Stock Footage of Fat People

I’m not sure if this is a normal thing for my “obese-buddies” but I worry I’m going to be on T.V. 

You see, when the news starts talking about “obesity” they always cut to some stock footage of a fat person walking down the street, a woman with a big butt, a guy with a beer belly sitting outside eating a cheeseburger, a fat kid dribbling a basketball. 

Everytime I hear the local news people mention “obesity” something in me fears I’m going to on that footage.

I think it all started back in 5th or 6th grade.  I remember going out to recess and seeing the news crew on the playground.  I was all excited, they recorded us while we played on the playground.  I was super excited that I was probably going to be on the news that night.  I told my parents right away.  They called my grandma to tell her to ‘”be sure to keep your eye out for Ryan on the news tonight”  Let’s just say my family was excited! We all gathered around the TV.

The news comes on. We sat through all the important stuff. They got into the local stories.  They went over the weather and then they mentioned “Childhood Obesity”…. UH OH!  Even at the age of 12, I knew that wasn’t good.  My eyes were glued to the TV showing that “stock footage” of my playground!  I was dreading seeing my chubby little legs  running around the playground.  I mean come on… I was the fattest kid in the school.  Well, luckily they never showed me.  Maybe it just would have been too obvious. Maybe the cameraman was a previous “fat kid” and knew what it was like.  Maybe I just lucked out.  Whatever it was… it’s instilled a fear in me. Deep inside me.  (Like deeper than my fear of Richard Simmons)

So, next time you see the news talking about “obesity”, be sure to keep an eye out… you never know it could be your big butt!