Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Mayer, Abby
• Mayer, J. Mark

Titel

"America, Let's Get Real" about Stigmatization – An Analysis of the Opening Sequence of The Biggest Loser

Ist Teil von

• Journal of managerial issues, 2019-09, Vol.31 (3), p.246-259

Ort / Verlag

Pittsburg: Pittsburg State University

Erscheinungsjahr

2019

Quelle

BSC - Ebsco (Business Source Ultimate)

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Since 2004, NBC's popular reality TV show The Biggest Loser has argued that vigorous exercise and diet will result in weight loss in obese individuals; the show turned weight loss into a competition and spectacle with some winners dropping over 50% of their original weight. A discourse analysis of Season 17—The Biggest Loser: Temptation Nation's opening sequence (essentially the advertisement for the content of the season) conveyed multiple ideas about obesity, obese individuals, and weight loss. Overall, the featured language and imagery suggested that obese contestants (and viewers) were morally and physically flawed while the fit host and fitness coaches were presented as positive heroes. Moreover, the show opener implied that obese individuals were compulsive, gluttonous, and lacking the willpower to change. From this stigmatizing framing of the contestants, it appeared the show prioritized the process of becoming a biggest loser over the actual contestants.