Dear Maura Kelly & Marie Claire

Dear Maura Kelly and Marie Claire,

Your article on the show Mike & Molly was like being strapped in a chair forced to watch 'Heathers'.  First of all, I hate movies.  I can't sit still long enough and my ample-sized behind gets bored very quickly.  The abusive train wreck you called an article was nothing short of bullying.  Even though Ms. Kelly wrote an apology, the cat's already out of the bag, hon.  I'll draw your attention to your own words:  "To be brutally honest, even in real life, I find it aesthetically displeasing to watch a very, very fat person simply walk across a room — just like I'd find it distressing if I saw a very drunk person stumbling across a bar or a heroine addict slumping in a chair."  You say you're not size-ist?  Are you fucking kidding me?!?! Maybe you should slip off your size 1s and put on 'snotty bitch'.  And to be 'brutally honest', I hope my words hurt you, Maura Kelly.  Then maybe you can feel the hurt your article evoked in those who may not be 'naturally slim' like your model friends.  Because you see, many overweight people have been hurt, bullied, and humiliated more times than you can count.  You made vast assumptions and stereotyped them with your keyboard. 

You & I have something in common, Ms. Kelly.  I don't watch much TV either.  Like ever.  You admit to never watching Mike & Molly...that's really a shame.  At the risk of sounding condescending, it's a good idea to know what you're talking about before you write.  I'm sure you could have caught an episode on You Tube or iTunes...any episode...and perhaps your article may not have been nearly as shallow as it was. It's what good writers do, even under a deadline.

I really hope that through this experience, Ms. Kelly, you can learn to put your prejudices aside.  You've taken a lot of heat from your readership on this article, and rightfully so.  It is indicative of the 'acceptable' forms of bullying that are alive and well in our society today.  Whether it was your intent or not, that is precisely what your article articulated, even after your hasty backpeddling.