Weight Discrimination: Teen claims she was deemed 'too heavy' for 'Idol's' front row

[Contrary1]

:mad: If it was me, I think I would be asking for more than an apology.

Thursday night’s “American Idol” delivered a shocking blow for Pia Toscano, but the singer and her fans weren’t the only ones left stunned that evening. Audience member Ashley Kauffman claims she had a jaw-dropping moment of her own when “Idol” employees separated her from her friends because she was “too heavy” for the front row.

“There were two ladies and one said, ‘Oh, I don't want (someone wearing) shorts in front,’ about (one of my friends),' Kauffman explained in an interview with the Daily Mail. “Then she looked at me and said, ‘Oh no, you're too big, too heavy to be in front!’ I was taken aback by it. I was hurt. My friends were completely taken back. I'm the heavier one in our group, but I'm not even that heavy.”

According to Kauffman, who stands 5-foot-2 and weighs 150 pounds, she and her shorts-clad pal were then given tickets for the rear of the theater, while their friends went to the front. Kauffman soon attempted to sneak up with her other pals, but an usher stopped her and examined her ticket.

“This makes sense why you're not with the skinny girls,” the employee allegedly told the teen. “You're in the last row."

More: http://theclicker.today.com/_news/2011/04/12/6458031-teen-claims-she-was-deemed-too-heavy-for-idols-front-row

[WatsonT]

1. Um, it's a show, entertainment

of course they do this sort of thing.

/5'2 and 150 pounds is pretty heavy.

[PVnRT]

3. Her picture is in this article

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1375780/American-Idol-2011-Fan-told-sit-row-size.html

Yeah, she's a real porker, isn't she? :eyes:

[WatsonT]

18. Overweight

and bordering on obese according to the WHO. And for a 19 year old . . . not so good.

[krabigirl]

55. Wow...

[KamaAina]

27. She can sit in my front row any time

:loveya:

[Taitertots]

37. You can see her arm fat batwings in the picture n/t

[phleshdef]

5. Wow, you said that like you think that makes it all okay or something.

[MorningGlow]

7. Wow.

What a statement.

She wasn't auditioning to be on America's Next Top Model--she was in the AUDIENCE.

Yep, "fatties"--the last group it's "okay" to shit on. :grr:

[WatsonT]

20. "Yep, "fatties"--the last group it's "okay" to shit on."

What are some other groups that were once ok to "shit on" but are now no longer?

[MorningGlow]

23. Nice attempt to dodge the point

But it isn't going to work. Now explain yourself: "of course they do this sort of thing. /5'2 and 150 pounds is pretty heavy." Seriously??

[WatsonT]

25. Ok

A) it's entertainment. They like to put pretty skinny girls on TV shows, this isn't news.

B) according to health experts a women of her age and height is overweight at 150 lbs and close to obese.

Granted she could be healthy if that was all muscle, but that doesn't appear to be the case. And in either case she wasn't put in the front row because she wasn't pretty, so the reason doesn't really matter.

This may shock you but when you get in to showbiz, even tangentially like in a televised audience, your appearance does matter.

Also what were those other groups so we can see if there are any meaningful differences between them and "fatties" as you say.

[MorningGlow]

28. But it IS discrimination

This amounted to "Don't care if you're well dressed, clean, neat, or anything else--we judge you to be fat (and who made them the fat police?); therefore you're relegated to the back row."

If the girl had been put in the back row because of the color of her skin DU would be in a unanimous uproar about it.

There IS a difference between being in the audience and being onstage; it is NOT the same. This is discrimination, plain and simple.

[WatsonT]

30. Suppose she'd shown up

poorly dressed and they stuck her at the back, would you be furious?

Or with disturbing tattoos all over her face?
Or piercings?
Or a shirt that read "fuck this show".
Or anything else that didn't portray the images they were pushing?

[MorningGlow]

35. Again, nice try

But no dice. Your examples are not the same. I understand the analogy you're trying to make--that AI has an "image" to uphold, but come on--a girl who is not size 0, in one of the front rows of the audience where she may or may not be (gasp!) seen by the viewers at home, is going to bring down the whole AI empire? Please.

[WatsonT]

38. "Your examples are not the same."

Because . . . ?

Because mine were about physical appearance whereas this article was about . . . something else?

"-a girl who is not size 0, in one of the front rows of the audience where she may or may not be (gasp!) seen by the viewers at home, is going to bring down the whole AI empire?"

Hyperbole. Who said it was going to bring AI down?

Also there is wide range between size zero and 150lbs (5'2).

It's not a choice between anorexic or obese with nothing in the middle.

[MorningGlow]

41. A person wearing a "fuck this show" shirt?

Yeah that's totally the same as a person being overweight. :eyes:

And why are you so obsessed with her height and weight? Are you implying that each TV show with a live audience should have a copy of a BMI chart, calculate each audience member's BMI, and if they're not in the "acceptable" range, they are relegated to the shadows so they don't "gross out" TV viewers?

[WatsonT]

44. Yes, it is the same

anything that doesn't portray the image they want. What's complicated about this?

"And why are you so obsessed with her height and weight?"

You've made more comments on the subject than I have, so I should ask you the same.


"Are you implying that each TV show with a live audience should have a copy of a BMI chart, calculate each audience member's BMI, and if they're not in the "acceptable" range, they are relegated to the shadows so they don't "gross out" TV viewers?"

Yes indeed, that's exactly what I'm saying. In no way is that hyperbole, a strawman, or putting words in my mouth. Yes I have literally stated that all these shows should be required to segregate out "fatties" and force them in to the back, if not something even more sinister.

[MorningGlow]

46. Your sarcasm becomes you

:eyes:

[WatsonT]

59. Lame

but I suppose it makes sense coming from someone who would force TV shows to replace all their existing cast with morbidly obese actors/audience members.

[MorningGlow]

62. Oh. Boy. You. Really. Showed. Me.

I haz been SCHOOLED in hyperbole. Your subtle touch is magnificent to behold. :eyes:

[WatsonT]

63. I think you can now see why you were wrong

to place words in my mouth.

Such actions are silly and make rational discussions impossible.

I trust you will refrain from such silliness in the future.

[MorningGlow]

64. OMG

:rofl:

[Name removed]

65. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

66. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[leftynyc]

32. Gays, Jews, African Americans

Shall I go on?

[WatsonT]

34. Yes please

let's get a few more just to be on the safe side.

[Scuba]

11. 5'2" and 150 is not "pretty heavy". But that's just me.

[EOTE]

33. Just wait until an usher comes up to you at a show...

and tells you you're far too daft to be sitting where you are. Once you find out what that word means, I'm sure you'd be extremely insulted too.

[WatsonT]

36. Yeah I don't plan on attending any of these

but thanks for the concern.

[CBGLuthier]

2. Why would anyone be surprised? TV is shallow. IS that even news?

Got a lot of fat guys and gals singing too don't they. Making a fuss about something as idiotic and shallow as that fucking tv show just makes her look stupid . And as Dean Wormer told us years ago, fat and stupid is no way to go through life.

[southernyankeebelle]

9. All I know is there are allot of stupid skinny people on TV and in congress. Not

just heavy people. Shame of people. It seems to be the last exceptable group of people to think its ok to make fun of. Its not.

[madmom]

4. More dead and dying brain cells.

[trud]

6. 5-foot-2 and weighs 150 pounds

is 40 pounds overweight.

[MorningGlow]

8. And this makes it okay to discriminate...why? n/t

[XemaSab]

12. Did you look at the girl's picture?

Ain't no 40 extra pounds on that girl. 15, maybe.

[a la izquierda]

40. No, it's not. Maybe 20 at most.

and it also depends on body type.
FFS. I'm 5'2, 120, 16% body fat and a competitive cyclist. Am I 10 pounds overweight? I think not.

[undeterred]

10. Since when do people tune in to watch the audience?

[walerosco]

13. wth

I thought she was morbidly obese or something.

[MineralMan]

14. Feh! I went to that site and ran the video. After three minutes

of the drivel, I left. Why is this on DU at all, or why is this thread not in Entertainment. What crap that show is!

Entertainment, please. not GD....please...

[MorningGlow]

19. It's not about the quality of the show

It's discrimination, plain and simple. Just because it's about a person's size instead of their religion or color of their skin doesn't make it right.

[MineralMan]

31. It's about Entertainment. That's what it's about.

Did you suppose that the Entertainment industry ever cared about discrimination? Really?

The Entertainment industry is reflective of bupkus. The source site is an entertainment site. The show is an entertainment show. After the third repeat of the video of Lady Freaking Gaga falling on her butt, I closed the window. You expect non-discrimination from that bunch? They're all about discrimination. All of them. :shrug:

[MorningGlow]

39. You're complaining about something entirely different

You're irate at the entertainment site that carried the story--you're conflating this issue with your irritation at the site and the videos about vapid entertainment stories. I'm not disagreeing that the entertainment industry is stupid--of course it is. But this is about a girl being discriminated against...in the AUDIENCE.

[MineralMan]

43. And so? When you're in that audience, you're part of the show.

You're part of the entertainment and the producers and directors of the show make all the decisions. It would be interesting to look at the disclaimer on that ticket she had. Betcha there's something about the show being able to seat anyone anywhere they want in the audience. Nobody goes to those shows and sits in the front row unless they want to be an unpaid part of the show itself.

It's all entertainment. It's not a serious story. It's not a serious issue. The show wants its cast members, even its unpaid cast members in the audience to look a certain way. So, they move people around. I can guarantee they'd never let this 65-year-old man with a full gray beard in their front row. Would that be ageism? Hirsutism? Of course, I wouldn't be at such an inane thing in the first place.

The audience is part of the cast of that show. Paid or unpaid, they're there at the discretion of the producers. If they get moved, for whatever reason, it's just what it is. Maybe the show doesn't like redheads, so they don't allow them sitting in the front row. Or old, grizzled men. Who cares? Who cares about anything that show does.

[MorningGlow]

49. Discrimination is always a serious issue. And this is discrimination.

As I've said elsewhere in this thread, if she were relegated to the back row because of the color of her skin, DU would be in an uproar.

[Contrary1]

15. She may be a little overweight, but so what?

When did it become expected, acceptable, and even defended to say cruel things to someone because of their appearance?

Would it be different if a person had a noticeable birth defect? Certainly, they wouldn't want someone looking like that sitting in the front row either. Would negative comments about that person's appearance by the staff have been ok then?

If they insist on discriminating, at least do it in a way without verbally insulting her.

Geez.

[Missy Vixen]

47. This is the same show that mocked Susan Boyle, is it not?

IIRC, AI is a spinoff of Britain's Got Talent, isn't it?

In the meantime, if some on this thread believe 5'2" and 150 is "morbidly obese", you might want to rethink.

[MorningGlow]

52. I also thought of Susan Boyle, MV

You'd think the Cowell Empire would have learned their lesson with that one, but apparently it didn't trickle down to the American producers and ushers.

Hey, maybe the overweight audience members should be forced to "earn" respect and a spot in the front row by showing they have some sort of skill too. Because if they don't prove they're worthy human beings, all overweight people get tossed on the trash heap of life. :sarcasm: :puke:

[Missy Vixen]

54. I have watched that YouTube so many times

I will never know how she had the courage to open her mouth and sing. She had to hear the laughing; it was loud.

Simon Cowell is no better than a schoolyard bully. We both work in a profession that we have to endure rejection. Those who are compassionate learn to reject and not crush another person's soul while they're doing it.

Cowell will NEVER learn this lesson.

[MorningGlow]

58. I know! Her courage was so inspiring. (I would've run off in a panic.)

And the judges were rolling their eyes and...shudder. So horrible.

Ooh, if you want to get back at Simon, visit the Daily Mail site. It's trash journalism, but it's worth it when they post a picture of HIM looking chunky. They're very eager to point out his moobs (British for man boobs") which I think is quite fitting, considering. :evilgrin: Won't teach him compassion, of course, but it's nice when the tables are turned on him once in a while--see how he likes it.

[KittyWampus]

16. No doubt they do manage who is in the front row. Not surprised. Like night clubs manage

who gets past the rope.

[aSpeckofDust]

17. ...

Superficial show treats audience member superficially.


What surprises me is this doesn't happen more often, or is, and just isn't reported.

Is it wrong? Sure, but that's our media culture.

[MorningGlow]

21. Oh, that makes it all right then?

If this girl had been put in the back row because of the color of her skin, DU would have given her its unwavering unanimous support.

[aSpeckofDust]

22. Reading comprehension failure. I did not say it was alright. n/t

[MorningGlow]

24. "Is it wrong? Sure, but that's our media culture."

In other words, "So what?" And as long as we're looking the other way, it will continue. You might as well have said it's all right.

[aSpeckofDust]

26. Uh huh. Or you could delve deeper and discover that our media culture is wrong too, and is a very

big problem.

[MorningGlow]

29. Didn't say it wasn't

I'm saying that your opinion that "this happens all the time" is tacit acceptance, and if everyone had that attitude, it would continue. And that is NOT all right.

[aSpeckofDust]

48. So business as usual, then? Focus on the cut, ignore the gaping wound.

Yes, it happened. It's better to figure out WHY it happened than to get a canned 'sorry' from a faceless PR rep.

Unfortunately, I am in the minority on this style of media, so yes, this crap WILL continue to happen, regardless if she gets an apology or not. I'm not going to push my head in the sand and act shocked when it does happen, sorry.

[MorningGlow]

53. Dude

You just backpedaled and tripped over your previous opinion. You all right?

[aSpeckofDust]

60. Did I? Where?

[Modern_Matthew]

42. Should be treated the same as racial/sexual discrimination. nt

[MilesColtrane]

45. They wouldn't have allowed a girl with a mustache, 4 inch string warts, and severe acne in the...

front row either.

Yes, it is discrimination based on appearance, but that is what show business is all about.

[Missy Vixen]

51. She was IN THE AUDIENCE.

She was not on the program.

I might also mention that more than one of their previous contestants/winners were not exactly svelte. (Mr. Stoddard, I believe.)

This is discrimination, pure and simple. Those who believe it's appropriate are endorsing bigotry.

[MilesColtrane]

56. The front row of the audience is on camera.

There is probably fine print on those tickets that explains that the show has the right to seat audience members anywhere it wants, or even show them the door,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and that by accepting the tickets the holder agrees to those conditions.

[Missy Vixen]

61. Then maybe they should be honest about who's sitting in the front row

Would you be angry if the girl in question was a cancer patient that lost her hair? She's not "camera-ready", is she?

How about an Iraq war vet missing a limb? Would it be okay to discriminate against him/her? After all, they're not photogenic.

This is a VERY slippery slope. Who's going to be deemed "unacceptable" next? An older woman? How about a bald guy?

If they are allowing contestants on the show that are overweight, re-seating audience members for the same "sin" is outrageous.

[MilesColtrane]

67. "maybe they should be honest"

I don't watch the show. How do they represent who is sitting in the front row?

"Would you be angry if the girl in question was a cancer patient that lost her hair?

Maybe disgusted, not angry...

She's not "camera-ready", is she?"

What would be more likely is that the show would seat her in the front row in order to do a special aside on her story in attempt to wring some pathos out of the viewing audience.
Shit like that happens all the time. And, THAT kind of exploitation does indeed make me angry.

"How about an Iraq war vet missing a limb?"

If they reseated someone with a physical disability BECAUSE of that disability they would be in violation of the law, and they would deserve to have their assess sued off.

"Would it be okay to discriminate against him/her? After all, they're not photogenic."

No, because it is against the law.

"This is a VERY slippery slope. Who's going to be deemed "unacceptable" next? An older woman? How about a bald guy?"

I'd be willing to bet that several bald guys and older women have been reseated out of camera range.
Everything that happens in front of a TV camera taping a multimillion dollar commercial product is tightly controlled and scripted.

"If they are allowing contestants on the show that are overweight, re-seating audience members for the same "sin" is outrageous."

It is shallow, vapid, stupid, and mildly offensive, but it is not outrageous to me.

[AtomicKitten]

50. Good gawd that probably crushed the young girl emotionally.

[krabigirl]

57. Why do people watch these ridiculous pos shows? Disgusting btw, oh no, cant have ppl see a fat girl!

[ohheckyeah]

68. It's terrible

that this girl was talked to this way. I think it's wrong.

Having said that, I hope this girl takes this as a wake up call. She's 19 years old, 5'2" tall and weighs 150 and she's in for a lifetime of discrimination. You can legislate some things but how people feel about overweight people isn't one of those things.

When I lost a bunch of weight, way too much, because of illness nobody thought twice about telling me I was too skinny. It hurt my feelings but it did make me realize that I needed to do something about it. I went to a nutritionist and she helped me with a nutrition plan that helped me gain weight without gaining a bunch of fat. I'm at a pretty healthy weight now but could probably afford to lose a few pounds.