Call me Chubbie
Written by Jay on January 18, 2008 – 12:33 amI don’t watch a ton of television or listen to local radio, so it took me until today to hear about The Anti-Gym. (http://www.theantigym.com/).
Holy crap dude.
If you have not heard of the company, or the owner Michael Karolchyk, let me give you the skinny. The anti-gym is basically a gym that focuses on client motivation. The site says
“But unlike the one-size-fits-all, sign-‘em-and-forget-‘em health clubs, Anti-Gym pre-screens all potential members to make sure they have the attitude and commitment we absolutely demand.”
They suggest that most “chubbies” are overweight because they are lazy. They also suggest that if you join their gym, you will be able to have sex with the lights on. Finally, they suggest that we should “save the chubbitos.”
“Anti-Gym is urging everyone to combat a rising
There is too much here to talk about in one post, but I’ll hit the highlights today and mull the rest over for a while – specifically jail time for parents of overweight children, and just who the fuck thinks that is a good idea.
I was introduced to the Anti-gym through a television commercial wherein a large woman, while eating pie directly from the pie tin, tells her thin-yet-unattractive friend that she has a fridge full of beer so that men will want to have sex with her. You see, she is too fat to interest men. But, men like beer. And, drunk men will fuck anyone. The spot ends with Mr. Karolchyk smashing the pie in the woman’s face and calling her a “chubbie.”
First, it troubles me that there are actually people in the world who feel that overweight people have no value. In our culture thinner people are perceived as healthier and more attractive. But, so are young people. So are rich people. So are lots of things that I am not. If I ran a business where I promised to make people richer and younger – would it be ok for me to make commercials where I degraded poor old people?
And, what about fat dudes? How do they trick women into having sex with them? No, I’m asking – does anyone have any ideas on how fat men trick women into having sex with them?
For the record, my wife and I do have sex with the lights on. I imagine there are lots of people that do, and not all of them are super-thin or super-young. Perhaps it’s true that when skinny people have sex with other skinny people, they enjoy it. But, I’m guessing it is also true that when chubby people have sex with chubby people, they also enjoy it. In fact, there are skinny men who enjoy having sex with chubby women. I saw a CSI about it once.
I think the reason the commercial bugged me is that I don’t think that working out in a gym is for everyone, just like I don’t think playing guitar is for everyone. If you choose to go to the gym, that’s cool. But, don’t try to degrade me because I chose to sit on my ass and watch That’s So Raven re-runs. It’s my life. And, yes, being overweight can be unhealthy. But, steroids can be unhealthy as well, and I don’t see you shoving roids down a dude’s throat in your commercials. (I only mention the roid thing because, well…)
My wife has heard more about them. Apparently the gym’s methods of motivating are…unique. They throw cupcakes at people. If you don’t make your goals they put you in a cage. You can’t get into the clothing-optional sauna (with all the thin attractive ready to have sex people) unless you are under a certain BMI. Fun stuff like that.
The most preposterous thing of the whole Anti-Gym thing comes from the blog of Lisa Pelster. (http://theantigym.blogspot.com/) I didn’t read enough to know who she is in relation to the gym. But, you gotta read this quote.
“Why do MEN call in and complain about the commercials? I can understand a woman getting her panties in a bunch over the commercials (plus, with a large rear end, underwear tends to move out of place). A chubby woman especially, may take these commercials personally and find it offensive (due to denial and the harsh truth- plus Sophia in the commercial may be your cake eating buddy). The “small” women who call in, well, as they claim, call in because they have fat friend. And they find the commercial offensive to their “friend”, and don‘t want their feelings to be hurt.
“But, men. What could possibly drive a man to call the Anti Gym about the ad. I would think that the average man will either chuckle or ignore it. Why would he call in with a nasty attitude? Karolchyk’s comment on the commercial is “You’ll never get a hubby if you’re a chubby”! How does any man take this personally or get flustered because of this marketing ploy?”
Seriously? If I was offended by you punching some chick in the face, would that surprise you? So, when I see you degrading a fellow human – a person with feelings and stuff – should I not get offended? Basically, this extremely long quote tells me that Ms. Pelster doesn’t get it.
One last one. If I ran a company that made a product that made you taller, would it be ok for me to shove a pie in a short man’s face and call him shrimp or midget? Because, I mean, tall people can have sex with the lights on, and stuff.
You can read the 5280 article here
Anti Gym Chubbie DenverAnti Gym Chubbie Denver
Popularity: 21% [?]
Sphere: Related ContentPosted in Humor, News |
and see the “truth” from another angle 
Great...
January 18th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
The thing that bugs me the most is that he is tying the anti-child obesity thing to his gym marketing. It’s like he’s exploiting something that is a huge societal issue to make his quick buck. I honestly think he started his tirade about that to get media. In fact, the first media I ever saw about this guy (before his ads) was related to the childhood obesity legislation. Now, obviously I think obesity in this country is a problem - I work for a health non-profit for godsakes, but his black and white attitude is not helpful. I honestly don’t understand how anyone with 1/2 a brain can’t understand that there is variation in the human species and that it is possible to be healthy without being unnaturally thin. The magic BMI to get into the sauna btw is 11 percent for men, 16 percent for women - officially underweight according to government weight charts. And, God forbid someone should value themselves for something other than the way they look - damn, why do I feel like I’m talking about my mother now?
January 20th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
I’m just worried about people associating this asshole with all of the kind, caring fitness instructors out there willing to help people lose a little weight and maybe gain some self-esteem. There’s a difference between working towards a healthy ideal and feeling proud of your achievements and joining a crazy movement to get to a crazy BMI just to satisfy your neurosis. I just hope he doesn’t turn people off of fitness…
January 21st, 2008 at 8:40 am
I had to put down my Doritos so I could reply to this. As a former fatty, now less former due to the Doritos and all, this commercial/concept offends me greatly. I hadn’t even seen it until my 14 year old son told me to watch the commercial and said, “That’s the gym I want to join!” Once I watched it, I honestly thought it was a joke. Some radio station spoof to get people riled up. After investigating a bit more I saw that it was real and felt so ANGRY.
To read now that this guy is using children to promote his disdain and perpetuate the hatred that is out there for fat folk is appalling.
Something I noticed as I lost all this weight and now look at the world through a “normal-sized” eye is that people, many people, and society in general, feel not just okay with, but somehow obligated to comment on what and how overweight people eat and conduct their lives.
When I weighed 350, it was not at all unusual for friends, family or even complete strangers to comment on what I was putting in my grocery cart, or in my mouth. And in my 350lb state, I either responded with burning shame and slithered away or stood there taking it feeling defiant, angry and hurt.
There was a time when our family was at Disneyland. I had just delivered my baby 5 weeks earlier and my foot was bothering me greatly, to the point that I was near tears walking. Disneyland has electric carts for patrons with physical problems to use to get around the two enormous parks there. I would NOT get a cart because I weighed 350 lbs and I didn’t want anyone to think that the reason I got the cart was because I was fat. The fact was I had a piece of glass stuck in my foot and eventually needed several visits to a podiatrist to get it removed and repair the damage caused by that trip. The world is brutal for fat folk.
This commercial just parlays on the guilt, shame and fear that so many people in our society feel for not living up to the anorexic, unrealistic, unhealthy “ideal” that people (especially young people) have in their minds of what “hot” should look like. Our media is full of underweight, unhealthy celebrities and models. Girls are dying to look like them.
I am SO glad YOU guys got the girls. Even my boys feel the pressure, and I work hard at keeping their minds in reality. I know you will put two women out there who will not buy in to the bullshit. Thanks!
January 31st, 2008 at 12:30 am
I searched for \’Picture Of Fat People Obesity\’ at google and found this your post (\’Chubbie | Unfocused Content\’) in search results. Not very relevant result, but still interesting to read.
January 31st, 2008 at 12:46 am
Ok - I know I am late to the comment party, but I could not let this one go. What complete wankers these people are… They are living in a totally distorted reality of being beautiful people and they are sharing their shallowness with the world through a sicko business and even spin-off blogs. Yuck I just feel dirty knowing that it exists.
Jay - you simply amaze me with your ability to make me crack-up even when the subject matter is repulsive, but did I really need to know that you two love-birds do it with the lights on…
Bling - you rock girl, at any size! Your comments are right-on.
e
January 31st, 2008 at 3:20 am
Looks great
January 31st, 2008 at 12:32 pm
I searched for \’Childhood Obesity Fact\’ at google and found this your post (\’Chubbie | Unfocused Content\’) in search results. Not very relevant result, but still interesting to read.
February 1st, 2008 at 4:56 am
Passing through and wanted to say hello
February 2nd, 2008 at 10:03 am
Weight Management and Fitness Forum - 10th Edition …
Welcome to the 10th Edition of the Weight Management and Fitness Forum. We had the most submissions ever for this edition. Thank you all for your participation. Without you this forum would not be possible. Hope you enjoy the selections!
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