Mainsteam news media has also gone down the crapper in a horrifiying way - but I don't want to go too far off topic.

Anyway, rant on and keep thinking.  :)  You rock.

Thanks, you are correct that I may have been harsh.  I tend to get a thought rolling and then just pour out my frustration in less than an eloquent manner.  For that I apologize. 

First, let me say this.  I love reality TV.  Love it.  I think Honey Boo Boo is nothing but pure entertainment.  I agree with what someone else said; it's awesome that she's a beauty queen.  Gooo girl!  Be a beauty queen!  I know the healthy risks of being obese, but I think there's also a positive message there that you CAN be the beauty queen, and fat too! 

Now, about "reality" tv?  It's as real as Santa Claus or the tooth fairy.  Case in point - HGTV in Canada is airing a show later on this week about my place of employment.  I can tell you that every single scene on that show was scripted and fabricated.  There is zero truth to anything you will see on this show.  Scenes were created according to the producers specifications.  People were told what to wear, what to say and how to act.  I will not be appearing on this show.  I refused to sign the release and be associated with it; my bosses were getting paid. I was not. 

I think TV is a big time waster.... watching other people live, as in reality shows seems sort of silly to me so I really have never watched them.  I have a TV, but no cable and seem to only watch a movie every now and again and the news in the morning.  I was a tv junkie when I was young but now that I am older I feel like my life is slipping away when I waste my time on dumb stuff.  We only have so much time on this earth and we need to enjoy as much of it as we can.

The defenders of Honey Boo Boo above have said exactly what is on my mind.  Except, I would like to add:

Good for them to find a way to invest in their children's futures!  Mama June has created trust funds for all the kids so that when they turn 21, they will actually have money they can use to start their families and futures.  Mama June and Sugar Bear are not taking any of the money that they earn on TLC for themselves - the family are living strictly on their sole income from Sugar Bear's construction jobs, and Mama June's frugality.  Rather, each of the girls, plus the grandchild, get $4,000 an episode in their trust funds.  At the end of it all, they certainly will have something they can get started with. 

And, I have not seen a family on TV, scripted or "reality," that play together and love each other as much as these folks do.  They really care about each other, and that gets across. 

Sure, they are silly and perceived to be uneducated, but I think that has more to do with the editing of the show than anything else.

Good on you Honey Boo Boo!!!

Well it's like posts on an obesity board, if it offends you or you deem it stupid walk on by. Where does the need to denigrate those involved come from?  Does reality TV exploit people?  Absolutely, that is what America wants to watch.  Not you you say, ok, but they are not on TV because no one is watching.  and is that exploitation any different for honey boo boo than for the Jersey shore bunch, or the complete ridiculing of B level celebrities on The apprentice? 

I see it time and time again on here and it never ceases to amaze be.  The born again skinnies.  'Now that I've done something about my weight what the hell is wrong with those of you who still carry it?'.   "Is it right to reward this fat lil girl?", What should we do castigate her? 

Here's the thing i don't know what is going to happen to honey Boo Boo.  what i do know is her  and her family are going to get paydays that they never dreamed of while this plays out and why should they not be able to participate in the American dream?  Oh right, because "it simply rewards and glorifies all that is ignorant, stupid and clueless".  Sounds like that comment covers the original post.

I've never seen an episode of this show or Jersey shore for that matter but they both hit pop culture heights and that says more about our society than it does about them.  From what i can glean they are just folks living their lives and someone got to pay a lot (These stupid ignorant folks managed to leverage the first year of success into the biggest payday that channel has ever paid out) to put a camera on them.  The thing is they exist.  I understand there are people who would prefer to believe they didn't but why do they get a vote on another's life. 

A little fat beauty queen.  Well i for one cannot see the harm in that.  Childhood obesity exists, that it doesn't have to stigmatize your life and create a damaged adult is a beautiful idea. This girl and her family thinks she's beautiful and talented.  What is wrong with that?

Your reply is well thought out and I appreciate that.  I just would like to see more programming explefying what's good about people.  Not dysfunction.  That is all.