News Anchor responds to "fat" comment.

[Greenday]

And even then, where did she sign up to be a role model for anyone? She's a local news anchor, not Jesus Christ.

Tell me, the fireman who runs into a burning building to save someone, when did they sign up to be a role model?

Or the policeman who stops a robber? I thought he signed up to be a cop, not a role model.

Aaron Rodgers. Dude signed up to be a football player, not a role model. But he's a role model anyway.

Obama. Did he sign up to be a role model? Nope, he signed up for president.

I could go on and on about people who are role models as a result of their job. Many don't go into their job with the intention of being a role model. They just want to do the job they like.

[Duelist925]

Tell me, the fireman who runs into a burning building to save someone, when did they sign up to be a role model?

Or the policeman who stops a robber? I thought he signed up to be a cop, not a role model.

Aaron Rodgers. Dude signed up to be a football player, not a role model. But he's a role model anyway.

Obama. Did he sign up to be a role model? Nope, he signed up for president.

I could go on and on about people who are role models as a result of their job. Many don't go into their job with the intention of being a role model. They just want to do the job they like.

I feel I should point out, those are all careers that have been glorified to the point where you really can't be one without being a roll model. Furthermore, cop is dubious choice considering how many "Bad cop" stories you see even here.

But my main points is: She's a news anchor. Not a quarterback, or a rock star, or a president, or even a fire fighter.

She reads from a teleprompter.

Those other careers? Yes they DID sign up to be a roll model, because by now it's expected of them because of how glorified their jobs are.

News Anchor has never been a job that's ben glorified much, unless you count The Newsroom, which is kinda small potatoes compared to all the media surrounding the other jobs you mentioned.

[Andara Bledin]

Yea, but a lot of people are getting a LOT more calories than they actually need to maintain an even somewhat healthy body. So it's not like so many obese people are eating enough to survive.

So? I didn't say people weren't overindulging in food; merely that food is something that you have to partake in, making it's availability pretty much 100% for anyone who isn't too poor to afford it.

Which is completely unlike cigarettes, which have zero nutritional benefits, are something you have to go out of your way to get and learn to utilize, and have almost no benefits to their use that aren't learned behaviors in the first place.

It's a fact that a line at 0 cigarettes per day is optimal health for the vast majority of everybody. Where that line is on food intake is hazy, at best, and for some can only be determined by someone knowledgeable and trained in nutrition who also has access to the individual's medical history.

Oh, and I like the "I'm actually doing something about it" line. As if you know for a fact that every other fat person out there is just sitting on their ass and munching bon bons all day.

^-.-^

[Rageaholic]

I could go on and on about people who are role models as a result of their job. Many don't go into their job with the intention of being a role model. They just want to do the job they like.

Okay fine, she might be a role model for some people. But that does not mean that just because she has her flaws that she should stay away from any potentially influencial position (that's what the guy who wrote the letter implied).

[Greenday]

I feel I should point out, those are all careers that have been glorified to the point where you really can't be one without being a roll model. Furthermore, cop is dubious choice considering how many "Bad cop" stories you see even here.

But my main points is: She's a news anchor. Not a quarterback, or a rock star, or a president, or even a fire fighter.

She reads from a teleprompter.

Those other careers? Yes they DID sign up to be a roll model, because by now it's expected of them because of how glorified their jobs are.

News Anchor has never been a job that's ben glorified much, unless you count The Newsroom, which is kinda small potatoes compared to all the media surrounding the other jobs you mentioned.

You don't think there are kids who grow up wanting to be a journalist or a news anchor?

[TheHuckster]

You don't think there are kids who grow up wanting to be a journalist or a news anchor?

I had that fantasy when I was a kid... although it was more being a weatherman. There was a period of time where I was fascinated by weather patterns and what not.

Anyway, I really don't see how being overweight has any hindrance on her ability to be a role model for young aspiring newscasters. Unless you're hearing a bunch of kids say, "When I grow up I'm going to eat lots of cake and ice cream and be a news anchor just like Jennifer Livingston!" it's a moot point.

I feel I should point out, those are all careers that have been glorified to the point where you really can't be one without being a roll model. Furthermore, cop is dubious choice considering how many "Bad cop" stories you see even here.

Since you went out of your way to point this out, I should point out that for every "bad cop" story you see, there's hundreds of "good cop" stories about catching the bad guys and saving people's lives. And they're even reported on the news everyday. If a kid aspires to be a police officer with the best of intentions, then I'd congratulate him... unless he's a bully.

[guywithashovel]

I almost started a thread about this when I first saw this news story, but for some reason I held off.

Most people are praising this news anchor--or so it seems from reading the comments on every article and video of it I watch. A few have defended the letter writer, claiming that he was "just giving his opinion" or even agreeing that a news anchor should not be.

Was it bullying? Maybe, from some point of view. However, it definitely was a douche bag move. Honestly, when I think of the type of person who would watch a news broadcast and then actually take the time to get the reporter's email address and write her a letter berating her for her appearance, the only person I can picture is a pompous, full-of-himself, condescending asshole who thinks he has all the answers to all of life's problems.

And yes, in many cases, "giving your opinion" is being an jerk, regardless of how innocuous you try to make it sound. There is the old cliche about opinions being like assholes because everyone has one and they usually stink. I think a better analogy is to say that your opinion is like a pile of dog crap out on the front lawn. Sure, the person inside the house knows it's there, and he might not a problem with it being there, but that doesn't mean he wants you to bring it inside and push it up in his face.

[Jaden]

Oh, for fuck's sake.

Yeah, she's a bit a overweight. It's none of our damn business if she's overweight or not. No little girl is sitting there saying "Ohhh, if I want to be a newscaster, I have to put on weight to look like her!" Seriously. Jesus Christ. So you can't be in the public eye at all if you're overweight? Because anybody in the public eye at all is a potential "role model."

You know what? Everybody's been saying "Maybe she has genetic problems or she can't get the weight off" or whatever. How about this? Who gives a flying fuck if she overeats? Let her work her job, not doing any harm to anybody, and overeat if she wants.

Do you have no vices? No flaws of any kind? If so, congratulations. Go be a news anchor. Hopefully your perfect God damn body can be a paragon of excellence for all the little boys and girls in the world to strive towards. If not, it is such a minor overindulgence, who are you to judge? Glass houses and all that.

I know obesity is a problem. It's unhealthy, and it's bad for you. So is smoking, drinking, gambling, and all sorts of other things. You're allowed to be a drinker and still have a job. You're allowed to be a smoker and still have a job, even in the public eye. I saw Obama having a beer in several pictures. Shall we impeach him? That's fucking bad for you isn't it?

Let her live her life however she wants, and so long as it doesn't impact her job performance, who gives a flying fuck? Dear God. The only thing he knew about her was that she's a bit overweight. It didn't even matter to her if she gave to the poor or did things for her community or how she treated other people. He just made a snap judgment that her weight makes her a bad role model. You can't defend that. No. You can't. There's no defense for that kind of snap judgment.

Now, that being said, she's no martyr, and perhaps it was unprofessional of her to bring it up on national TV, but on the other hand, it was a dick move of him. Maybe she didn't react well to the situation, but he started off being a huge cock. Neither of them deserves a pat on the back, but don't act like he was justified either for saying she's a bad role model over ONE SINGLE OBSERVATION.

[Gravekeeper]

Oi.

Bullying? No. Even bullying prevention groups disagree with her that this is bullying.

The letter that Kenneth W. Krause sent to the newscaster was rude, condescending and brimming with self-importance, but "it doesn't fit the definition of bullying," says David Dickson, chairman of the Bullying Prevention Initiative of California. "Bullying, normally, is what someone, in a very mean spirited way, continually and on a repeated basis, does to another person, typically in a social setting in front of other people…It was a stupid letter he wrote, but he commented privately."

Stupid and insensitive? Oh yes. The dude was well intentioned in his own mind, if idiotic and insensitive, and has actually apologized. Was he a jackass? Sure. Does he deserve what's going on now? No.

What I don't like here is that she used her position as a media personality to pubically call this guy out. She says she has thick skin and this didn't mean anything to her. Obviously that's untrue if she's willing to let one email from a dumbass cause her to go after him and turn the public on him.

If someone calls you an asshole in private, you don't go on TV and call him an asshole in front of the entire city. You could really ruin someone's life doing shit like that if not endanger them. She has vastly more power than he does here and she responded to someone basically concerntrolling her in private by defaming him publically.

But no one will give a shit because she's a matyr now. So fuck that guy or something.

"I am not a bullying expert and would never want to be considered one," Livingston wrote in an exclusive email to E! News yesterday.

Yet oddly that didn't stop you. -.-

I think they're both idiots personally.

[Duelist925]

I had that fantasy when I was a kid... although it was more being a weatherman. There was a period of time where I was fascinated by weather patterns and what not.

Anyway, I really don't see how being overweight has any hindrance on her ability to be a role model for young aspiring newscasters. Unless you're hearing a bunch of kids say, "When I grow up I'm going to eat lots of cake and ice cream and be a news anchor just like Jennifer Livingston!" it's a moot point.



Since you went out of your way to point this out, I should point out that for every "bad cop" story you see, there's hundreds of "good cop" stories about catching the bad guys and saving people's lives. And they're even reported on the news everyday. If a kid aspires to be a police officer with the best of intentions, then I'd congratulate him... unless he's a bully.

Thats a fair point, there are far more good cop stories than bad cop ones. For some reason the bad cop ones just seem to stick more. =/

But you're right. Probably shouldn't have added that bit.

[AdminAssistant]

Now, that being said, she's no martyr, and perhaps it was unprofessional of her to bring it up on national TV, but on the other hand, it was a dick move of him.

Local TV. I believe from LaCrosse, Wisconsin, which is a smallish community on the MN/WI state line. Her husband, who is also an anchor at the station, posted about the letter on his 'official' Facebook page, which blew the whole thing up, which led to her addressing it on air.

I don't like placing limits on bullying like, "must happen publicly" or "must be repeated". So, if some kid puts a note in another kid's locker that tells them that they shouldn't come to school anymore because they're a fatty...that isn't bullying?

[TheHuckster]

Thats a fair point, there are far more good cop stories than bad cop ones. For some reason the bad cop ones just seem to stick more. =/

Just like stories about plane crashes every so often stick out more than stories about the thousands of successful landings everyday. Just because they stick out doesn't mean they're the norm.

[Peppergirl]

What I don't like here is that she used her position as a media personality to pubically call this guy out.

And now her brother, who is a minor celebrity (loved him in Office Space), has been brought into it to garner even more attention, IMO.

Ron Livingston

[Andara Bledin]

And now her brother, who is a minor celebrity (loved him in Office Space), has been brought into it to garner even more attention, IMO.

Based on what AA said just a couple more posts up, her brother went public first.

^-.-^

[Peppergirl]

Based on what AA said just a couple more posts up, her brother went public first.

^-.-^

Her brother or her husband?