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Book Review of Wake Up, I'm Fat!

Wake Up, I'm Fat!
AZmom875 avatar reviewed on + 624 more book reviews


This book was published in 1999, and seems like forever ago. Mainly because it was. I joined PBS in 2007, so I can not tell when I acquired this book or why. I can tell you Why NOT. I didn't know this actress, I was not familiar with her award winning TV drama, The Practice, set in Boston. I was not familiar with her character, Ellenor Frutt I do vaguely remember her winning, but still not know her name. AND I don't watch dances with stars where her son Milo was finalist, but not winner.

I am pretty sure I picked this book to linger on my TBR, because of her size, the title and I vaguely remember headlines about her winning The EMMY and saying "this is for all the fat girls".

I really don't think this book is flawed. Nothing she had to say about being fat, rubbed me the wrong way. She is an excellent writer, and very real. Nothing too angst or over the top. No tell all, name dropping, I slept with.... so and so. It was about her being fat, hating herself for being fat, and starting to be an advocate for fat people to stop being discriminated for being fat. She comes to terms with the fact that she has other flaws but only the fat, was the cause of all her problems, and that was faulty thinking. There are several stories where she stood up to folks, and said things, along the lines, "this shaming that you are putting on me, is shameful on your behalf". My words not hers. And she was right. No one needs others to tell them they are fat, fat folks do know they are fat, and they don't need your put downs, they have enough of there own. Some of the stories are very well done, and I wont reproduce them here, but you really need to read, the one about her Apt manager being put in his place, The salad buffet manager, with Lisa Kudrow coming to her aide, her mother in the dressing room, her father suggesting that she start smoking cigarettes again to lose weight, her standing up to the producers of the show the Practice to change they way they wanted to do things for her Fat character.

We are taken through her life up to the afterdays of Her winning an Emmy for best supporting actress. I plan to now watch some of her old TV shows, and movies. I want to know her more. I wonder how she has changed since this book. I also want to add that she has lost some weight over the years, but this about her saying I accept that I am fat, and I plan to stay this way but more about I accept that I am fat, and I still love me in any shape or size.

Read her book and take your own fat journey. Feel free to read it while riding a stationery bike, we won't judge you.