Brendan Fraser's humility over "The Whale" best actor Oscar leaves us speechless

Hi friends. A few days ago I blogged about Brendan Fraser in "The Whale" and how he opened eyes and minds to pain of obesity. And last night, Fraser's humble and emotional Best Actor Oscar acceptance speech opened hearts. I'm a longtime fangirl of Brendan Fraser in his cheese puff comedy and adventure films ("Airheads", "Encino Man", "The Mummy"). But I never thought he was capable of serious acting, let alone on the scale of "The Whale." Glad I was wrong. I realized from "The Poison Rose" that Brendan Fraser is actually shockingly capable. 

As a person who has lived through weight gain, obesity and weight loss, "The Whale" was a real grapefruit spoon to the heart. Over 75% of Americans overweight, according to BMI. And yet obesity is largely ignored except on niche shows like "My 600-lb Life" or to make fun of. A fat suit such as Brendan Fraser had to wear for "The Whale" is now available as a Halloween costume. So funny...😒

A lot of those people better start laughing at themselves, though. If 3 of 4 people is overweight, they've seen the joke and it's them. Or we could just stop body-shaming and making fun and start taking obesity seriously. Weight loss isn't just for people who get as big as gastric bypass patients on "My 600-lb Life." Part of how I lost 100 pounds over age 50 without gastric bypass was to get serious about weight loss and my need for it. 

The point of "The Whale" and "My 600-lb Life" isn't just that people with obesity need to lose weight. It's about how and why we get overweight in the first place. Another part of  how I lost 100 pounds without gastric bypass was to look at experiences, patterns and habits that led to weight gain. 

Thank you for reading. Stay tuned for more on how I lost 100 pounds and more on my March to Weight Loss challenge. Love, mar

Brendan Fraser's weight gain in "The Whale" bravely looks obesity in the face

Hi friends. That morbid obesity is a pandemic is probably no surprise to most of us. But entertainment media has been curiously loathe to show obesity. We marvel over an individual actor's weight gain or weight loss. But as a feature, it's relegated to shows like "My 600-lb Life" and "1000-lb Sisters." But when Brendan Fraser took a 2023 Best Actor Oscar for the movie "The Whale" it brought home the severity of the problem. And I applaud Brendan Fraser both for having the courage to take on a very not-Hollywood heartthrob role and for doing it with such sensitivity. 

Much has been made of Brendan Fraser's weight gain and how he looks "unrecognizable" since his days in "Encino Man", "The Mummy" and "George of the Jungle." Of course Fraser has changed in 30 years. Who hasn't?? We gain weight and wrinkles, lose hair and muscle tone. Shit happens. 

Obviously, to portray obesity like "My 600-lb Life" in "The Whale" Brendan Fraser had to wear a "fat suit." I don't like that term. I also don't like that fat suits are sold in joke shops as Halloween costumes. Morbid obesity is no laughing matter as "The Whale", "My 600-lb Life" and "1000lb Sisters" sadly show us.  

This blog looks at how I lost 100 pounds, after age 50, without gastric bypass. To understand dramatic weight loss, we first  have to understand how we got overweight in the first place. Everyone's backstory is a little different. Mine was due to having two stillborn babies, depression and the antidepressant Paxil and broken limit switches. And just age. 

So we grieve over stories like "My 600-lb Life" and "The Whale." But we also learn. About compassion, empathy and that weight loss and a healthier life are possible. 

#howilost100pounds