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Metro
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Hollywood's 'fat funny friend' trope is dying - that might not be a good thing
For years, the 'funny fat friend' was one of the few ways fat women were allowed to exist on screen. Loud, self-deprecating, endlessly available for mockery, the fat actress was never the lead unless the story was about her becoming thin. She offered comic relief, emotional support, and often served as a human buffer to make thinner leads look more desirable, more serious, or more whole. If she was sexual, it was a punchline. If she was confident, it was exaggerated to the point of absurdity. Her humour was a shield and a survival tactic in a culture that treated her body as a problem to be solved. Think of Jan in the movie Grease, a Pink Lady whose only defining traits are her constant references to her size and her love of junk food. The cliché is all the more jarring given that the actress playing her wasn't noticeably larger than the other female characters. The trope is so blunt in this instance that near the end of the film, Putzie (one of the T-Birds) tells her, 'I think there's more to you than just fat' and she reacts like its the nicest thing anyone's ever said to her. And while fat men are certainly pigeonholed for their weight as well, bigger men have always had more space in media. From Oliver Hardy to John Candy to Jack Black, large male comedians were lovable, central, and often the stars. Their size might have been part of the joke, but it didn't define them completely. Countless other examples of the fat funny girl include characters like Fat Amy in Pitch Perfect, Melissa McCarthy's character Sookie in Gilmore Girls, and Nancy in Stranger Things. But now, the fat funny friend is vanishing from screens. At first glance, the decline of this archetype might seem like progress: Isn't it good that fat women are no longer required to joke about their bodies just to be visible? In theory, yes. But what's replacing her isn't better representation, it's just more thin people. The rise of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro has transformed the conversation around fatness. More people than ever – especially celebrities and influencers – are losing weight rapidly and dramatically, often without fully disclosing the methods they use. These drugs have become both miracle and metaphor: an escape hatch from shame and a pharmaceutical reset for anyone who once had to laugh their way through being fat. But instead of challenging the cultural narrative around body size, Ozempic has exposed just how deeply fatphobia still runs. For Emma Zack, self-identified fat activist and founder of the size-inclusive vintage shop Berriez, this moment has been fraught: 'It's been hard watching people who once proudly claimed the word fat suddenly slim down,' she tells Metro. 'I'm like, 'Wait, did you just want to be thin all along? Did you secretly hate yourself?' That's been the hardest.' The list of public figures who've transformed in the age of GLP-1s reads like a roll call of former 'fat but funny' icons: Rebel Wilson, Melissa McCarthy, Jonah Hill. While few have confirmed using medication, their weight loss has invited speculation and shifted public perception. Comedians like Amy Schumer and Jim Gaffigan have been open about using weight-loss drugs, despite having built careers partly on body-related humour. Even for those who have truly slimmed down through lifestyle changes, the cultural impact remains the same, and it's hard not to wonder if the availability of weight-loss drugs has made thinness more attainable and, in turn, more expected. And with that expectation comes intensified pressure to conform. Framed as personal triumphs, these transformations are often positioned as journeys of health, discipline, or self-love – which many of them very well maybe. Indeed, there's nothing wrong with someone losing weight for whatever reason they may choose and by whatever method they deem best for them (as long as they do so safely). But in a media landscape shaped by pharmaceuticals, it's worth asking how much of that 'health journey' and 'self love' branding is genuine and how much is a survival strategy in a world that punishes visible fatness. Emma admits she's felt pressure to try weight loss drugs: 'I would be lying if I said I didn't feel it. I've had this conversation with so many others… Fatphobia is so ingrained in our culture. You can't help but wonder if life would just be easier if you were thin.' This isn't just a physical shift, it's a narrative one. When fat actors vanish from screens by becoming thin, or when fatness becomes a temporary obstacle rather than a permanent facet identity, the culture isn't evolving. It's regressing – just with a cleaner, more discreet delivery system. For decades, humour was the only reliable pathway to visibility for fat women. Totie Fields in the '60s, Roseanne Barr in the '90s, Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids, Rebel Wilson's Fat Amy all detonated comic relief roles into something bold and physical. But even when the characters were nuanced, their weight came first and it was the filter through which every other trait was interpreted. And even those rare moments of representation came with tight restrictions. Pitch Perfect 2 opens with Fat Amy splitting her pants mid-performance. In I Feel Pretty, Amy Schumer's character must suffer a head injury before she's allowed to feel attractive. The fat body, no matter how central to the story, was always the joke or the obstacle to overcome. The body positivity movement attempted to reframe this, promoting pride, visibility, and self-love. But over time, it was diluted into marketable slogans, co-opted by brands, and rarely centered the people most marginalized by fatphobia – especially Black, disabled, trans, and very-fat individuals. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Now, weight-loss drugs threaten to replace that movement with something quieter and more insidious: compliance. Why accept your body when you can afford to change it? Why be the funny fat friend when you can become the slender lead? But this isn't liberation. It's the erasure of a harmful stereotype, only to replace it with no fat people at all. In a culture where thinness is still the price of admission, choice becomes murky. Representation becomes hollow when those who once stood outside the norm quietly conform – not necessarily because they want to, but because the alternative still invites ridicule, judgment, and exclusion. Still, there are signs of something better. In Lena Dunham's hit new show Too Much, Megan Stalter's Jessica is messy, emotional, and deeply lovable and she doesn't constantly comment on her weight. The camera doesn't flinch from her softness or flatten her into a caricature. Her body is a fact; not a plotline. More Trending Emma points to Lena Dunham's work as another step forward: 'Her character is way more dynamic than just the funny fat girl, and she doesn't talk about her body in the episodes I saw. That's so important, because usually when a fat girl is the protagonist, the whole show is about her accepting her body. Like that's all she is.' Moments like these suggest a future where fat women aren't erased, but reimagined, not required to self-deprecate to be seen, and not expected to disappear to be respected. If fatness remains something we only ever see in 'before' photos – or something that must be overcome for the story to begin – then we haven't progressed, we've simply upgraded the tools of exclusion. The funny fat girl doesn't need to vanish. She needs to be freed from the obligation to make her own body the punchline and from the burden of being both mascot and martyr. She can still be funny, but her dignity doesn't need to be sacrificed for the laugh. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Anna Camp Shades the Emmys for 'You' Nomination Snub: ‘I Gave One of the Best Performances of My Life'
NEED TO KNOW Anna Camp expressed her frustrations with not scoring a 2025 Emmy nomination The nominations for this year's awards ceremony were announced on Tuesday, July 15 She starred in the fifth season of You and portrayed identical twins Raegan and Maddie LockwoodAnna Camp is happy for her peers but frustrated to hear about the 2025 Emmy nominations. The actress, 42, starred in the fifth and final season of You as identical twins Raegan and Maddie Lockwood. Despite giving what she calls "one of the best performances" of her life, Camp's name was nowhere to be found when the 2025 Primetime Emmy nominations were announced on Tuesday, July 15. After the nominations list came out, the Pitch Perfect star expressed her disappointment in not receiving recognition for her role on Instagram, where she published a screenshot from You of her character reading her phone with a sense of confusion. 'Me reading about the nominations this morning knowing I gave one of the best performances of my life while also trying to be happy for everyone and while also remembering I vowed to stop drinking during the week 🫠,' she captioned the photo. Several Instagram users commented on her post, sharing a similar sentiment. They also praised the actress' two performances. Camp posted an Instagram Story screenshotting two comments offering kind words, and she captioned the post, 'I love my followers ♥️🥂.' 'You were 🔥🔥🔥🔥… snubs are for scrubs. I'll down one for you 🥂," one of the comments read, while a second read, ' I would get sh@tfaced if I wasn't nominated for this performance ❤️.' Her girlfriend, Jade Whipkey also offered her support and praised her performance, writing, 'BLOWN AWAY🌹. not many people ever get the chance to play twins and NO ONE has ever done it like you did. Take notes Hollywood ✍️!!!' You premiered in 2018 on Lifetime before moving to Netflix after its first season. The show never earned an Emmy nomination during its five-season run. Camp's characters were recurring in the fifth season, which would have likely qualified her for the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama category. Those that were nominated in the category include Paradise star Julianne Nicholson, The Pitt's Katherine LaNasa, Severance's Patricia Arquette and The White Lotus stars Aimee Lou Wood, Carrie Coon, Natasha Rothwell and Parker Posey. Check out the full list of nominations, as well as the biggest surprises and shocking snubs. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. All five seasons of You are streaming on Netflix. The 2025 Emmy Awards take place Sunday, Sept. 14, airing live on CBS and streaming live on Paramount+, beginning at 8 p.m. ET. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Anna Camp Shades the Emmys for 'You' Nomination Snub: ‘I Gave One of the Best Performances of My Life'
NEED TO KNOW Anna Camp expressed her frustrations with not scoring a 2025 Emmy nomination The nominations for this year's awards ceremony were announced on Tuesday, July 15 She starred in the fifth season of You and portrayed identical twins Raegan and Maddie LockwoodAnna Camp is happy for her peers but frustrated to hear about the 2025 Emmy nominations. The actress, 42, starred in the fifth and final season of You as identical twins Raegan and Maddie Lockwood. Despite giving what she calls "one of the best performances" of her life, Camp's name was nowhere to be found when the 2025 Primetime Emmy nominations were announced on Tuesday, July 15. After the nominations list came out, the Pitch Perfect star expressed her disappointment in not receiving recognition for her role on Instagram, where she published a screenshot from You of her character reading her phone with a sense of confusion. 'Me reading about the nominations this morning knowing I gave one of the best performances of my life while also trying to be happy for everyone and while also remembering I vowed to stop drinking during the week 🫠,' she captioned the photo. Several Instagram users commented on her post, sharing a similar sentiment. They also praised the actress' two performances. Camp posted an Instagram Story screenshotting two comments offering kind words, and she captioned the post, 'I love my followers ♥️🥂.' 'You were 🔥🔥🔥🔥… snubs are for scrubs. I'll down one for you 🥂," one of the comments read, while a second read, ' I would get sh@tfaced if I wasn't nominated for this performance ❤️.' Her girlfriend, Jade Whipkey also offered her support and praised her performance, writing, 'BLOWN AWAY🌹. not many people ever get the chance to play twins and NO ONE has ever done it like you did. Take notes Hollywood ✍️!!!' You premiered in 2018 on Lifetime before moving to Netflix after its first season. The show never earned an Emmy nomination during its five-season run. Camp's characters were recurring in the fifth season, which would have likely qualified her for the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama category. Those that were nominated in the category include Paradise star Julianne Nicholson, The Pitt's Katherine LaNasa, Severance's Patricia Arquette and The White Lotus stars Aimee Lou Wood, Carrie Coon, Natasha Rothwell and Parker Posey. Check out the full list of nominations, as well as the biggest surprises and shocking snubs. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. All five seasons of You are streaming on Netflix. The 2025 Emmy Awards take place Sunday, Sept. 14, airing live on CBS and streaming live on Paramount+, beginning at 8 p.m. ET. Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Anna Camp Is Really Bummed About ‘You' Emmys Snub: ‘I Gave One of the Best Performances of My Life'
Anna Camp was tuned in to catch the reveal of the 2025 Emmy nominations on Tuesday, hoping to hear her name called for her performance as twins on the Netflix series You. But to her dismay, her name was only found on the snubs and surprises lists. 'Me reading about the nominations this morning knowing I gave one of the best performances of my life while also trying to be happy for everyone and while also remembering I vowed to stop drinking during the week,' she wrote on Instagram. The caption accompanied a photo of her from the show, looking confused at a phone. More from Rolling Stone Watch Penn Badgley (and the Cast of 'You') Cover Taylor Swift and Bon Iver's 'Exile' Penn Badgley Is Back in His Serial Killer Bag in the New 'You' Finale Trailer Domino Kirke to Release Album Inspired by Motherhood: 'Parenting Is the Highest Art Form' Camp joined You, which stars Penn Badgley, for its fifth and final season, portraying twin sisters Reagan and Maddie Lockwood (she also joined her castmates in a Taylor Swift singalong, a cheeky return to her Pitch Perfect roots). During a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Camp described the roles as 'a huge amazing acting challenge,' one of the 'biggest ones' she's ever had. 'I've grown up watching other actors play twins and I've always been excited by that,' she said. 'Like, 'how did they do that? How does it work on the day?' It was just really thrilling to get to play two very completely different women, and then on top of that, have scenes with myself. And watching it when I finally got to see the screeners, I was proud of myself! I was like, 'That seems like two different people!'' Other snubs this year include the What We Do in the Shadows cast, Katherine LaNasa, and Shawn Hatosy for The Pitt, Taylor Dearden for The Pitt, The Rehearsal, Industry, and more. Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Best 'Saturday Night Live' Characters of All Time Denzel Washington's Movies Ranked, From Worst to Best 70 Greatest Comedies of the 21st Century Solve the daily Crossword
New York Post
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Anna Camp shades Emmys for her ‘You' snub: ‘I gave one of the best performances of my life'
According to Anna Camp, the Emmys didn't hit all the right notes. After the 2025 Emmy nominations were announced on Tuesday, the actress, 42, got candid on not receiving a nod. Camp starred as identical twins Reagan and Maddie Lockwood in the fifth and final season of Netflix's 'You,' starring Penn Badgley. Advertisement 11 Anna Camp on stage for a SAG-AFTRA Foundation event. Getty Images for SAG-AFTRA Foundation 'Me reading about the nominations this morning knowing I gave one of the best performances of my life while also trying to be happy for everyone and while also remembering I vowed to stop drinking during the week 🫠,' she captioned Instagram pictures of herself from the series. Fans quickly flocked to the comments section to share their support for Camp. Advertisement One follower wrote, 'Ever since I saw you in 'Good Girls Revolt' and 'True Blood' I have wanted to see you in many, many roles! You are so talented! 🙌🏻,' while a second noted, 'You deserve every award for that role.' 11 Penn Badgley and Anna Camp in 'You.' ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection Rounding out the sweet remarks, a third user said, 'You playing Maddie playing Regan will forever be the highlight of my 2025.' Camp's girlfriend, Jade Whipkey, also praised her performance, writing, 'BLOWN AWAY🌹. not many people ever get the chance to play twins and NO ONE has ever done it like you did. Take notes Hollywood ✍️!!!' Advertisement 'You,' which premiered in 2018, has never received an Emmy nomination in all five seasons. The series initially aired on Lifetime before being picked up by Netflix in Season 2. 11 Anna Camp in the Netflix series 'You.' ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection 11 Anna Camp as identical twins Reagan and Maddie Lockwood. ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection The Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama category nominated 'Paradise's' Julianne Nicholson, Katherine LaNasa for 'The Pitt,' 'Severance's' Patricia Arquette and 'The White Lotus' stars Aimee Lou Wood, Carrie Coon, Natasha Rothwell and Parker Posey. Advertisement Also snubbed this year were Leslie Bibb and Michelle Monaghan — despite four of their 'White Lotus' co-stars landing Supporting Actress nods. 'White Lotus' stars Patrick Schwarzenegger and Sam Nivola were also snubbed. The two were originally predicted to score Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series nominations for playing the incestuous Ratliff brothers. 11 Penn Badgley as Joe and Anna Camp as identical twins Reagan and Maddie Lockwood. ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection The most nods went to 'Severance,' 'The Penguin, 'The White Lotus' and 'The Studio.' Camp's post comes on the heels of 'You' releasing its fifth season on the streaming app in April. The show starred Badgley, 38, as a serial killer named Joe, who fixates on women. 11 The cast of 'Pitch Perfect.' ©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection Camp previously starred in the 'Pitch Perfect' franchise alongside Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson and Brittany Snow. Camp's ex-husband, Skylar Astin, also starred in the films. The pair was married from 2016 to 2019. She was previously married to Michael Mosley from 2010 to 2013. Advertisement In October, the 'Caught' alum played religious mother Tracy Whitehead in Peacock's limited horror series 'Hysteria!' alongside Julie Bowen and Bruce Campbell. 11 Anna Camp in 'Nuked.' Courtesy Everett Collection 11 Anna Camp, Rebel Wilson, Da'Vina Joy Randolph in 'Bride Hard.' Courtesy Everett Collection Last month, she reunited with Wilson, 45, for the action/comedy 'Bride Hard.' Advertisement Along with her lucrative body of work, the actress is also focused on her budding new romance. The couple went Instagram official in May, with Whipkey sharing a photo of Camp to her Instagram Stories. 11 Anna Camp and Skylar Astin attend the premiere of HBO's 'True Blood.' Getty Images The shot, which appeared to be date night, was captioned: 'Her smile is a poem / Her eyes are roses / Her laugh is music for dancing.' Advertisement The Hollywood vet re-posted the snap and added a heart on fire emoji. A month later, the stylist, 24, accompanied Camp to the red carpet premiere of 'Bride Hard.' 11 Anna Camp and girlfriend Jade Whipkey. Instagram/@jadewhipkey 'Thankyou @rebelwilson for being my bride or die and to my girlfriend @jadewhipkey for being my date and for making me glow 💘💘💘,' Camp captioned her Instagram post from that night. Advertisement Soon after, critics questioned the age gap between the pair on Pink News' Instagram post. Camp took to the comments section to set the record straight on their relationship. 11 Anna Camp and Jade Whipkey at the premiere of 'Bride Hard.' Getty Images 'Thought I'd jump on here since I follow @pinknews and just say I've dated men exactly my age and Jade is FAR more mature than any of them,' she wrote. 'We have more in common than anyone else I've ever dated,' Camp continued, 'and can literally talk about anything and everything ♥️ Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and I'm wishing everyone well :) Especially this Pride month 🌈.'
