Credits: Before Bridesmaids, probably best known for Gilmore Girls and Mike & Molly, though she started off in the Groundlings. As far as her reputation among comics goes, this interview is worth reading.

Plot points: Megan is one of the eponymous bridesmaids in this female-centric, Kristin Wiig-centric comedy. At first you might think she’s the obligatory token fat bridesmaid that is going to be the butt of a lot of fat jokes, but she is really an astonishing character who basically steals the movie. (Or she would, if Kristin Wiig weren’t also so good in it.)

Stereotypes: The trailer had me worried. She’s the one most excited about the food at the Brazilian restaurant, and the first one to have gastrointestinal distress (though it eventually strikes everyone, her “I’m not confident which end that came out of” line is the one in the trailer). But ultimately, the character defies stereotypes: she’s smart, she’s independent, she’s rich, she’s brave, and she’s sensible. She is the character who (literally and figuratively) knocks some sense into our mopey heroine, Kristin Wiig, in one of the movie’s best scenes. She is honestly a joy to watch.

Sex/Romance/Attractiveness: In the sequence on the plane, she’s shown aggressively hitting on her seatmate (played by her real-life husband) and this sexual aggressiveness is played for laughs. There’s also a joke in which sex involves a sandwich, although by the time this joke comes up, my sense is that the audience is totally on Team Megan, and you’re laughing with her, not at her.

Fat jokes: There are a few (like “I naturally just don’t bloat” at the restaurant, which is meant to be ironic). Again, the reason I found them forgivable is because fat is not the be-all and end-all of this character, and most of the jokes involving her (and there are a lot) don’t involve fat at all. (My favorite one is probably her driving past Annie after the bridal shower, which I won’t spoil.) Admittedly it’s been a while since I saw the movie, so if I’m forgetting anything, hit me up in the comments.

The bottom line: McCarthy is basically playing the Zach Galafinakis part in this movie, and she does it brilliantly. There are a few jokes involving size or food, but Megan never, ever feels like a generic “fat girl” character. She feels like a real comedic creation. In that same interview, Rose Byrne says, “Melissa is nothing at all like Megan. That’s not hiring someone to do what they do; that’s a real performance. Melissa’s beautiful and feminine, but Megan’s tone—it’s almost like she’s a coach. There’s no doubt in her voice. For me a lot of the comedy comes from the tension between the wildness of her ideas and the way she would say them with such authority and confidence and speed.”

But how’s the movie?: You can probably already tell that I enjoyed it. In fact, I laughed so hard my water broke! (Okay, that’s probably not true, but my water did break in the parking lot right after we saw the movie. I was really glad we’d made it all the way through; it would have sucked to miss it.) Really hilarious, and a terrific rejoinder to the “women aren’t funny” trope. I can’t wait to see Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids 2. And congratulations to her on her Emmy nomination! Now that I know what McCarthy can do, I almost want to watch Mike & Molly.

Meet Mina

June 14th, 2011

Wilhelmina Anne was born at 11:43 pm on May 17th. (She was born via C-section, 50 hours after my water broke in the parking lot of a movie theater after seeing Bridesmaids.) (Which totally reminds me to write about Melissa McCarthy’s character in Bridesmaids.) She weighed 6 pounds, 14 ounces, and was 20.87 inches long. She is, of course, perfect! And that’s where I’ve been. Thanks for your patience!

Posted by mo pie

Filed under: Kids, Mommyblog, Movies, Personal, Tidbit | 38 Comments »

American Idol Keeps “Too Heavy” Girl Out Of The Front Row

April 14th, 2011

Adorable 19-year-old Ashley Kauffman was separated from her skinny friends and told by an usher she was “too big” to sit in the front row of the American Idol studio audience.

She had been given free tickets to attend the filming of American Idol and was understandably excited. But 19-year-old Ashley Kauffman’s joy soon turned to upset on being told she was ‘too big’ to sit in the front row

There were two [female ushers] and one said: “Oh, I don’t want shorts in front,” about my friend,’…Then [the usher] looked at me and said: “Oh no, you’re too big, too heavy to be in front!” To make matters worse Miss Kauffman and the two other girls were then seated in the back of the theatre rather than directly behind their other friends…

She added that staff had seated two girls who were ‘super skinny and wearing little dresses’ in the front row where [she] and her friends would have been sitting.

Ashley says she is still going to support the contestants on the show, but is speaking out to “make sure it’s known how they treated me.” Good for you, Ashley, and I hope you get an apology–and front-row seats to the finale.

Via Rickey.org.

Posted by mo pie

Filed under: American Idol, Fatism, TV | 25 Comments »

Ask BFD: Plus-Size Bride Wants A Fairy Tale Dress

April 13th, 2011

Jessica has a friend who’s getting married, and she needs help with her dress!

Hi there! I recently came across your blog and love it! Thank you so much for speaking up for the big girls!

My best friend is getting married in October and we are having a horrible time finding any actual stores that carry wedding dresses in sizes over 26. She doesn’t want to order one online and take the chance that it wont fit right (because you know, it’s bad enough you have no right to try it on in a store…when it doesn’t fit, you can’t return it). She wants to have the experience of trying a dress on in a store. She wants the fairy tale, I suppose, of walking in to a high end shop, being waited on and catered to. She wants a beautiful gown, not something my great aunt Mary wore to Easter dinner in 1983. As a women of size, people think that the size 37 on her tag means she’s willing to settle for anything.

After calling a few local stores and being told she’d “never find anything,” I vowed not to let this happen for her. However, after months of finding nothing, I am worried that these horrible people are right. We live in NE Ohio which is not the most progressive or fashionable part of the country. But we are willing to road trip to be able to give this awesome friend the experience she wants. Any ideas? Any and all help is much appreciated!

I hope you can find a place within driving distance; if it exists, I know the BFD readers will find it! However, I think that ordering dresses online and returning the ones that don’t fit may end up having to be the solution here. That’s also what I did for my non-traditional, non-weddingy wedding, and it worked out great! For a more traditional look, Igigi has lovely options, and they do let you return them. Readers also offered suggestions here a few years ago.

If that ends up being the case, who says your friend can’t have the fairy tale experience anyway? You can take charge of ordering and sending back dresses, so she doesn’t have to deal with any of it. Then turn your house into the dressing room–invite some friends over, set up mirrors everywhere, pour some champagne, serve some scones, fuss over her, take pictures of her in the dresses, vote on the best one. That sounds more fun to me than a bridal boutique, anyway!

Readers, any suggestions for boutiques and online retailers will be welcome, I’m sure. And Jessica, let us know what your friend ends up wearing!

Posted by mo pie

Filed under: Ask BFD, Question | 37 Comments »

Your Birth Stories

April 8th, 2011

Part of my “homework” for the childbirth class we just started is to talk to people who have “had the birth experience” that I want. Of course, I have no idea. But I was hoping you would share your thoughts and birth stories with me!

I have friends who have had home births and hypnobirths and sexytime births, none of which is super appealing. Although I would like a doula (fingers crossed that the one we’re talking to right now has a space for us) I also want to be in a hospital near medical equipment because I think that’s where I will feel safest. Also because I am “elderly” (36) and because I enjoy modern medicine. (I am hoping it’s modern enough to involve pain medication [if I need it] without the use of needles. They’ve invented that, right? Where the medicine is just licked on by kittens?)

I am also told labor is very physical and hard work and all that stuff. I’m worried about physically handling labor and childbirth, particularly since I’m fat. And right now, I can barely even breathe because my uterus is crammed up against my lungs. So I’m not exactly feeling at my peak fitness at the moment, which does not boost my confidence any.