Maybe we can declare this fat suit week at Big Fat Deal! We talked about J. Love in a fat suit (in the wake of Tom Cruise and Posh Spice fat suit news, oh god, is this a trend or what) and now, there’s more!

First of all, there’s a Santa in Scotland who is refusing to wear a fat suit because he thinks Santa encourages children to be obese. Which… COME THE FUCK ON. We’ve had a fat Santa long before we’ve had an “obesity crisis.” Santa is a character. Santa is not a role model for children. What kid thinks, “I want to grow up and be fat so I can be Santa!” I’ll give you a hint: none. What a stupid overreaction, honestly.

In further fat suit developments, John Travolta recieved a Golden Globe nomination for playing Edna Turnblad in, what else, a fat suit. Down With Pants does not approve.

Travolta didn’t understand the character and at his insistence, he turned Edna into a woman that isn’t that far off looks-wise from some bigger women that all of us know. Other than the horrible job they did with the eyes of the fat suit, Travolta was never ugly nor frumpy nor that terribly big. And he played her as a wide-eyed, naive, practically retarded woman that looks on in amazement and wonder as she gets dragged along with Tracey.

It’s an interesting analysis, although I don’t agree fully. I do see Travolta’s Edna as frumpy at the beginning of the movie; I find Edna’s transformation touching, which is in part due to Travolta’s performance; and I also see what Travolta was going for in his attempt to make Edna “real” as opposed to what might be seen as a one-joke caricature.

The performance still bothers me a little (especially the odd accent) but I’ve made my peace with it because I do love the movie. Do I think Travolta should win, or have even been nominated? Well, no. He was a weak spot in a good movie. Plus, at this point, Tom Wilkinson should win for Michael Clayton (although I have not seen any of the other nominated performances). But I digress.

Anyway, in a response to our post yesterday about ol’ Squintyface, I have to say that Fatly Yours really put a finger on something that I have never been able to articulate.

It’s the same effect as the fat suit – it’s “funny” to see a skinny star (Courteney Cox, Gwyneth Paltrow, “Weird Al” Yankovic) in a fat suit, because it makes them look unnatural and strange all of a sudden. The problem is that it also makes fatness look unnatural and strange and laughable.

I think this is so brilliant and right on. Anyway, I am also starting to think we need a Fat Suit category at BFD, given how much it has come up lately. Criminy.

Posted by mo pie

Filed under: Celebrities, Fat Suits, Fatism, Hairspray, International, Kids, Movies, Renee Zelwegger