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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to be a bit uneasy at the concept of new E4 show "my mad fat diary?"

64 replies

wannabedomesticgoddess · 12/01/2013 23:56

If the trailers are anything to go by, its about a 16 year old who is FAT and feels she doesnt fit in or isnt normal. Oh and did I mention shes FAT.

WTAF has being fat got to do with it. Plenty of people feel like they dont fit in. Especially teenagers. And since when is being fat "mad"?

I really do not understand what message they are trying to put across. And yes I probably should watch it before I comment, but the trailers are making me cross. Since when is it ok to promote that fat people should try to be more normal?

And I hate the word FAT. AIBU? Or do other people feel the same?

OP posts:

FergusSingsTheBlues · 13/01/2013 07:29

I have a bigger issue with the fact that the book was set in the era of baggy, madchester, early festies and aciiiiid raves, and theyve moved it forward to the oasis era. Cop out. Was looking forward to remiscing my early teenage years!

cozietoesie · 13/01/2013 08:24

Oh the programmes are going to get a lot more on the edges yet. They're running out of ideas for things.

AnitaManeater · 13/01/2013 08:31

What is the name of the book? Sounds good. Would also love to revisit my madchester days!

meditrina · 13/01/2013 08:33

The ad uses the terms hospital and madhouse, and it seems the programme's scenario is the return of a teen to ordinary provincial teen society after release discharge from hospital.

Probably more important from the pov of the MH issues; though it's clearly not going to be a serious examination of ishoos.

JakeBullet · 13/01/2013 08:39

The actress is Sharon Rooney, she was in Harry Hill's "I wanna Baby" video which is why she might look familiar.

FergusSingsTheBlues · 13/01/2013 08:42

anita, its called " my mad fat teenage diary" by rae earl. I lent it to my best schoolchum, it got passed around all our friends, how we laughed! It was her real diary, btw.

Samnella · 13/01/2013 08:47

Hmmmmm. I must admit I didn't like the feel of the trailer but figured it wasn't meant for me. I found this about it and it looks as though the impression the ad gives isn't what the programme is about. Doesn't look to me as though the girl is the victim but we will see. I shall withhold my judgey pants until I see it.

For those who say the character is not overweight. She is .She's meant to be 16 stone , she may well be less in real life but she is overweight. It wouldn't really work if she wasn't given the title. Someone said we are conditioned in seeing thin people on TV but we have also normalised being overweight. But that's another argument.

JakeBullet · 13/01/2013 09:12

Remember too that trailers are meant to be provocative. They want to draw people in......and look at this, we are all discussing it here . It might bear no relation to how the story line pans out.

foslady · 13/01/2013 11:20

Another vote for read the book - couldn't put it down and could identify with a lot of the angst as I was another kid that didn't fit the 'cool' criteria. If the programme's been done well then it should be great, showing the cool/uncool crap that you grow up with for what it really is

JakeBullet · 13/01/2013 13:25

A sure it will be fabulous, not read the book but now want to based upon what I have read here.

volvocowgirl · 13/01/2013 13:48

There must be a few different trailers for this show as I've seen two different ones but both of those mentioned the mental health stuff

KatyTheCleaningLady · 13/01/2013 14:00

I don't think you're being unreasonable to be uncomfortable with what you are seeing in the trailers. I am, too. I can see how it might be a good show that is great for teen girls to view. But the way it is presented makes me go .

The trailers seem to be "LOOKIT THE BIG FAT WEIRD GIRL TRYING TO BE NORMAL WITH HER PRETTY FRIENDS!!"

I hope that the show, itself, is very different because what people are saying about the actual person and her diaries sounds like it has the potential to be good for girls.

JakeBullet · 13/01/2013 16:46

Have tweeted the actress playing the part of Rae.....told her this thread is here.....she is too scared to look .

PimpMyHippo · 13/01/2013 17:00

I'm quite interested to see this programme just because I was a diary-writing overweight 16 year old with a mental illness living in Lincolnshire! When I first saw the trailer I actually wondered if someone had found my old diaries... So I'm interested because it's the first programme I've seen where the main character has so much in common with me. I'm going to have a look on Amazon now for the book. :)

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