Why I probably need to stop watching American channels

[azetburcaptain]

Thank you for reading this in advance, whoever you are

Comments

[seriouslyme]

First off, whether or not it was your intention, I hate that everyone perpetuates this "American=Bad" trend. We're not all vapid idiots, no matter what our television/news says.

Anyway, I think another part of not being able to go to Paris thing would be having to buy two plane seats. Some airlines make you do that when you can't fit into one.

I don't care much for the commercial, but surgery does help a lot of people, it's a personal decision and I try not to condemn it.

amen.

[scrawling]

I totally agree with you.

[epeolatry]

First off, whether or not it was your intention, I hate that everyone perpetuates this "American=Bad" trend. We're not all vapid idiots, no matter what our television/news says.

I agree--thanks for saying this.

[bravest_unsaid]

It seems to me the OP was referring to the fatphobia so prominent in American media. I don't know where the OP hails from, but perhaps their representation of fat people is generally better than that in the U.S.? This does not equal calling Americans vapid idiots.

(Full disclosure: I wouldn't really care if the OP had said what you are claiming. I just don't think they did.)

[whipartist]

FYI, I fly to Europe from San Francisco at least once a year, and it doesn't suck for me and my size-20 hips.

[azetburcaptain]

No offense to any Japanese people, but my boyfriend did remark on being in an Air Japan airplane that the seats were incredibly small and he couldn't stretch his legs and therefore was very uncomfortable.

He's six five and weighs about 200. (yes quite a bit but idk if I'd call him fat per se)

[rosecampion]

I'm pretty sure that paying for two seats would be cheaper than paying for WLS, even if you do get insurance to pay a big chunk of it.

[azetburcaptain]

exactly!!!

[rocza]

Gastric band surgery runs about $25000, on average. Insurance companies, if they cover it, typically cover at 80-100% of the cost of surgery and surgery related fees. That leaves the patient covering somewhere between nothing and $5000.

Two tickets to Paris, right now, cost about $2600 round trip. Three, which is what the couple would need to purchase, would be up at $3900. After taxes, the cost would be nearing $5k.

[lolagabanna]

I've never seen the commercial, but it doesn't sound that bad to me. In my opinion, gastric bypass surgery is greatly overused, and probably isn't completely necessary for your average Fatshionista member. Most people who genuinely need drastic surgery to lose weight are probably going to have a bit of trouble just jumping up and flying to Paris. (I'm not ripping on anyone who has had gastric bypass surgery, this is just my opinion)

Do I think someone should not do something they dream of doing until they can lose weight? Absolutely not! But I can understand the point the commercial was trying to make.

[elusis]

and probably isn't completely necessary for your average Fatshionista member

YM "at all." HTH.

[epeolatry]

i don't know what your abbreviations mean.

[little_ms_me]

when i see "YM" i think really really cheesy teen magazine. it wasn't as cheesy when it was Young Miss in the 70s, but by the early 90s, eugh!

[tpthegreat]

I've got a friend who is about the size of your average fatshionista...probably about 5'9" US size 22 (something I know because she's a shopping buddy), but with a very fragile ego concerning her size. Lately she's been seriously considering drastic weight loss surgery. So, I'm with you here--regardless of how much it has helped some people, mass-advertising like this is maybe not the greatest of ideas. To quote the Simpsons: "Won't somebody PLEASE think of the children?"

And while an above poster pointed out how frustrating the "America = bad/dumb" thing can be for us in the States, I DON'T necessarily think it's always an unfounded accusation, and this commercial is not a bad example of that.

[seriouslyme]

It's certainly not an unfounded accusation, but it's an unfair generalization. That would be like saying all Japanese people are perverts or pedophiles. Or that all French people are snooty. Or all blacks are ghetto/violent. It's extremely prejudiced, yet many view it as "okay".

[tpthegreat]

You're definitely right. I agree with you, I hope it didn't seem like I was being rash and judgmental. I think I was just being extra-apologetic because I wasn't entirely sure that this was actually the opinion of the OP rather than her just quoting a thing that her boyfriend said.

[deltasunlight]

I get that the last two are cliches, but I've never heard of a prejudice against Japanese people for being perverts or whatever o_0 is that a random made-up example or an actual misconception around your area?