I hate Tyra banks... so what?

At work we have big flat panel TV's all over the place. They are constantly running day time TV shows or movies if someone isn't using them for Wii bowling championships. Every once in awhile I get the unpleasant experience of catching clips from the Tyra Banks show.

Apparently Tyra has a new publicity gimmick going on called the "Belly Brigade." She gets hundreds of women together to march the streets of LA yelling "so what?" and basically promoting that its OK to be overweight. People magazine said that Tyra was getting fat, and her response was "So what?" On the surface this seems like it could be a good thing. Probably the most recognized and one of the most beautiful super models saying its OK not to starve yourself, that you don't have to be 90 pounds to be beautiful. But the more I looked into it the more I realized that Tyra is a moron. There doesn't seem to be any real message to her "So What?" campaign other than you can do what you want regardless of health, safety, moral or religious obligations.

On the show they interviewed several women who were marching in the "Belly Brigade." The two women I got the pleasure of hearing had this to say:

Woman 1: "I used to have chubby cheeks and a fat face. But then I got liposuction and plastic surgery and now I feel great and revived, like a new person. So to all the women out there who are against plastic surgery, I say so what?" And Tyra supported her by yelling "And you're so beautiful."

Woman 2: "I've been on a diet for 7 months and have been cutting out carbs. But today I'm saying "So what?" and eating all the hotdogs with buns that I want!"

So to hell with natural beauty or being happy with the way God made you. No, thats not the message we are trying to promote. If you are unhappy with the way you look, just get liposuction and you'll be fine.

And to woman number 2 I have this to say: Screw trying to stay healthy and better your body, eat all the carbs you want girl! Because not only is fat sexy, its better for you! Four years from now when you are having heart problems, diabetes, depression and exhaustion from being overweight, just say "so what?," have another hot dog and everything will be fine.

What surprises me the most is that Tyra's sponsor is Dove. Dove has an awesome campaign called the Campaign for Real Beauty where they are promoting the idea that its OK to be beautiful the way you are. They show ordinary girls on TV with no makeup on, and show how beautiful they are. They show naked women in their 80's and say "beauty has no age limit." Dove tries to promote exactly the opposite of what Tyra's show is promoting.

I hope that I can impart to Dylan as he grows up that its great to be happy with yourself, but that its not OK to be fat or unhealthy. I'm currently 75 lbs overweight according to what 'studies' say a 24 year old 5'11" man should weigh. I'm completely out of shape and unhealthy. Sure I can say "so what" and live a happy life but that's not healthy and its not smart. And to get religious on you its not being a good steward of your body, your relationships, or your finances ... all of which God says we should take care of. Isn't gluttony one of the Seven Deadly Sins? Didn't Tyra Banks see the movie Se7en?