It's Funny Cuz They're FAT!

So I caught that show Mike and Molly, the show that was supposed to break all these societal rules by having an unconventional couple – a very overweight woman who falls in love with an even more overweight policeman.  I remember hearing all about it on the radio, how amazing it was that the show was turning things upside down by showing a woman that despite her weight, was empowered, confident and comfortable with whom she is.

And let’s not forget the overarching message, that this fat woman can find love. 

And when she did find love, it’d be with, of course, another fat person.  Because these are real Americans!  This represents the real world, people who don’t fit into the mainstream’s ideals but are still  normal, worth while human beings!!

Right?  RIGHT?  This is a show about a funny situationally comedic duo that upset the conventional expectations with humor!

Or… It’s a show about fat people.  And it’s funny, because they’re fat.  And they make jokes about how much they eat, or better, how much they lie about how much they eat until someone humorously points out how many times they have eaten, and now they are driven so heavily by food they can’t make logical decisions when a piece of cake is waved in front of them.

That’s literally what I saw.  Scene opens on “Molly” reviewing photos on a laptop with her friends of her now-husband from their wedding day.  In every photo, “Mike” either has his mouth open or his eyes closed, or both.   

Maybe he's faint, has he remembered to eat?

Every pictures looks like a mouth breather slipping into a diabetic coma.  She notes the only time he smiles is when a server, who happens to be female, is handing him a plate of food.  She wonders out loud if she can photoshop her face onto that woman’s body so that she’ll have one picture where he’s not slack faced, but actually smiling like a normal person. 

In walks Mike, slice of cake on a plate, shoveling it into his mouth.  Witty banter ensues as Molly looks shocked, interrogating him on where he got the piece of cake. 

Oh look, he's eating.

When told he’s eating the top of their wedding cake (that is traditionally eaten on the first anniversary, you know, when it’s totally hard, stale, and gross), he continues eating it and says it was like she was hiding it, he almost didn’t find it behind the ice cream trays, frozen turkey, and a load of other crap.  He complains he only had one piece at his own wedding, that it wasn't fair.  (Are you still with me? This WHOLE thing is about food…) 

Oh look, in this one, you can see your dignity slinking off to hide in a corner!!

She shows him picture after picture of him sneaking slices of wedding cake at the reception, “Here’s one of you hiding behind the band, eating cake…”  She went through 4 or 5 pics.  

That’s the longest I’ve ever watched the show.  There wasn’t one joke that wasn’t about being hungry, being out of control around food, or being motivated entirely by food.

So, kudos, entertainment industry.  Way to break ground on a new, incredible show where the punch line isn’t HAHA BECAUSE THEY’RE FAT.  Brilliant.