Toddlers and Tiaras? Shamefully...love. But when TLC came out with a "special" version of Say Yes to the Dress entitled none other than "Big Bliss," that's when my love affair with TLC became rocky.
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| The ladies of BIG SEXY pose for a picture |
Say Yes to the Dress is about showing women of all kinds (personality, style, AND shape) in their quest for a dress. The drama of the show is usually centered around the normal emotions of a wedding--stress, family issues, diva friends, bridezillas, etc. Last time I checked, the purpose of a wedding dress is to make a woman feel beautiful and special. If you have to stamp a subtitle as tacky and tasteless as "Big Bliss" over an otherwise lighthearted show to up your ratings, something's wrong. I want to see women finding dresses that make them feel beautiful, and I don't need them to be sorted according to weight in order to do that.
For me, BIG SEXY is a chance for TLC to redeem itself...maybe.
The show is not a spin off of another show for "normal" women, but is a show specifically dedicated to plus size women trying to succeed in the fashion industry. Props to you, TLC, for that. But come to think of it...couldn't they have just done a show about women trying to make it in the fashion industry, and include a variety of types of models? Maybe that doesn't provide enough immediate, TV-ready drama, but it seems entertaining enough to me (America's Next Top Model, anyone?).
Another element that I like about the premise of this show is that it's not ultra-staged. From the promotional information, it doesn't seem to be preaching "big is beautiful" OR that being plus-sized is anything other than normal--it seems to take more of a documentary-type perspective in simply following these women in their lives in the fashion industry, and chronicling their experience in professional settings and events and at home. This relatively unbiased approach may be another way that TLC can win its way back into my heart.
But the thing that bothers me about BIG SEXY is the same thing that bothered me about Say Yes to the Dress: Big Bliss. If you're trying to give an inside scoop on different types of women, why segregate them in the first place? Why does there have to be a whole separate show to chronicle the lives of America's average-sized woman? Most importantly, why does "big" always have to be in the title?
I look forward to watching BIG SEXY. I am going to do everything in my power to give it a chance, and hope that it highlights the beauty and confidence of these women, rather than what makes them different from those on other fashion-related programs. That being said, my relationship with TLC is on the rocks, and this is their chance to make it or break it.
Tune into BIG SEXY, Tuesday August 30th at 10pm Eastern, and tell us what you think.
As always, happy shopping!
-Samantha
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