Am I on crack?

Some Debbie Downer-dome fun with pictures, followed by an "Oh My Freaking God" true story from our favorite ballsy fat-activist writer friend Kim Brittingham...

In the olden days, when milk cost a quarter and Mad Men-type offices ruled the world (in my dreams, at least) this woman used to be considered "fuller figured":

Jayne Mansfield

Now, in Self's November, issue, Mariska Hargitay (Jayne Mansfield's daughter, BTW) is on the cover looking like this:

Mariska Hargitay

Inside, Mariska refers to herself as "a full-figured woman."

If you choked on your Chobani, you're right.

Oh, and in case you hadn't heard, the fits-in-my-hip-pocket actress known as Eva Longoria Parker is now calling herself "round" - but notes, "I'm still a size O" in the November issues of Allure. Last month she used the word fat to describe her body (while refuting pregnancy rumors):


Eva Longoria Parker

And of course, ANTM's first plus-sized winner, Whitney, can fit into a size 6:

Whitney Thompson

OK, enough with the pictures. The following is an absolute MUST READ from our friend and fat activist Kim Brittingham - you may remember her from her gorgeous and haunting post about hating a teenage photo of herself, or who pulled the fabulous "Fat is Contagious" faux book stunt in NYC. Actually, I know you remember her because her wrting prompted hundreds of you (and others from around the Web) to comment.

Kim has some more controversy to kick up, this time involving getting dissed by actual plus-sized clothing company Avenue for her looks...during an interview to model for them. It's called "I'm Too Fat to Represent Avenue" and it will get your panties - thongs, hipsters, boy briefs, whatever - in a major bunch. Check it out...

A few weeks ago I was invited to meet with Kellie Brown, VP of the fashion division at 5W Public Relations. Some of the messages in my writing had impressed members of 5W’s staff and the meeting was to discuss ways in which I, and my writing, could be used to promote Avenue, a plus size clothing retailer, in a way that is empowering and positive to larger women. I also offered 5W an idea for a viral video in which I could recite sentiments from some of my more popular essays, which they were initially enthusiastic about.

When I arrived at 5W, I was awkwardly told by two of Ms. Brown’s underlings that she had been pulled into a meeting at the last minute and wouldn’t be able to see me.

Later, an embarrassed 5W staff member I’ll call “Renee” confided in me that Ms. Brown had, in fact, seen me enter the office and decided on the spot that I wasn’t “worth her time”. Renee said that although Ms. Brown is “more plus” than I am, Ms. Brown felt I was too fat to be a spokeswoman for Avenue. Even though I wear their clothes. Even though I am their target customer. Let me add that I was well-groomed when I arrived at the 5W office, I didn’t reek, and as always, I was gracious and very well-spoken.

Renee was excited about my potential involvement with Avenue. She felt Ms. Brown’s hasty decision to discount me based on my size, for work with a plus size clothing retailer, was completely lacking in vision, discriminatory and just plain unintelligent. I must agree.

What do you think about the way Kellie Brown conducted herself – not just in relation to me, but in relation to her client, Avenue?

Do you think Avenue is being well-represented by Ms. Brown?

Do you think Avenue should seek the assistance of another PR firm – perhaps one with a fashion VP who makes more insightful decisions?

Do you feel comfortable giving your money to Avenue, knowing how I was treated by their hired representative?

Maybe you should share your thoughts with Avenue and/or 5W. These days, Avenue is owned by the Redcats Group. The same people who own OneStopPlus.com, as well as the Roaman’s, Woman Within (formerly Lane Bryant), Jessica London and BryLane Home mail order catalogs.

Maybe these will help:

Eric Faintreny, Chairman and CEO
Redcats Group
463 7th Ave.
New York, NY 10018
Phone: 212-613-9500

Kellie Brown, Vice President
5W Public Relations
kbrown@5wpr.com

Ronn Torossian, President & CEO
5W Public Relations
rtorossian@5wpr.com

5W Public Relations
1120 Avenue of the Americas, 7th Floor
New York, NY, 10036
Phone: 212.999.5585

Oh, and P.S. Avenue, if you’d like to see a proposal for the brilliant viral video campaign that 5W tossed out the window, e-mail me. Any time.

Comments

I made a decision this morning. From now on, I'm going to call models "undersize models". And so-called plus size models will just be plain "models". It would be a more accurate reflection of the female population these "models" supposedly represent. So, if anybody sees me referring to "undersize models" in any posts hereafter, you'll understand why. I hope to coin a new phrase. In fact, feel free to run with it, help it stick.

After reading my blog post about 5W and Avenue this morning, my friend Stephanie sent me an e-mail and told a heartbreaking story I'd never heard before. Years ago, she visited Ford Models' plus size division. She said of the agent who met with her: "While she did offer me a contract, she told me in no uncertain terms that fat people were disgusting, she didn't see any real beauty in them, but since there was calling for them, they wanted in on the pie."

I just don't get it. These people live on an entirely different plane than I do. In the end, flesh DECAYS. What's left?

Yeowza. (BTW - I love Mariska, but please. Full-figured? As if. I think your hips have to be at least close to the same width as your shoulders to qualify for that title.)

And Kim - how horrible! First off..I have a few choice words for Ms. Brown, which I will refrain from stating here. The gist being - if your going to be a hypocrite, at least have the cajones to say it to someones face. Hiding behind your assistants is the pinnacle of cowardice. Secondly - I think I'll be boycotting all of the listed companies until they make the wise decision to remove 5W and Ms. Brown from their employ.

And I agree - most models/actresses/paparazzi fodder are definitely UNDERSIZED. The rest of us are the normal ones.

I've always proclaimed I was a Renaissance woman born in the wrong era. Bring back the days of idolizing the truly full figured!

I'm confused. I keep seeing episodes of ANTM where Tyra tells normal looking girls that they're too small for plus-sized and too big for catwalk/editorial modelling. And yet Whitney is the same size as these girls, no bigger.

Are they really saying one thing and doing another so blatantly? Do they think we're that stupid?

Terrible what happened to Kim. And just so RUDE!

TA x

Along with being a hypocrite, how does someone like Ms. Brown keep her job? Seriously, who asks someone to take time out of their day for an appointment and then stands them up? That method of business will come back to bite 5W in the end.

OMG!!! There is a special place in hell reserved for that woman.

This is disgusting, but I can't say I'm surprised. Whenever I showed up for a meeting or audition and an assistant told me their boss had been "pulled into a meeting" and wouldn't be able to see me, I'd thank them and leave.
Because I knew what it meant.
I felt bad for the assistant, who had to lie. And disgusted with the person who didn't have the balls to tell me to my face what he/she thought.
I think we should boycott all those businesses AND inundate them with mail, letting them know exactly what we think of Ms. Brown and her rudeness, hypocrisy, and utter idiocy.

G-D I LOVE KIM.
she says things many of us think and DONT.
she says things many of us are, at times, too dense to think (*waves hand*) so we dont.
and she says it all far more humorously than we--ok I--could.

I feel so badly for that poor asst as well...Ive been shoved into those situations by bosses who are friggin wimpy and it sucks.

undersized. love it.

please to email Tyra IM FIERCE Banks STAT.

The really smart, broad-minded peeps read The Weighting Game. You should see the snarky crap they're saying at Gawker. Hm, I wonder if 5W scrambled their friends together to comment & sling shit. The most base, childish shit, too. Check it out: http://gawker.com/5063225/a-fat-womans-tale-of-woe?cpage=1&sort=asc#viewcomments

Bad marketer = fewer sales when customers don't relate to the marketing. Hopefully that logic actually works, or this comes around to bite her in the butt!

wow, that is just unbelievable! I am speechless!

I'm writing. Definitely.

The whole term "plus-sized model" annoys me. They aren't. And they don't come close to representing the average woman.

I'm so sorry you were subjected to that level of superficial idiocy, Kim. You'd make an excellent spokeswoman for just about anything, IMO.

The fashion industry, much like the media, makes me sick.

V.

Kim - as always, I amazed by you candor, humanity and, yes, brilliance. I will certainly join your "undersized model" campaign (funny thing, I was just writing a post about the plus-sized "winner" of Maidenform's bra campaign who withdrew after they asked her to lose weight). I feel like we are fighting a war for women's bodies and our sanity and you are on the front lines. Keep up the good work!

PS> Mariska Hargitay full-figured? *gasp*choke*giggle*

um. wow. i hope renee doesnt get fired for letting that one leak and now its all over the internet. she sounds like a sweet girl.

it sucks hearing this kind of crap. its crap. there's no reason to treat another human being that way- especially under the guise that you are trying to drum up awareness for the very same reason you are judging them. its like the dove campaign for real beauty- yet their same company sells SKIN BLEACH so you can look whiter. it blows my mind.

ive never heard of the store, but il be sure to fart in their general directon if i ever happen upon one.

Kelly Turner
www.groundedfitness.com

tokaiangel~
Something most people don't know about ANTM, the agency that they win the contract with in the end (recently Elite) picks the winner of the contest before they ever even start since they are the ones stuck working with these people for the next 3/5 years, I have literally been told this BY PEOPLE AT THE AGENCY!!! So I think sometimes they look for reasons to kick people off if they know they aren't going to win and have to come up with reasons. That may explain some of the hypocritical moments on the show.

modelbehavior- i kind of had a feeling thats what happens- sometimes tyra will make criticisms that dont make any sense at all- like shes reaching for a reason.

Kelly Turner
www.groundedfitness.com

Oh, Kim. What a hideous exercise in overwhelming ignorance. I'm SO sorry.

That's a piss-poor way to run a business, and that's a piss-poor way to be a decent human being. No one has the right to treat you poorly because you look different than they do. Wrong, wrong, wrong!

Double wrong ethical loss points for doing so while working for a marketing campaign aimed at catering to said marginalized group of people (even though we make up the majority, fancy that) and then discriminating against someone for being a part of that group. Icky.

People of ALL SIZES - fat, thin, you, me - deserve dignity and equality. And women shopping for a product to feel good about their looks deserve a spokeswoman that represents them, that looks like them. With skills and art like you offer. If 5W is too obtuse to recognize that, they are not very long for the marketing world. It's nothing to do with you!

BTW, I think you are f'ing BRILLIANT and you can be my spokeswoman any day!

Man! I love the Avenue. I cannot believe they would pull some crap like this. I am glad that I am almost small enough to not need to wear their clothes any more. I will NOT be buying anything else from them. I always wondered why they use smaller models than the audience they are targeting.

How rude and inconsiderate. Kellie Brown should be ashamed of herself. Also, short-sighted. People know who Kim is, Kim has fans...How could it have been a bad thing to take the time to meet with her?

So...I wear around a size 10-12 in regular sizes...But I would be too big to be a plus-sized model, even thought I am too small to wear plus-sized clothing? How does that even make sense?

Kim is fantastic.

That Ms. Brown? NOT much of a representative for what she's supposed to be promoting.

Society is really backwards.

The PR on this story alone will have Avenue giving Ms. Brown a lecture no doubt. Whether Avenue keeps 5W on board as their rep is another story, but as this story spreads and if Ms. Brown doesn't share her side or apologizes, my crystal ball sees Avenue dropping 5W or dwindling their activity to almost nil because her actions will detriment sales and that rude attitude goes way out of the relms of Avenues brand attributes ...I hope. Very soon, we'll see more of what both parties are made of.

What amazes me in business in general is this thing many fail to remember and that is "building relationships" which a PR person should know better. There is no reason that Kim (or anyone else) should have been treated that way. I'm glad that Kim shared her story to shine light on a problem in the fashion industry. This is why I love blogs!

I understand that when Mariska spoke would not say it was fat, but a woman endowed with breasts and butt. Something that is out of fashion among the skinny man of Hollywood.Eu am and actresses like Eva Longoria, for example, I do not atraem.Sempre I see photos of actress and even seen the series in which workers realized that in addition to not having a good Eva peitos.E stature is not for me it is fundamental because it symbolizes the feminilidade.