Feminist Philosophers

News feminist philosophers can use

Charles Barkley for weight watchers April 1, 2012

Filed under: gendered products — annejjacobson @ 2:45 pm

Deconstruction needed.

 

 

I think the idea is that a real man (muscles, chest hair, sports record) can do some girly thing without ruining his image/life.  Sigh.

 

14 Responses to “Charles Barkley for weight watchers”

  1. cdaigle Says:
    April 2, 2012 at 12:24 pm

    I am hesitant… funny? sad? funny? sad?… and that black dress is definitely the right cut for him/her. :-)

  2. annejjacobson Says:
    April 2, 2012 at 3:59 pm

    cdaigle, some magazine at my hair dresser’s claimed that no one over 45 should wear uneven hems. I think he carries it off, though.

  3. Teresa Goodell Says:
    April 2, 2012 at 5:17 pm

    Love it. Especially the “my eyes are up here, guys” part.

  4. Cleo Says:
    April 2, 2012 at 11:40 pm

    Actually I like this one, overall (there are always minor quibbles, but hey): as has been mentioned, the dress is nice on him, the hair is fitting (doesn’t scream “caricature”), and Charles Barkley remains highly recognizable as himself (no need to talk in a ridiculous funny voice, the gesture to push the hair away from his face seems like genuine annoyance, not like “girly” tease, etc.). He’s cross-dressed, yet still the same person – not an impersonal “real man,” in fact, contrary to the way you seem to read it.
    Yes, there are still a couple “funny” moments that are not perfect, but… I’ll take it.

  5. sissystars Says:
    April 3, 2012 at 3:32 am

    I find it amusing, too, and that might be what is needed to get some men serious about their weight problem.

  6. justanotherfemalephilosopher Says:
    April 3, 2012 at 5:39 am

    I too didn’t have any serious problems with the commercial. And having done weight watchers, I can attest to the fact that it’s mostly women, even though there is nothing particularly “feminine” about the program. It works equally well for men as for women, and if this gets some men to try it, great.

  7. selenem Says:
    April 3, 2012 at 12:22 pm

    Although there’s also a clip out there of Barkley calling WW a “scam.”

    It’s taken out of context, but it’s the DJ’s response to it that I find interesting.

  8. MacFinley Says:
    April 3, 2012 at 5:55 pm

    This was awful, I’m glad to see you feel the same way. Here’s our latest review that includes this Charles Barkley Gem. http://youtu.be/EvJWTH0Kap4

  9. annejjacobson Says:
    April 3, 2012 at 6:06 pm

    MacFinley, I really did not like it. Too reinforcing of the idea that things typical of women are unacceptable for men.

    I don’t think I’m adverse to cross dressing, but there are a number of ways in which he signals he isn’t really doing it seriously.

    Stll, it is interesting that others are seeing it differently. Imagine that! Feminists disagreeing!

    Love your video.

  10. justanotherfemalephilosopher Says:
    April 3, 2012 at 10:03 pm

    Annie, can you say more about what you don’t like about the video? Now, yes, it’s advertisement and celebrity endorsement, not a work of art, and I too am not a big fan of celebrity endorsements or advertisements in general. But I take it that you object to it more than other celebrity endorsement advertisements. It seems to me that the main purpose of the ad is to say that things that are typical for women *are* in fact acceptable for men, so I don’t understand your concern And sure, the ad isn’t fully serious, but I don’t think it’s meant to be.

  11. annejjacobson Says:
    April 4, 2012 at 6:31 pm

    justanotherfemalephilosopher, I don’t want to convert anyone to my point of view! Still, let me try to say a bit more. First of all, I think the idea that men don’t care about their appearance is not obviously true. In my experience, which is admittedly limited, athletic workout places are full of men using the equipment, including treadmills.

    Secondly, I think that the comparison of dieting with cross-dressing at least as much reinforces a stereotypical opposition as challenges it.

    Well, I’m jet lagged at the pacific spa, so I might have to come back to this.

  12. justanotherfemalephilosopher Says:
    April 4, 2012 at 8:57 pm

    I wasn’t trying to challenge you — I was genuinely curious and trying to understand your point of view. I agree with you 100% that most men are concerned about their appearances. It is still a fact that — for whatever reason, and I am not sure of the reason — that most of the members of Weight Watchers are women. The meetings and online message boards are also mostly women. This isn’t a bad thing necessarily, although you can see why from WW’s point of view it’s bad financially and why they’d be trying to get more male customers. Do you really think they are comparing dieting with cross-dressing? Again, still just trying to understand.

  13. anon on Barkley Says:
    April 4, 2012 at 11:02 pm

    “It is still a fact that — for whatever reason, and I am not sure of the reason — that most of the members of Weight Watchers are women.”

    The reasons seem fairly clear to me. Weight Watchers is, or at least is regarded by men as, a “dieting” program. Guys generally do not identify with dieting culture — where this includes not only food regimes but also social networks involving a lot of explicit discussion about losing weight. Most men who want to lose weight will undertake a straightforward approach: eating less overall, significantly reducing their intake of high calorie food and drink, and regularly exercising. Since most men have not grown up in a (male) culture that thematizes losing weight through transitory efforts, men might be more likely to realize and accept that losing a substantial amount of weight will involve a committed change in lifestyle, if that weight is to be kept off. The basic question for most men is whether they will make such a commitment and to what extent, not whether they should try this or that weight loss program.

    I doubt that Barkley (or anyone else) will persuade many men to sign up for Weight Watchers (or any other branded program). Guys Barkley is supposed to influence more or less know who he is regarding weight: a combination of genetics and indulgence, now being paid considerable money to lose weight as a brand spokesperson. His approach to his basketball career showed that when he is sufficiently motivated to get in and stay in pretty good shape, he is capable of doing so, without a branded weight loss program. In this sense, he might well regard his role as a spokesperson for this product as something of a “scam.”

  14. lose weight in your face Says:
    November 7, 2012 at 12:00 pm

    Today, I went to the beach front with my kids.

    I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She put
    the shell to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and
    it pinched her ear. She never wants to go back!
    LoL I know this is entirely off topic but I had to tell
    someone!


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