Woman Posted Rude Fat-Shaming Video, And People Were Not Happy
There is an unspoken rule in comedy that states to be considered a true comedian one must be funny or, at the very least, understand the concept of satire.
Nicole Arbour remains unaware of this rule, but that didn't stop the Canadian comedian from serving up six minutes of hot, toasty "satire" in her video “Dear Fat People.”
In the video, uploaded last week, Arbour claims “fat shaming” -- if it even exists -- could be the very tool to wake fatties up to the fact they need to stop being so stinkin' fat.
Dear Fat PeopleWhat we've all wanted to say to FAT PEOPLE Posted by Nicole Arbour on Thursday, September 3, 2015
Arbour's video hits an especially charming low when she recounts the tale of a group she encountered in an airport whom she refers to as “fat family,” insisting,
Crisco was coming out of their pores like a f*cking Play-Doh fun factory.
If Arbour's attempt was indeed to “help” obese Americans through schoolyard bullying, Whitney Way Thore of TLC's “My Big Fat Fabulous Life” reminds viewers in a response video shame does not make the best motivator.
WHAT I WANT TO SAY TO FAT PEOPLE ---> #DearFatPeople This is my response to Nicole Arbour's video (& all body shamers!) S2 of #MyBigFatFabLife premiers Wed. 9/9 at 9 on TLC! #NoBodyShame Posted by Whitney Way Thore on Saturday, September 5, 2015
In her video, which garnered over 12 million views on Facebook, Thore claims,
Studies show that fat-shaming actually has the opposite effect of what is intended. It causes people to gain more weight. This is so common sense, I can't believe we needed a study to tell us that.
Many viewers saw Arbour's rant less as satire and more as a lazy, under-researched attack and vented their frustration online.
YouTube reportedly took the video down, only to repost it when Arbour cried censorship.
Some viewers insisted Arbour removed the video herself to fuel the controversy.
The comedian, who also makes music (linked here because, well, you'll see), stood by the views expressed in her video in a follow-up post on Facebook.
The sometimes-model tweeted the target audience of her rant, which has over 20 million views on Facebook, is ultimately grateful she stopped being nice and started being really, really real.
Regardless of whether or not Arbour ends up a villain, the video launched her into the American public's consciousness. Perhaps she can forgive "fat family" for their transgressions, as they've done wonders for her career.
Citations: YouTuber tries to poke fun at body shaming, pisses off the Internet instead (Mashable)