Good way to bring up bullying or does this TV anchor make a story about them?

Echo what both Rusty and Alma said. Maybe you can quibble with just how much she made herself the story, but in this case one thing does not equal the other.

Did she have to use the email to talk about bullying? No. Will it help her cause? Maybe, maybe not, but all she was doing was defending herself, and more power to her.

 

I get really tired of this argument. The notion that it's somehow your fault that other people act like assholes makes no sense to me. Being on local TV doesn't mean you can get emails telling you you're too fat to be seen by the public and not have it really bother you.

I don't know her, but I can pretty well guarantee you this is far from the first email like this she's seen. The level of viciousness in emails to TV stations scares the hell out of me sometimes. One anchor I work with has been called fat more than once, in emails that went to the whole newsroom. She's a marathoner who weighs less than 100 pounds, and had bulimia as a teen. (She also gets all kinds of anti-Mexican slurs. She's not Mexican.) One guy keeps sending emails to the station pretending he's having meth-fueled orgies with a different anchor, all with a lot of detail. But hey, screw them, they're in TV! They're practically asking for it.

Good for this woman. If it helped this guy realize he's a complete douchebag, it was worth it.

 

It didn't. At all.

http://gawker.com/5948709/personal-injury-lawyer-who-called-news-anchor-too-fat-for-tv-whatever-shes-still-fat

 

Well, it at least accomplished this: it will help everyone who knows him realize he's a complete douchebag.

 

I ask again: What if she smoked cigarettes on the air? Letter acceptable?

 

Yes. Bizarre comparison, but yes.

It's not like she was anchoring with a plate of ribs in front of her and BBQ sauce smeared all over her cheeks.

 

I understand that she is a very nice lady( a friend worked there a few years ago). But I don't see that letter as a classic example of bullying. He must be a dick to spend that much time on this subject but I think his point can be legit. Obesity is the number one health problem in our society. Also, I would guess that every one of us have had to deal with more nasty emails/calls then this one. Why be such a wimp. Also, she is actor Ron Livingston's ( of Office Space fame)sister. He seems to be able to keep the weight off...I kid, I kid.

 

What's the huge leap? You said she chose the wrong profession. I think that's a bullshit argument. Women who are upset by being told they are too fat for public viewing shouldn't take jobs where they are seen by the public? I don't think I've ever met a woman who wouldn't be upset by that, even from some anonymous asshole.

 

I once had a reader tell me he looked forward to the day I put a shotgun in my mouth or died in a car crash. She didn't deserve to be picked on, but I don't think this was as "hateful" as we're supposed to buy into here.

I feel a little conflicted here. I'd actually love to here from 21 and Lugnuts on this. Both have said in the past they're not fans of women who make little insults into big dramas. It's a world (and business) full of assholes. Sometimes, you just tell 'em to fuck off and do your next story.

Assholes will always exist. Is it better to ignore them or validate their trolling?

I understand and agree with many of the points Dick and Ragu (two skinny mothfuckers though they may be) that the tug-of-war between obesity and body image issues, its really difficult to find a safe place to stand. With daughters, I think about it pretty much daily. Women who don't like to exercise throw a lot of silent judgment at women who are daily gym go-ers, as if their "priorities" are off. At the same time, we have an entire magazine culture that breathlessly celebrates celeb moms for losing their baby weight in 60 days while never mentioning they do it with a full-time nanny, a personal chef and personal trainer. It does create some pretty fucked up expectations. And don't think that men don't get similar comments. Look at any comment section of any Whitlock column ever. We've even engaged in it here. Does it make it ok to lob that stuff at him because he's a guy who likes to pick fights and do some of his own bullying? I don't know the answer.

Just talking about it, especially with women, creates a hysterical mine field.

The emailer was an asshole who was just being a prick to be a prick, not to be helpful. But the whole "Fat people are the victim of hate speech!" (obviously paraphrasing) thing leaves me a little uncomfortable.