British Comedy Guide

Miranda - Series 2 Page 17

Many women of ample proportions (like Miranda) have found comedy an effective way to deal with their feelings about their weight. Indeed, many have become rich and famous in the process as comedy is just about the only industry in the world that opens its arms to embrace 'fat' women.

I made that point in my brief reply to Nat on Page 15 by suggesting to her that, instead of losing weight a la Bigfella, she and others could avoid the hassle by becoming comedians.

Unfortunately, the message in my post must have been unclear and my post was deemed off topic which is why I'm making my point more obvious in this much-longer posting.

Brevity may be the soul of wit but the danger is that one's meaning may not always come across.

Quote: Veronica Vestibule @ December 19 2010, 11:02 PM GMT

I made that point in my brief reply to Nat on Page 15 by suggesting to her that, instead of losing weight a la Bigfella, she and others could avoid the hassle by becoming comedians.

I'm not sure how this relates to Miranda. I don't get the sense from the show that she is making an issue of being overweight. She clearly isn't.

Quote: Veronica Vestibule @ December 19 2010, 11:02 PM GMT

Many women of ample proportions (like Miranda) have found comedy an effective way to deal with their feelings about their weight. Indeed, many have become rich and famous in the process as comedy is just about the only industry in the world that opens its arms to embrace 'fat' women.

The dinnerlady industry embraces fat women.

Quote: Marc P @ December 19 2010, 11:35 PM GMT

I'm not sure how this relates to Miranda. I don't get the sense from the show that she is making an issue of being overweight. She clearly isn't.

Miranda (the character) is frequently mistaken for a man. At nearly 40 years of age, she has a life-long problem with acceptance by female social groups and (according to her mother) she's never had a boyfriend.

Clearly, she's an absolute hoot to be with so her unenviable social situation appears to derive from her appearance and the ungainly behaviour derived from her physical make-up.

Her tallness (6 feet 1 inch) isn't the culprit as many socially-sought-after and sexually-lusted-after supermodels are similarly tall. The cause of her woes, it would seem, is her shape.

Miranda (the real person) tells us her character's fictional exploits are semi-autobiographical.

I'm not at all surprised.

Quote: Veronica Vestibule @ December 19 2010, 11:51 PM GMT

Miranda (the character) is frequently mistaken for a man. At nearly 40 years of age, she has a life-long problem with acceptance by female social groups and (according to her mother) she's never had a boyfriend.

Clearly, she's an absolute hoot to be with so her unenviable social situation appears to derive from her appearance and the ungainly behaviour derived from her physical make-up.

Her tallness (6 feet 1 inch) isn't the culprit as many socially-sought-after and sexually-lusted-after supermodels are similarly tall. The cause of her woes, it would seem, is her shape.

Miranda (the real person) tells us her character's fictional exploits are semi-autobiographical.

I'm not at all surprised.

Sorry Veronica my question was a bit vague.

I'm not sure how this relates to Miranda. I don't get the sense from the show that she is making an issue of being overweight. She clearly isn't.

Quote: Marc P @ December 19 2010, 11:58 PM GMT

I don't get the sense from the show that she is making an issue of being overweight. She clearly isn't.

I don't agree with Veronica's overall take on this but in the case of Miranda there have been a disappointing number of "fat" gags this series. And by "disappointing" I mean "large". Some people seem to be blind to them, but they are all there and they don't need to be.

I remember her mum saying she ate a lot of pies in the psychiatrist episode.

That may or may not strictly be a fat joke.

Quote: Marc P @ December 19 2010, 11:58 PM GMT

Sorry Veronica my question was a bit vague.

I'm not sure how this relates to Miranda. I don't get the sense from the show that she is making an issue of being overweight. She clearly isn't.

The show's raison d'etre is her overweight - and she writes it.

At the same time though, she is the central character we root for, so the fat gags don't necessarily make her the victim. It could be argued that she is a positive role model. But it's a bit of a push to suggest fat doesn't come into the show.

She isn't 'fat' though. How much overweight do people thinks she is for a six foot one tall woman? If we were to reduce the show's engine to one word it wouldn't be overweight. It would as others have said before awkwardness. The physical awkwardness comically dramatising the emotional awkwardness of her character.

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Quote: chipolata @ December 19 2010, 11:40 PM GMT

The Mark P industry embraces fat women.

word to your mother

nb I may not be this shows biggest fan

but what the f**k?

it's sprightly witty and fast paced

one of its comedic tools is its heroine is a tall strapping lass who looks a bit ungainly

this endless obsession with her bmi is dire

when was the last time people said Ronnie Corbett only made jokes about his shortness

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Dangerously under-weight Miranda Hart was today urged by Marc P to 'eat more pies'.

And people wonder why Miranda routinely avoids reading about herself and her reviews on the net.

Quite disappointing, especially from other women.

Quote: Marc P @ December 20 2010, 7:59 AM GMT

If we were to reduce the show's engine to one word it wouldn't be overweight. It would as others have said before awkwardness.

This. The show is about her being awkward, it's not just a series of fat jokes.

Quote: zooo @ December 20 2010, 9:10 AM GMT

And people wonder why Miranda routinely avoids reading about herself and her reviews on the net.

Having put herself in the national spotlight by writing and starring in a hit sitcom about her unattractiveness ('pushing 40 and never had a boyfriend'), I don't think she'll be overly upset to learn that her appearance is being discussed in factual and essentially respectful terms on this thread, will she?

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