The YouTube video started with comedian Nicole Arbour sharing ‘Dear Fat People,’ and continued for six minutes on how “Fat shaming is not a thing. Fat people made that up. That's the race card, with no race.” The comedian received a chilly response from the internet community, with many demanding that the video be taken down.
YouTube responded by taking the video down. People in the media, and celebrities were equally offended. View co-host Joy Behar, who is also a comedian, confronted and schooled Arbour.
"I'm a comic, so if I'm going to do a joke about a fat person, I'm going to say, 'I'm fat' first," Behar said. "You're not fat. That's the problem.”
The 30-year-old refused to apologize.
She shared that it’s necessary to make fun of all people. What she did was not bullying, but a plea for people to eat healthier, and take care of themselves. A kind of wakeup call.
“I find children starving in a country with more than enough food offensive. I find women’s bodies being mutilated for religious purposes--that is offensive to me. But words and satire I don’t find offensive," she shared with Time.
Making fun of people is common practice with many of us partaking in jabbing.
Today people hide behind social media to fat shame kids, and adults. The stigma of overweight people is very real with or without Arbour’s comments. They are seen as lazy, sloppy, and lacking self-disciple, or ostracized in the workplace.
This makes matters worse said Dr. Rebecca Puhl. "We know from considerable research evidence that experiencing weight stigma can worsen psychological and physical health, impair weight-loss efforts, and potentially lead to increased weight gain.”
Do you think Arbour’s actions are bullying, or comedic? Are we too sensitive as a society, and have we become politically correct? Comedians make fat jokes all the time, as they are overweight themselves, is this permitted, but not from a thin person?