But they dragged that shit OUT. So. First Tali had a little chat with Luke's devout Christian grandma, who, upon hearing that Tali was from Israel, was like O RLY? But turned out to be cool, because she is cool like that. (Clip above.)

Then Tali had to endure conversation with Luke's dad, who wanted to talk about Jews and Christians and "conflict." All of his body language said, You mean to tell me my son is thinking of marrying a durn furriner and a JEW for cryin out loud? Dad: Let the kids be!

Luke's dog Max did not get enough screen time.

Next Luke's family met Malissa. You could almost see the relief in their faces: She's blonde, all-American, probably not Jewish, yay!

For Luke's dad, it was love at first sight.

When Luke's dad found out Malissa likes beer, he was all, WOW. Then he proclaimed that she had "Irish eyes," which I guess is a huge compliment? Or maybe she smiles with her eyes? Smeyes?

Next the ladies met Luke's mom, who is sharp as a tack and can smell bullshit a mile away. She talked to both ladies about why they would even be on a show called More To Love, and while Tali said it was because she wanted to prove something about big girls and size doesn't matter and so on, Malissa said "on a whim." Malissa also told Luke's mom that she wasn't a chubby kid growing up and had only recently gained weight.

Luke's mom's diagnosis: Tali = awesome. Malissa? Silence.

Later Luke went for his last dinner with Tali and they got a little boozy and so forth and she was like, "I love you. I love you so much. I wanted to wait, but I couldn't." Luke said, "I love you too."

They made out.

Then Luke went for his last dinner with Malissa, who was all, "If you ask me to marry you, yes, yes, a thousand times yes." Luke was like, "You're such an amazing woman, yadda yadda." Then she said: "I love you." And he said: "I love you too, Malissa." SCANDAL!

Next Luke went ring shopping, and because the producers wanted to fill two hours, he looked at TWO RINGS…

…And described TWO women to the sales clerk who was just excited to be on tee vee.

Finally, in one last ring ceremony, Luke said to Malissa — and I'm paraphrasing here — you're a great gal, but see ya.

He asked Tali: "Will you marry me?" She said "Yes." The moral of the story is that a 300 pound Christian dude can date a whole bunch of fatties and end up with a hot stacked Israeli Jew. The end.

Oh wait: Tali would like to shout-out "the big girls out there."

Stay tuned for More To Love Too: There's Enough Of Me To Go Around — Malissa's Journey or whatever crap Fox will almost definitely cook up next.

But duh, of course it was. Luke and chunky dudes like Jack Black, Kevin James and Seth Rogen always get the ladies, where as women are supposed to be THIN THIN THIN! Anyway: Malissa doesn't care how much Luke weighs. So Luke took her back to his hotel room…

…Where his bed was strewn with flowers.

And they made out.

I really enjoyed this Frankensoundbite of Malissa saying that she was shocked that a dolphin could support their weight. Kudos to someone in the editing room for cobbling those sounds together, because those words may have come out of Malissa's mouth, but not in that order.

The next day, Luke had a date with Tali, who, can I just note, is STUNNING?

Hot. Period.

Luke informed Tali that they'd be going snorkeling, and Tali, though she'd been in the Israeli Navy, informed him that she had a fear of water.

So Tali was scared.

And sad.

But she went snorkeling anyway!

And somehow Luke talking her through getting in the ocean made Tali fall in love with Luke and so on. And even though he's dating two other women, which Tali finds "annoying and disturbing"…

Luke took Tali back to his hotel room, where the bed was strewn with flowers.

And they made out.

Lastly, Luke went out with Mandy.

He told her he could picture himself being married to her. Then they made out on a bed strewn with flowers.

The next day, he eliminated her from the show.

Only two ladies left: Who will Luke propose to?

Take Malissa, seen in the clip above. When Puke Luke took her out on a one-on-one date in last night's episode, he gushed, "we'd have some good-looking kids." My theory is that he will end up with Malissa at the end of the show, because all of the other women have jobs like stylist/model/fitness instructor, and Malissa is a waitress. He says he wants someone who has her own dreams, but it seems like he really wants a woman to be a kid-producing housewife.

And seriously, in which universe is this woman Malissa fat, unattractive, or someone who finds it tough to meet a man?

Let's face it: She knows that she is hot.

Here are the other ladies in the final four:

Mandy, who is not fat and is, in fact, a fitness instructor.

Anna, who is not fat, and makes her living as a plus-size model.

Tali, the simply gorgeous Israeli stylis/decorator who is not fat.

There's still some drama left in the show:Malissa also seems to have (or has been edited to have) an evil streak.

She let loose a barrage of questions on sensitive Mandy, which made Mandy cry and say, "I'm an emotional wreck."

Then again, when Luke met Mandy's parents, her mom called Mandy "crazy."

Actually, Luke went on four dates, and met with some family members with each of the four ladies, and came up with four things "wrong" with each. Malissa never babysat for her sister; Mandy might not be ready for marriage; Tali is Israeli; Anna travels a lot as a model. (Anna was eliminated last night. Awesome career? You're not for Luke!)

But the real problem is that the show that was supposed to be about the "real" or "overweight" people finding love is really about one guy with 3 gorgeous, busty women to choose from. Decisions, decisions!

But first: did anyone notice that this episode began with a close-up shot of waffles?
Just in case you forgot that fatties EAT.

There have been signs all along that Kristian is a bit cuckoo for cocoa puffs, but when she got an invitation to go dancing with Luke and Mandy and said, "Hopefully, Mandy falls and breaks an ankle…" that was more than a hint. I mean, the producers can edit footage to make you look kooky, or you can just talk to them and say wacko stuff. Your choice!

In addition, when Malissa got a one-on one date with Luke, Anna jokingly did a little "headdesk" move. Kristian took her "headdesk" a little farther, right down the path of self-abuse.

Malissa's date with Luke involved a helicopter ride to a vineyard, and then a ride on a bicycle built for two, which busted. Luke took responsibility for that, saying, "The fat kid broke the bike. I wish I could say it was the first time."

When Malissa came back from her date, she announced that she was in love with Luke. But Kristian wanted everyone to know that SHE was ALSO in love in Luke.

Luke invited Anna, Heather and Tali on a beach date, which annoyed Tali. She was like, great, "Another date in a bathing suit."

Of course, Luke had this to say: "I'm taking Heather, Tali and Anna to the beach. I feel anytime they can show off their bodies it's awesome; it kind of shows me how confident they are and that's a real turn-on for me." Yeah, it's awesome for you. When they got to the beach, none of the ladies took off their dresses, preferring to remain covered. But Luke went ahead and took off his shirt. And then asked the women to slather him with sunscreen.

At the mixer at the end of the episode, krazy Kristian did a krazy thing and told Luke that she loved him. In 3 languages. His response? "I'm flattered." Never a good sign. Then, as seen in the first clip, she was eliminated from the show. And she cried. A lot. And she also mentioned that she was "the biggest girl in the house," as if that had anything to do with it, and not the fact that she was delusional about her "love" with Luke.

Heather, who was also eliminated, also cried. But she had a better attitude about he experience on the show: she said she wore a bathing suit in front of people and didn't even care. And: "It's made me realize who I am despite what size I am."

Writer Neal Justin is trying to make the point that the rash of plus-size TV shows — Drop Dead Diva, Dance Your Ass Off; Ruby, More To Love and The Biggest Loser — are getting great ratings, and writes: "Fat is suddenly fabulous, at least on TV." Not in real life! In real life it's still totally gross, okay?

But what Justin wants to know is why. Why would people want to watch shows with plus-size characters? He writes, "Why this appetite for fuller-figured personalities?" But it almost sounds like: Why would you want to watch fatties?

You'd think, since according to one study, "adult obesity rates increased in 23 states last year," it's about American audiences seeing a reflection of themselves.

But Paul Telegdy, who oversees NBC's reality programming (including Biggest Loser) says: "I think it embraces a concern and a worry that keeps a lot of Americans awake at night." Hear that? You're lying awake at night, afraid to get fat, which makes you watch The Biggest Loser.

Yeah, I'll just go ahead and say: Bullshit! If you're watching these shows, it's because there's drama, and a human story. We love a personal story, and if it's personal, it's universal. Even if you've never been overweight, you can understand the range of human emotions showcased on these programs: Frustration, heartbreak, dedication, triumph. As Loser host Alison Sweeney says: "[The show] strikes at the heart of the human spirit.You see people being able to overcome this obstacle that seems insurmountable. Miracles can happen."

And honestly? It's not like plus-size, overweight, fat or large people all live sequestered from society. In many cases, they're your mom, your dad, your aunt, your uncle, you, me. It's not strange that people are interested in seeing plus-size people on TV; it's strange that up until now, plus-size people have been mostly ignored on TV.

A Growing Appetite for Plus-Size Personalities [WaPo]

Producers who zoom in on your breasts, for instance, when you are in a sudsy hot tub, as Malissa was with Luke when some of the ladies went on a spa date with Luke. Mandy found the spa date to be very stressful, since Luke was taking everyone aside and having intimate moments with them. Actually, the word Mandy used was "awkward." Indeed.

But let's go back to the beginning of the episode: The women were forced to play a game called "Good Wife/Bad Wife." They had to go around in a circle and declare who would be a good wife for Luke and who would be a bad wife for Luke.

Hearing criticism about how she's too emotional made Kristian cry.

During the game, the producers used creative editing to make things more interesting.

For instance, when the women were talking about whether Heather would make a good wife, it looked as if Lauren interrupted and said, "This isn't about good person/bad person…"

But if you look at the wide shot, when Lauren is saying this, Kristian, the curly-haired one next to Lauren, has her sign turned to "bad wife." And the person next to Emme is someone with dark hair, not Heather, who is blonde.

The tight shot of Lauren speaking about being a "good person" also has been manipulated: the "Good Wife" words on Kristian's sign were added digitally in post-production. Maybe you can't see it in the clip, but on my TV screen? The words were moving on some kind of added layer.

In any case, Luke went on a date with the one who was most voted "Bad Wife," Melissa B. They had Moroccan food and did a little belly dancing.

Luke also went on a date with the lady voted "Good Wife," Heather. I thought they went to Medieval Times, which would have been amazing, but it was just a castle.

During their dinner, Luke said: "I can't get over this view." Heather replied that yes, it was very pretty. Luke said: "I was talking about you." Eyeroll. Later, he said: "I have something to tell you. I have three kids." There was a pause. Then he said: "Just joking." He was just trying to liven things up. The man is a jackass!

Anyway, back to the spa date with the other ladies: Something intense happened between Luke and Mandy, but most of their date was edited away. Luke did say: "Sharing kiss with Mandy did something to my heart that I have never felt."

But maybe it was just her knee, pressing into his chest.

Earlier: More To Love: Worst Prom Ever
More To Love: Puke, Booze & Swimsuits
More To Love: Coercion, Kisses & Heavy Heartbreak
More To Love: Rooting For Plus-Size Singles "Like A Sporting Event"

Last night's episode involved Luke inviting the ladies to a "prom," since, as he explained, many of them probably didn't enjoy their prom — or didn't get invited — the first time around. While that is true for some of the overweight women on the show, Luke said it in a way so that it seemed like he was doing charity work. (Also, when he talks about going through tough times and feeling excluded as a "bigger" person growing up, I've got to call bullshit on most of it, since A: He was a football player, so "included" on a team and cheered on by his whole damn school and B: girls have it harder than boys do. "Jolly" chubby guys are generally accepted - Varsity Blues, Kevin James, Jack Black, etc. - but plus-size women seldom enjoy that kind of experience).

In any case, the "prom" gave the producers an excuse to show the ladies squeezing and shimmying into dresses and saying things like "suck it in." Millions of women of all sizes struggle with their clothes, but showing overweight women trying to fit into clothes provided by producers seems predictable — and like a low blow. Unfair, and exploitative.

Luke invited two of his best college buddies to the "prom" to figure out who he should go out on a one-on-one date with. That woman would be crowned prom queen.


The dudes, sorta-hot-yet-mute-black-guy and guy-with-dumb-goatee, took their job seriously.

The prom itself — with waaaay more women than men, Luke kissing several different women on the dancefioor and then dancing like a fool — seemed awful.

Luke's friends chose Danielle as Prom Queen. It just so happens that she's one of the contestants that no one — including Luke — actually likes.

Luke took Danielle out to dinner, and she ordered a chocolate-and-peanut covered banana for dessert. Who does that?


It's a date. It's televised. And you're voluntarily putting a phallic object up in your face.

Later, Luke and Danielle had a boat ride which was painfully awkward, or at least edited to seem so.



At the end of the episode, she was among those eliminated.

As Time's John Cloud writes:

The basic problem is that while it's true that exercise burns calories and that you must burn calories to lose weight, exercise has another effect: it can stimulate hunger. That causes us to eat more, which in turn can negate the weight-loss benefits we just accrued. Exercise, in other words, isn't necessarily helping us lose weight. It may even be making it harder.

Cloud cites a study from the peer-reviewed journal PLoS ONE (PLoS is the nonprofit Public Library of Science). The study, supervised by a colleague of Ravussin's, Dr. Timothy Church, chair in health wisdom at LSU, randomly assigned into four groups 464 overweight women who didn't regularly exercise. Women in three of the groups were asked to work out with a personal trainer for six months; women in the fourth group were the control and were told to maintain their usual routines. The results?

On average, the women in all the groups, even the control group, lost weight, but the women who exercised - sweating it out with a trainer several days a week for six months - did not lose significantly more weight than the control subjects did.

Cloud supposes, jokingly (?) "The control-group women may have lost weight because they were filling out those regular health forms, which may have prompted them to consume fewer doughnuts."

Of course, exercise has its benefits: Enhancing heart and circulatory health, helping prevent disease, improving mental health and cognitive ability. Cloud points to a study released by the University of Alberta a few weeks ago which found that people with chronic back pain who exercise four days a week have 36% less disability than those who exercise only two or three days a week.

But weight loss is a different issue. As is self-control. Cloud explains:

Many people assume that weight is mostly a matter of willpower - that we can learn both to exercise and to avoid muffins and Gatorade. A few of us can, but evolution did not build us to do this for very long. In 2000 the journal Psychological Bulletin published a paper by psychologists Mark Muraven and Roy Baumeister in which they observed that self-control is like a muscle: it weakens each day after you use it. If you force yourself to jog for an hour, your self-regulatory capacity is proportionately enfeebled. Rather than lunching on a salad, you'll be more likely to opt for pizza.

This strikes me as somewhat questionable, as I — and most people I know — tend to be quite loathe to "undo" any work put in at the gym with high-calorie snacks. But this working-out-makes-you-eat movement even has conspiracy theorists!

Steven Gortmaker, head of Harvard's Prevention Research Center on Nutrition and Physical Activity says, "If you're more physically active, you're going to get hungry and eat more." He's suspicious of the playgrounds at fast-food restaurants. "Why would they build those? I know it sounds kind of like conspiracy theory, but you have to think, if a kid plays five minutes and burns 50 calories, he might then go inside and consume 500 calories or even 1,000."

In any case, the key seems to be not to be total sloth and a lead a sedentary lifestyle but just to keep on moving. Cloud writes:

Many obesity researchers now believe that very frequent, low-level physical activity - the kind humans did for tens of thousands of years before the leaf blower was invented - may actually work better for us than the occasional bouts of exercise you get as a gym rat. "You cannot sit still all day long and then have 30 minutes of exercise without producing stress on the muscles," says Hans-Rudolf Berthoud, a neurobiologist at LSU's Pennington Biomedical Research Center who has studied nutrition for 20 years. "The muscles will ache, and you may not want to move after. But to burn calories, the muscle movements don't have to be extreme. It would be better to distribute the movements throughout the day."

Of course, since none of this is conducive to working a desk job (blogging for a living included) we're gonna add: Good luck with that.

Why Exercise Won't Make You Thin [Time]

Earlier: Does Exercise Make You Hungry Instead Of Thin?

At the beginning of his first group "date," on a boat, a lady named Heather threw up. The ship hadn't even left the dock yet.

During the cruise, Malissa and Luke had an intimate moment, and a little kissing sesh. Malissa said that Luke makes her feel like a "size 2 supermodel." What does that even mean? Like you're wearing Balenciaga and jumping for Vogue? Are we really supposed to buy that this man makes her feel beautiful or thinner?

The problem with Luke is that he's the kind of guy who says "her body is bangin'." Meanwhile, the misty-eyed women on this show are saying romantic stuff like, "I feel butterflies." They're getting emotional; he's getting a hard-on.

But the absolute worst part of the episode had to be that the third group date was at a pool. Of course the producers wanted to show overweight women in swimsuits.

Hoping to make everyone feel more comfortable, Luke suggested they head for the bar first. Because what's better than being on TV in your swimsuit than being on TV in your swimsuit while drunk?

Naturally, NAAFA has its critics. Time magazine pulls a quote from Walter Willett, chairman of the nutrition department at Harvard's School of Public Health. Recently he told the New York Times: "There's been this misconception, fostered by the weight-is-beautiful groups, that weight doesn't matter. But the data are clear." The thing is, that's not even what NAAFA is about. The group is more into defending overweight Americans on issues like Simon Cowell's fat jokes on American Idol or obese airline passengers who have to pay for a second seat. Willett seems to think NAAFA is promoting fat. But as we've said before: There's a difference between promotion and acceptance. It's ridiculous to think that overweight people are out there pressuring people to gain weight.

NAAFA's public relations director, Peggy Howell, says her group doesn't endorse leading an unhealthy lifestyle: "We don't encourage people to get fat." She's more concerned with weight discrimination, which studies show is now as prevalent as race or gender discrimination. "As a citizen of the U.S., just because I carry more weight on my back doesn't mean I should have any fewer rights than anyone else."

What's interesting is that the fat acceptance movement started in the late '60s, when issues of race, sex, war and feminism were also in flux. Since then, the draft became a contingency plan; the Equal Rights Amendment was passed by the U.S. Senate; we went from getting past segregated lunch counters to a black President. But despite the rash of plus-size TV shows on the air right now, the NAAFA convention today in Washington, D.C. will surely meet with opposition, like the commenters on Marianne Kirby's piece about More To Love, one of whom wrote:

It is time to stop giving people a pass by using politically correct terms such as "plus-size or full-figured."
Enough already.
You are obese. You are fat.
There is NOTHING healthy about " your lifestyle. "
Overeating is NOT a " lifestyle. "
Nobody forces you to enter that fast food restaurant.

That comment was met with a barrage of responses from enraged overweight people swearing that they are vegetarians with low cholesterol who do not overeat, but the attitude of the original poster persists. This is a battle not easily won.

A Brief History Of The Fat Acceptance Movement [Time]
Earlier: On Beth Ditto, "Promoting" Obesity & Fat Shame
More To Love Premieres Tonight; Two "Fat" Writers Weigh In
Related:
Really Big Love [The Daily Beast]

Really, he's the luckiest guy in America: He's living in a mansion with 20 women — well, 15, as he kicked out 5 he didn't like — he admits are "just his type." Oh, the world might find these women fat, but they still weigh around 100 pounds less than Luke does. This show mentions again and again that it's what's inside that counts, yet each contestant was chosen on appearances: How big they are. And their appearance is what Luke likes about them: He's a "chubby chaser"; big women are his favorite. Also, every time the womens' names came on the screen, so did their height and weight. Charming.

Luke gave each lady in the house a diamond ring, which had some hearing angels. Even though every chick got a ring, one woman said getting one "made her feel special." Later the rings were taken away, and only 15 got the rings back.

But first: Alcohol-assisted partying. Ladies did shots. One woman jumped into the pool with her evening dress on and proclaimed it was "Luke warm." There was an obligatory mention of Spanx, and shots of women eating. Within the first 10 minutes of the show, we heard the words "fat," "plus size," "big boned," and "I want to bake a pie for my man." When one young lady who told Luke, "I'm a rocket scientist," he replied, "That's intimidating." She was not one of the 15 chosen ones.

Anna, who, at 5'11", can look 6'3" Luke in the eyes, was chosen — perhaps because she was coerced in to kissing him?

Nervous nellie Melissa, 21, was also chosen, but her self-esteem is so fragile she believes this is her "one chance" at love.

This blond Melissa was also chosen and also coerced into kissing Luke.

The worst part of the show was having to watch shot after shot of women with tears in their eyes as they spoke about their terrible love lives. The fact that Luke is "in heaven" surrounded by voluptuous ladies — some with shaky self-esteem — is great for him, but you end up feeling horrible for the women. You can't help but wish that each of them could get to go to a mansion and be surrounded by 20 curve-loving men. Because those guys are out there! And you want to root for these women — not for Luke, who just ends up looks like a greedy kid at a buffet… one of the worst stereotypes about the overweight.

This year television has seen an increase in shows featuring participants and stars who look more like the viewing public […] Amy Introcaso-Davis, senior vice president of original programming and development at Oxygen, said dance and diet are two areas of interest for younger viewers of the channel, so combining the two made sense.

For a nation grappling with obesity, Introcaso-Davis said, there is a hunger for such shows.

Get it? A hunger?

Introcaso-Davis also says: "If you have five pounds to lose or you have 150 pounds to lose, it's something you think about all day long," she said. "You take a bite of cheesecake and you think 'Should I be doing this?'" First: Not every every person with five or 150 pounds to lose is sitting around eating cheesecake. Medication, genetics, thyroid issues, metabolism… there are so many reasons a person may be overweight, and it may not have anything to do with cheesecake.

In any case, France also spoke with Esther Rothblum, a professor of women's studies at San Diego State University and co-editor of the forthcoming anthology The Fat Studies Reader. She says: "Most people feel too fat in this country and are made to feel very unhappy with their bodies. So by portraying somebody who weighs so much more than they do, it's almost a way to make the audience feel like 'I could look worse' or 'At least I'm not them.' "

But Introcaso-Davis claims that people find the DYAO contestants "relatable." So which is it: Do audiences look at overweight people on TV and think, "That could be me"? Or do they think, "I'm glad I'm not that bad." Does plus-size TV inspire or disgust? The answer may be: Both. In the "Sound Off" section of this CNN story, there are two comments. The first, from "Tamara":

I think these shows are great....I actually would like to go on Dance your Fat A off[sic] or the biggest loser.....

The second, from "Matt"

Yes, lets make it socailly[sic] acceptable to be obese. That will be good for our society! (rolls eyes)

They can air all the shows they want on obese people, I still won't date one.

Plus-Sized TV Shows Find Big Audience [CNN]

Right before this happened, there was footage of rehearsal, in which her dance partner demanded, "let me see your MILF face."





Classy, it is not. Then again, most reality shows aren't. But between the close-ups of the contestants eating, the public weigh-ins, and the insane costumes, it just seems like they're treated with an utter lack of dignity. Maybe that's expecting too much, but I saw a ReTweet on Diablo Cody's Twitter which read, "You never see Skinny People Eat Your Weight Soul Train Scramble Board Celebrity Challenge." It just feels like the overweight are being portrayed as buffoons, one of the oldest tropes in the world.

But maybe I'm wrong, and what's going on in the clip below is actually uplifting:

In the clip above, Jane (who used to be a skinny model named Deb) visits her best friend, a fellow model. Gags about weight and dieting and not getting into nightclubs now that you're fat? You bet!

Brooke Elliott, the actress playing Jane, is great — she's warm, bubbly, tough, confident, and makes it easy to get that she's playing two people (the skinny model and the size-16 lawyer) at once. And there were a few moments — Jane's reluctance to primp in her rearview mirror, something she relished when she was a model; the moment she realized she'd be working with her former boyfriend, who no longer recognizes her — where the pain was palpable and the acting and writing shone.

But the way that the character of Jane is treated — gazing longingly at doughnuts in the middle of a legal briefing; having her assistant spray Cheez Whiz in her mouth? That crap is a fucking disgrace. Not all overweight people have food control issues, and it's just plain tiring to see Homer Simpson-esque doughnut "jokes." The creators have come up with a nonconformist premise, why can't they think outside the box when it comes to plus-size humor?

In addition, the plot devices between Jane and her client seemed straight out of Legally Blonde — a makeover on a witness? A strut with a booty pop? Jane, as a character, is smart, but, unfortunately, the writers have plopped her in some dumb scenes.

On the one hand, I appreciate that the star of this show gets to spend most of her time talking about her job and her feelings — not a man. (See: Bechdel's rule.) But this show runs the risk of declaring, "fat changes everything," which doesn't feel like a step in the right direction.

Earlier: Critics Deem Drop Dead Diva Different, Daring & Delightful TV