Are These Movie Ads a BIG Mistake?

Feature Editors:
Tee-Ara Williams, 15
Zaina Leak, 15
Massachusetts

Tee-Ara and Zaina think these movie ads are demeaning and disgraceful b-cuz…

Do ads featuring “fat” black women bother you? Well, here at Teen Voices we think they are definitely a problem. Why do some random guys trying to advertise a funny movie get to perpetuate a stereotype? Are black women’s bodies a big joke to everyone? Movies such as Norbit and Reno 911!: Miami suggest that a woman’s body has to either be really skinny or utterly grotesque. This is offensive to us because so few of us fit the body shape you see in mainstream magazines—but does that mean that our bodies have to become laughing stocks?

• Fat seems to be an amusing matter, especially on the big screen. People tend to see thinness not only as the beauty standard but also as an associated indicator of sweetness, confidence, and ideal femininity. In contrast, we associate fatness with loudness, rudeness, hilarity, and boldness. By portraying overweight black women as objects of humor, these movies perpetuate the idea that they are not to be given respect or taken seriously.

• In an ad for the movie Norbit, a large woman is lying on top of Eddie Murphy, who plays Norbit. She is wearing a skimpy pink outfit with a fur trim while he wears a simple shirt and pants. The expression on Eddie’s face shows that he is frightened, and the woman, Rasputia, has a dominant, controlling look on her face. The caption says: “Have you ever made a really big mistake?”, suggesting that the fat person is the “big” mistake.

• Reno 911!: Miami is another offensive movie that focuses on making fun of a heavy African-American woman. Niecy Nash, who plays Deputy Raineesha Williams in the movie, wore a prosthetic butt throughout the movie and her body was definitely the “butt” of many jokes and camera shots.

• Clearly, race is also a factor in these images. The women are often African American and tend to be very large. They don’t look any different from the “mammy” caricature, which was the main stereotype of African-American women back in the nineteenth century. Like the women in these recent movies, the mammy character was known for her size and her sense of humor. You probably are familiar with the popular image of Aunt Jemima, with her big body and warm smile that was used for years to sell syrup. In 1989, Aunt Jemima’s image changed to include pearls and a lace collar, but obviously the image of the mammy lives on.

• And does it matter that a black male is often directing and writing these movies? Is this a remnant of racism or is it just plain fun? What do you think?

The bodies of the female characters in both Norbit and Reno 911!: Miami are supposed to be jokes—but we aren’t laughing! We seem to have a backwards society in which a woman’s talent does not matter as much as her body; laughing at these oversized women only reinforces this idea.

These producers made the big mistake of thinking that no one would care if they ridiculed fat women—we care and we hope you do too. Let the film producers know how you feel about their movies that portray big women as disgusting.

For complaints about the movie Norbit, write to:

PDI/DreamWorks
1800 Seaport Boulevard
Redwood City, CA 94063

This is a sample of letter that you might use to :

A Short List, But a Long Tradition:
Really Big Women on the Big Screen

Unfortunately, making fun of fat people is nothing new. Below is a list of the more recent movies that have poked fun at fat people. E-mail Teen Voices at TeenVoices@TeenVoices.com to tell us what you think of these movies or others that rely on big bodies for box office laughs.

• The Nutty Professor (1996)
• Big Momma’s House (2000)
• The Nutty Professor 2, The Klumps (2000)
• Shallow Hal (2001)
• Date Movie (2006)