Fat Actress

memyselfI · 03-07-2005, 01:04 PM

Does anyone think that a comedy about a woman going from this:

to this:

will actually be funny. I can't imagine it will be. This reviewer says it's gross. I guess I'll wait to see the episode before I judge but I think the entire premise is just really sad.

http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/t...elevision_heds

Shock and guffaw `Fat Actress' not groundbreaking, just gross
By Sid Smith
Tribune arts critic

Talk about fearless to a fault: "Fat Actress" (9 p.m. Monday, Showtime) opens with Kirstie Alley writhing on her bathroom floor, bewailing and bemoaning her latest weight gain, unflatteringly clad in a nightgown and housecoat.

In the same attire, she later motors to a drive-in to wolf down a gargantuan sirloin burger, bits of meat spilling into her cleavage. She notices they forgot her order of french fries. "Can't you people," she shouts, "ever learn English?"

Nice. Later, during a visit to NBC honcho Jeff Zucker (playing himself), she sashays down the office aisle, blissfully unaware of the gapes of workers rubbernecking from their cubicles, gaping aghast at her sizable behind. The camera dutifully dotes on her swishing, oversize hips, just to be sure we don't miss the point.

The idea, of course, is to be anything but subtle. The unapologetic goal of "Fat Actress," a combination of scripted sitcom and true-life travails, is shock and guffaw. There's something of the cheeky chaos of "Arrested Development" taken to new lows, good taste eschewed in favor of a crude, irredeemable honesty. "Fat Actress" often plays as one of John Waters' freewheeling, scatological experiments from the '70s, with Alley as latter-day Divine.

To wit: In Episode 2, Alley lunches with a director, after she takes a mega-laxative to help trim pounds. She gets the call during lunch, and two scenes follow set in the ladies room, including one in which Alley borrows a diaper when all of the stalls prove occupied. Something like a third of the episode is about excrement. Trouble is, the '70s are long gone, and the intentional crassness of "Fat Actress" isn't groundbreaking, just gross.

There are funny moments in "Fat Actress," and Alley's physical clowning is pushed to astonishing limits. Some of the banter, including that involving Hollywood cameos (Zucker, John Travolta, Melissa Gilbert, Kid Rock), is amusing. And your heart goes out to Alley for attempting to turn the tables on all those skeptical producers. When she laments the double standard, insisting James Gandolfini and John Goodman aren't hounded about their weight, she wins the debate.

But obesity is also an epidemic and health hazard today, children increasingly included. That and the shameless, lowbrow, ceaselessly over-the-top approach combine to undercut the laughs here and make you wish this particular Veronica would head back into her closet.

keg in kc · 03-07-2005, 01:05 PM

Maybe they're hoping to pull the audience from the Anna Nicole show. Both of them.

No thanks.

03-07-2005, 01:14 PM

John Goodman died several weeks ago.

cadmonkey · 03-07-2005, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phobia

John Goodman died several weeks ago.

His weight brought that plane right down..........

Soupnazi · 03-07-2005, 01:17 PM

She's hideous, not funny in the least, and above all, just irritating.

It looks like her cheeks could consume her eyes at any moment.

**Rausch** · 03-07-2005, 01:23 PM

I'd like to see her get her $3it together and come back, I liked her on Cheers.

But the "I'm a swamper and proud of it" vibe she's giving off just doesn't do much for me...

el borracho · 03-07-2005, 01:32 PM

Yet another show that makes a public spectacle out of someone's humiliation. What a horrible idea.

Beatlemanu · 03-07-2005, 01:40 PM

RedNFeisty · 03-07-2005, 01:41 PM

People watched the grotesque Anna Nicole Smith show. Some dummies actually think it is funny.

**BigMeatballDave** · 03-07-2005, 01:40 PM

Who cares? I know I won't watch...

**Lzen** · 03-07-2005, 01:48 PM

Yeah, I been getting the Showtime free preview weekend and they've been running advertisements for it left and right. I don't get why anyone would wanna watch something so stupid and gross.

Did John Goodman really die? I hadn't heard about that.

Mark M · 03-07-2005, 01:50 PM

At least they got the title of the show right ...

it tells you not only what it's about, but who stars in it.

MM
~~

**Lzen** · 03-07-2005, 03:09 PM

Who the Hell is Dane?

03-07-2005, 01:04 PM	Topic Starter
memyselfI CHANGEd your mind yet???? Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Lunatics Anonymous Casino cash: $10005234	Fat Actress Does anyone think that a comedy about a woman going from this: to this: will actually be funny. I can't imagine it will be. This reviewer says it's gross. I guess I'll wait to see the episode before I judge but I think the entire premise is just really sad. http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/t...elevision_heds Shock and guffaw `Fat Actress' not groundbreaking, just gross By Sid Smith Tribune arts critic Talk about fearless to a fault: "Fat Actress" (9 p.m. Monday, Showtime) opens with Kirstie Alley writhing on her bathroom floor, bewailing and bemoaning her latest weight gain, unflatteringly clad in a nightgown and housecoat. In the same attire, she later motors to a drive-in to wolf down a gargantuan sirloin burger, bits of meat spilling into her cleavage. She notices they forgot her order of french fries. "Can't you people," she shouts, "ever learn English?" Nice. Later, during a visit to NBC honcho Jeff Zucker (playing himself), she sashays down the office aisle, blissfully unaware of the gapes of workers rubbernecking from their cubicles, gaping aghast at her sizable behind. The camera dutifully dotes on her swishing, oversize hips, just to be sure we don't miss the point. The idea, of course, is to be anything but subtle. The unapologetic goal of "Fat Actress," a combination of scripted sitcom and true-life travails, is shock and guffaw. There's something of the cheeky chaos of "Arrested Development" taken to new lows, good taste eschewed in favor of a crude, irredeemable honesty. "Fat Actress" often plays as one of John Waters' freewheeling, scatological experiments from the '70s, with Alley as latter-day Divine. To wit: In Episode 2, Alley lunches with a director, after she takes a mega-laxative to help trim pounds. She gets the call during lunch, and two scenes follow set in the ladies room, including one in which Alley borrows a diaper when all of the stalls prove occupied. Something like a third of the episode is about excrement. Trouble is, the '70s are long gone, and the intentional crassness of "Fat Actress" isn't groundbreaking, just gross. There are funny moments in "Fat Actress," and Alley's physical clowning is pushed to astonishing limits. Some of the banter, including that involving Hollywood cameos (Zucker, John Travolta, Melissa Gilbert, Kid Rock), is amusing. And your heart goes out to Alley for attempting to turn the tables on all those skeptical producers. When she laments the double standard, insisting James Gandolfini and John Goodman aren't hounded about their weight, she wins the debate. But obesity is also an epidemic and health hazard today, children increasingly included. That and the shameless, lowbrow, ceaselessly over-the-top approach combine to undercut the laughs here and make you wish this particular Veronica would head back into her closet.
Posts: 32,000

03-07-2005, 01:05 PM	#2
keg in kc oxymoron Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: OP/KC/Whatever Casino cash: $9556299	Maybe they're hoping to pull the audience from the Anna Nicole show. Both of them. No thanks.
Posts: 58,682

03-07-2005, 01:14 PM	#3
Phobia Guest Casino cash: $	John Goodman died several weeks ago.
Posts: n/a

03-07-2005, 01:17 PM	#6
Soupnazi Totally yummy Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: The kitchen @ River Falls Casino cash: $10006400	She's hideous, not funny in the least, and above all, just irritating. It looks like her cheeks could consume her eyes at any moment.
Posts: 1,212

03-07-2005, 01:32 PM	#8
el borracho In Pat We Trust Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Albuquerque, NM Casino cash: $6179148	Yet another show that makes a public spectacle out of someone's humiliation. What a horrible idea.
Posts: 11,841

03-07-2005, 01:40 PM	#9
Beatlemanu Soccer Hooligan Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: At home Casino cash: $10004900	No. __________________ - SoccerGossip.com - BayMazing.com - PakMailFremont.com -
Posts: 591

03-07-2005, 01:41 PM	#10
RedNFeisty Smokin Join Date: May 2003 Location: Wichita Casino cash: $10004900	People watched the grotesque Anna Nicole Smith show. Some dummies actually think it is funny. __________________ F.O.C.U.S sportsshrink: Don't bite the hand that feeds you!!!! "We the Fans" feed you Morons!!
Posts: 8,393

03-07-2005, 01:40 PM	#11
BigMeatballDave GBM 8-12-15 Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Dayton, Oh. Casino cash: $10052154	Who cares? I know I won't watch... __________________ 2015 Adopt-a-Chief: Tamba Hali
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03-07-2005, 01:48 PM	#12
Lzen Supporter Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Jan Quadrant Vincent 16 Casino cash: $2090692	Yeah, I been getting the Showtime free preview weekend and they've been running advertisements for it left and right. I don't get why anyone would wanna watch something so stupid and gross. Did John Goodman really die? I hadn't heard about that.
Posts: 41,408

03-07-2005, 01:50 PM	#14
Mark M What time is it? Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: You tell me ... Casino cash: $9884900	At least they got the title of the show right ... it tells you not only what it's about, but who stars in it. MM ~~ __________________ ChiefsPlanet -- n. The place where brilliant minds assemble to willfully pool ignorance with questionable logic in order to reach absurd conclusions.
Posts: 4,687

03-07-2005, 03:09 PM	#15
Lzen Supporter Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Jan Quadrant Vincent 16 Casino cash: $2090692	Who the Hell is Dane?
Posts: 41,408