"Big Medicine" For Reality Shows That Could Stand to Lose a Few Pounds

With very few exceptions, heavy people on TV have usually been played for laughs (Drew Carey, anyone?).  Recently, though, we've seen a change to having obesity and obese people as the subject of nonfiction shows.  One approach is the "serious documentary" style, like TLC's Brookhaven Clinic, a straightforward look at an obesity clinic. Then there are the weight-loss makeovers and contest shows like NBC's The Biggest Loser, VH1's Celebrity Fit Club, and the upcoming Shaq's Big Challenge on ABC. In the contests and makeovers, chubby contestants lose weight for the cameras and provide inspirational, heartwarming stories. 

My favorite, though, is Big Medicine, the newest TLC obesity show. Big Medicine combines inspiring weight-loss stories and squirm-inducing surgery footage with an American Chopper angle: Father-and-son bariatric surgeons Dr. Garth Davis ("Little D") and Dr. Robert Davis ("Big D") bicker gently about laparascopic technique and clamp placement as they follow obesity patients through evaluation, surgery, and followup care. They're warm, friendly people and you can tell the patients really appreciate them. It's well worth watching, although you might want to try doing situps or riding an exercise bike at the same time.

Comments

[Darryl Silver]

Thanks for your kind words about BIG MEDICINE". We appreciate you discussing our show on your blog. We are very proud of the show and look forward to hearing your comments on future episodes.

We hope that the show motivates people to get healthy and understand obesity.

Regards,

Darryl Silver
Executive Producer
Big Medicine

[Michelle Lopez]

BIG MEDICINE Season 2 on TLC
Premieres January 9th 10pm EST/10pm PST/9pm CST

TLC’s hit show is back for its second season! Big Medicine returns with bigger and better stories than ever as individuals undertake drastic measures to take a bite out of their obesity. From a previously 1000lb man looking to take his first step in 7 years, to a devastated mother looking to complete her weight loss transformation after losing her daughter to suicide, the stories captivate, and inspire. We’ll see how obesity affects people’s sex lives, relationships and changes marriages forever. Tears will be shed, smiles will be shared, and hope will be instilled as Big Medicine proves there is light at the end of everyone’s tunnel!

[Genevieve Coir]

Iam a 35 year old female.Ihave been losing weight but not enough. Ihave been obese all my life. At 32 Ihad a cvaIgained a lot of weight. Ihave medicaid but that doesnt cover nothing.Iwrite poetry. Iwould love to be thin that is a dream i have. Iwas wondering if you could help me outand give me gastro bypass please.To you i might look thin but to me iam fat and ugly. Ido need some counselingiweigh 287pounds
istand 5'4"iwould like to weigh 150 pounds. Please herlp take this blubber off me. it makes me cry.Iwould like to get naked and not be disgusted
with my self. my breast sagmy belly sags
iam to young to look like this.Iam a mother of 4
and my oldest one is graduating this yearso i want to loose some weight. Please help me if you canmy phone number is 31563339645callmeplease
thank youfor letting me write to you

HELP A POET OUT PLEASE