With the pilot season just beginning in Los Angeles, actress Allison Tolman encourages writers and showrunners to put weight jokes in their scripts.
The 40-year-old Why Women Kill star took to Twitter Monday afternoon, revealing in a thread why writers should stop making fun of an actor’s weight in a story.
The thread got over 2.2K retweets and almost 20K retweets when it went viral on Monday night.
Thread: With the pilot season just beginning in Los Angeles, actress Allison Tolman encourages writers and showrunners to put weight jokes in their scripts
‘Writers and showrunners – take the jokes about weight out of your scripts. I promise they are not funny, ‘Tolman began.
“And even if they were, they would not hold up well. And even if they did, they are unfriendly – either to your characters and actors or anyone in your audience or crew. It is not worth it,” she added.
She went on to add that these “jokes about weight don’t just have to be jokes about a character’s body.”
No joke: ‘Writers and showrunners – take the jokes about weight out of your scripts. I promise they are not funny, ‘Tolman began
Not jokes: She went on to add that these “jokes about weight don’t just have to be jokes about a character’s body”
Tolman added inappropriate jokes may also mention, ‘the numbers on a scale, what someone eats, what size their clothes are, exercise and movement.’
She also called for writers and showrunners, when ‘ready’, to ‘start wrapping your mind around completely removing body descriptions from your scripts, including character descriptions and the names of minor roles.’
The actress said that does not mean writers should not use adjectives, but offered some specific examples.
Ready: She also called for writers and showrunners, when ‘ready’, to start wrapping your mind around completely removing body descriptions from your scripts, including character descriptions and the names of minor roles
“But do not say” Linda – the protagonist’s cousin, thin and witty “, unless there is a real reason for Linda to be thin. And do not say” Fat Lady In Theater “when you mean” Annoying Lady In Theater, “she said.
She also said that people who think the use of these descriptors is ‘complementary’ are ‘missing the point’.
‘Oh! And also, people think it’s okay if they use small body descriptors because they’re considered free. As if you’re auditioning for “Skinny Intern,” congratulations! But can you see, THAT’S THE EXACT POINT, AND YOU UNDERSTAND SECURITY HOW STRANGE IT IS, “Tolman said.
Annoying: ‘But do not say “Linda – the main character’s cousin, thin and witty”, unless there is a real reason for Linda to be thin. And do not say “Fat Lady In Theater” when you mean “Annoying Lady In Theater,” she said.
Descriptions: ‘Oh! And also, people think it’s okay if they use small body descriptors because they’re considered free. As if you’re auditioning for “Skinny Intern,” congratulations! But can you see, THAT’S THE EXACT POINT, AND YOU UNDERSTAND SECURITY, HOW STRANGE IT IS, “said Tolman
She added: “Audiences only know the values you assign to different body types if you have characters who say lines about them.”
‘But the rest of your manuscript? It’s your team, the writing room, everyone in the office, managers, creative partners – all the people who help you do your show, ‘she concluded.
One fan mentioned the new HBO series Somebody Somewhere starring Bridget Everett, adding that it was’ the first one I’ve seen where the main character is a bigger woman, and at least in the first ep there was not a single mention of her size / clothes / eating / exercise habits. Remarkable and also depressing, “with Tolman answering,” She’s one of the EPs, makes a big difference. “
Audience: She added: ‘Audiences only know the values you assign to different body types if you have characters that say lines about them’
Rest: ‘But the rest of your manuscript? It’s your crew, the writing room, everyone in the office, managers, creative partners – all the people who help you make your show, ‘she concluded
HBO: A fan mentioned the new HBO series Somebody Somewhere starring Bridget Everett, adding that it was “the first one I’ve seen where the main character is a bigger woman, and at least in the first ep, there was no a single mention of her size / clothes / eating / exercise habits. Remarkable and also depressing ‘
Big difference: Tolman replied: ‘She is one of the EPs, makes a big difference’
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