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Characters are defined by their most notable qualities: their heroism, their beauty, or their intelligence. The way these distinctive qualities influence their personality and actions fosters the relatability of the character and makes them more understandable. However, some characters are given the funny side role that is never developed and largely ignored save for comedic moments; this is the case, especially, for characters who are fat. The funny fat character trope characterizes individuals entirely upon their fatness, enforcing the detrimental idea that size is the most crucial aspect of a character or person’s identity. However, fat characters, when properly developed, are dynamic figures that demonstrate how fatness is just one aspect that makes up the whole of an interesting character.
A Brief Explanation Of Body Positivity
Since the rise of the body positivity movement in the 1960s, the discussion regarding body size and weight has inspired many to advocate for themselves and accept their body for what it provides them with, rather than criticize it for what society expects of it. While the body positivity movement emphasizes the equal worth and appreciation of all body types, fat bodies, in particular, necessitated more advocacy due to the lack of positive representation of the body type.
Fat bodies are difficult to find represented in popular media, fashion trends, and social awareness without the indication that the existence of the body type is morally or superficially wrong. The body positivity movement rose up in response to this occurrence by stating that an individual’s value in themselves and society should not be determined by how much they weigh.
The primary objectives of the body positivity movement are:
- Addressing unrealistic body standards
- Challenging these standards and how society views body types
- Promoting the acceptance of all body types
- Helping people accept their own bodies and increase their confidence (( Cherry, Kendra. Nov. 21, 2020. “What Is Body Positivity?”. Very Well Mind. )).
Body Neutrality
The body positivity movement has been instrumental in encouraging conversation and understanding about different body types; however, criticism of the movement detail how it may be limiting or harmful. For example, while body positivity preaches the importance of loving one’s body and seeing it as beautiful, this can be a difficult thing to achieve when there is endless room to compare oneself to others and see the physical details that divert from beauty standards. Due to this, many people struggle to achieve body positivity and find it doesn’t help them with actually attaining peace with their body.
Body neutrality rose as a popular alternative to the body positivity movement, as it promotes the idea of not appreciating or criticizing one’s body for its appearance, but rather for how it functions. Body neutrality indicates that all bodies might not be considered beautiful, but that they are still worthy of appreciation and care nonetheless. This stance is especially important as it completely negates the relevance of beauty standards to weight, and allows many people to view themself from a more objective standpoint (( Cherry, Kendra. Nov. 21, 2020. “What Is Body Positivity?” Very Well Mind. )).
The Funny Fat Character Trope
Body positivity and body neutrality are an important basis for evaluating the representation of fat characters in popular media, as many infamous fat characters indicate the importance of movements like body positivity, with others showing their impact and importance. The funny fat side character exemplifies how fatness has been portrayed by some TV shows and movies as something to mock and capitalize on for comedy.
Monica — Friends (1994-2004)
The hit 90’s sitcom Friends is largely loved and praised for its humor and cast of characters; however, the character “Fat” Monica remains a controversial point of the show. “Fat” Monica is revealed through several flashbacks to Monica as a teenager when she was overweight. Played by Courteney Cox in a fat suit, “Fat” Monica is typically shown eating with exuberance while the other characters make comments and jokes at her expense. Even while not shown on screen, “Fat” Monica is frequently referenced throughout the series through cracks on the amount of food Monica ate.
Monica only decides to lose weight because she hears Chandler say to Ross, “I just don’t want to be stuck here all night with your fat sister.” After hearing this, Monica is understandably upset and declines eating pie offered by her mother, with her father exclaiming, “She’s finally full!”… Cue the laugh track. Monica is depicted as a high-strung and controlling character, with some of her key traits being competitiveness and cleanliness. However, in the flashbacks to younger Monica, she appears much more carefree and happy. This other side to Monica is overshadowed by the constant focus on her size and eating habits, implying that Monica’s other characteristics are not worthy of consideration due to her being fat.
This representation of fatness harmfully indicates that one has no real value until one decides to lose weight. Based on the jokes Friends makes about “Fat” Monica, one would get the impression that she is a highly obese individual. However, when teenage Monica is finally shown, the character is not nearly as big as the jokes make her out to be. In fact, “Fat” Monica’s body type is highly common for women in the United States. It would not be bad if Monica was as fat as the jokes suggested, but the fact that she is not leads viewers who are bigger than her or the same size as her to feel like they are being shamed too. The show’s treatment and over-exaggeration of Monica’s weight, when she is actually only slightly fat, is potentially harmful to millions of viewers who look like her or have loved ones that do.
Moreover, the way in which Monica’s weight loss comes about is not a healthy or constructive way of approaching weight loss. Monica does not decide to lose weight because of her own self-perception and goals, but because she is shamed into it by a mean comment from Chandler. This scene encourages the idea that it is okay to shame and bully people about their weight for the sake of making them lose or gain it. Overall, the representation of fatness in Friends is one-dimensional and harmful at best.
Thor — Avengers: Endgame (2019; Anthony Russo, Joe Russo)
The depiction of Thor as fat in Avengers: Endgame evoked a divisive response from critics upon release. Some viewers remarked that the movie body-shames Thor and treats his character as a joke due to his fatness, while others argued that it shines a light on the abilities and power of fat people regardless of their weight. Throughout the previous Thor and Avengers movies, Thor experienced many traumatic events such as the loss of half of his people and his brother, as well as failing to stop Thanos from erasing half of all life in the universe. Due to this trauma, Thor spirals into depression and copes with his PTSD with alcoholism and binge-eating, causing the god to gain weight.
It is understandable and realistic that Thor would utilize eating and alcoholism as coping mechanisms for his trauma. Yet, it is troublesome that the film producers largely dealt with Thor’s emotional relapse with humor rather than with serious communication. The other Avengers frequently make jokes about Thor’s changed appearance and weight gain, saying he looks like “melted ice cream” and that “cheeze whiz” runs in his veins. Alongside these jokes, Thor consistently appears sloppy throughout the movie and is ill-prepared to help the other Avengers with achieving their mission. While these are reasonable characteristics due to Thor’s alcoholism, they also align with the stereotypes used to demerit fat people as dumb and sloppy. It does not seem like Thor’s weight gain as a result of his trauma is taken seriously, but rather used as an excuse to make Thor the comedic relief of the movie as the funny, fat hammer-wielding god.
With all of this being said, there is some positive development and representation with Thor’s role in Avengers: Endgame. As Thor struggles to regain his confidence and help the fellow Avengers throughout the movie, he has a significant conversation with his mother that inspires him to believe in himself despite what he considers as his failings. Thor raises his hand for his hammer, and when it comes, he is elated to find that he is still worthy, despite all he’s gone through and how he’s changed (( Anderton, Ethan. 6 May 2019. “Avengers: Endgame Isn’t Fat-Shaming The Traumatized And Grief-Stricken Thor.” SlashFilm. )). After experiencing this, Thor gains enough confidence to face Thanos once again in battle and proves to himself and the other Avengers that he is still the badass god no matter how he looks or what size he is.
Motormouth Maybelle — Hairspray (2007; Adam Shankman)
Hairspray is one of the handfuls of movies that features fat women as its main characters in a way that celebrates them. Hairspray is interesting to analyze given its progressive messages regarding body positivity and racial equality (for the ’60s), yet it often uses stereotypes while depicting these themes. In the case of the fat women represented within the film, it is true that there is a stereotypical depiction of them being preoccupied with food. However, their eating habits are not belittled as a shameful thing and instead serve to represent the stereotypes the fat characters are reclaiming through the process of loving themselves.
In particular, Motormouth Maybelle stands out as one of the most powerful and positive depictions of a fat character in the movie. Played by the icon Queen Latifah, Motormouth Maybelle shines on-screen despite her being a side character. While Tracy Turnblad and her mother gain more confidence and acceptance of their bodies throughout Hairspray, Maybelle showcases how empowering it can be to finally achieve this. In her solo song, “Big, Blonde, and Beautiful,” Maybelle sings about her love for herself, her big body, and her food with charm and infectious enthusiasm. The song itself is catchy and an anthem for body positivity, with lines like: “I offer / Big Love / With no apology. / How can I deny the world? / The most of me?”
Maybelle and her song “Big, Blonde, and Beautiful” emphasize how all bodies are deserving of love and confidence, most especially your own. Besides the importance of Maybelle’s song in Hairspray, the character herself serves as a positive role model for Tracy and the other aspiring performers, giving them support and a home to turn to always. Maybelle’s character is not just defined by her fatness or used as comedic relief but instead serves as an example of the beauty of self-love and appreciation.
Dewey Finn — The School of Rock (2003; Richard Linklater)
Jack Black’s role as Dewey Finn in The School of Rock is a prime example of a funny character who is also fat, rather than being a funny character because they are fat. After Dewey, a guitarist and rock enthusiast is kicked out of his band, he decides to pose as a substitute teacher for a prestigious private elementary school. Although Dewey starts the job as a way to make money for rent, he soon discovers that several of the children he teaches are musically gifted. After learning this, Dewey sets out to make the best elementary rock band in history and win the battle of the bands.
The representation of Dewey Finn in The School of Rock is great in part because the size of the character is barely mentioned within the film; his weight is just an aspect of the character that one can observe. Dewey is funny because he launches absurd schemes to gain musical fame, and because of his outlandish facial expressions, not because he’s fat. Fatness isn’t specifically addressed in the movie until one of Dewey’s students named Tomika doubts her own success in singing because she’s fat. After hearing this, Dewey tells Tomika that her talent is special and important, referencing Aretha Franklin as an example of a woman whose talent overshadowed all preconceived notions of her weight. Dewey also acknowledges that he’s a big dude, but he’s still a rockstar that people love and idolize as soon as they see him on stage. When Tomika asks Dewey why he doesn’t go on a diet, he replies, “Because I like to eat, is that such a crime?”
Through this conversation, Dewey does not try to pacify Tomika by saying she is not fat but rather asserts that you can be big and beautiful and talented at the same time. This message encourages Tomika’s growth in confidence and inspired viewers of the film to perceive their bodies and worth in the same way. The School of Rock scene went viral on Twitter in April 2021, almost twenty years since the film’s original release, and for good reason (( Carras, Christie. 20 April 2021. “Why a heartwarming scene from ‘School of Rock’ has gone viral nearly 20 years later.” LA Times. )). For many, Dewey’s words of wisdom to Tomika helped them immensely with recognizing their own bodies and talents.
How These Characters Make Or Break The Funny Fat Formula
Overall, the funny fat character trope is prevalent throughout popular media, and can cause some real negative side effects. “Fat” Monica from Friends epitomizes the common use of fat characters as a way to win cheap laughs from the audience through fat jokes. In the flashbacks, teenage Monica is reduced to nothing but her weight, and the way she is treated implies that anyone of her size or bigger should fear the same reproach.
In comparison, Thor in Avengers: Endgame is a more complicated characterization of a fat character. Thor’s weight gain is repeatedly joked about within the film, yet the process by which he regains confidence and finds himself “still worthy” is inspiring and well-done. That being said, Thor is still characterized by stereotypes used to negatively portray fat people. Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray rejects the formula for the funny fat character and claims fatness as a beautiful part of her identity. Maybelle is never made into the butt of fat jokes and reclaims the stereotypes weaponized against big women in her song “Big, Blonde, and Beautiful.”
In this way, Maybelle epitomizes the body positivity movement and shows how empowering it can be. Finally, Dewey Finn in The School of Rock is a fantastic example of how a fat character can be funny without being exploited as a joke due to their body. While Maybelle is more of an example of body positivity, Dewey shows the power of body neutrality through his conversation with Tomika.
The School of Rock showcases how fat characters can rock and be admired for their talent regardless of how they are superficially perceived. By comparing these four examples of fat characters in film and TV, it is evident that so much more can be achieved through a thorough representation of fat figures than what the funny fat trope entails. Maybelle, Dewey Finn, and even Thor showcase how fatness is one characteristic that can make up inspiring and impactful characters.