Drop Dead Diva is my new video obsession. If you haven't heard about it yet, here's the run down, excerpted from Some Reality On Weight, a New York Times article published last week:
… a heavenly mix-up leaves Deb, a vapid but good-hearted size zero model,
trapped in the overweight body of Jane, an intelligent, hard-working
lawyer played by Brooke Elliott. (Think “Heaven Can Wait” meets “Ally
McBeal” and “Legally Blonde.”)
Josh Berman, the show's creator, recalls how his parents were intensely focused on appearance.
His father, a plastic surgeon, and his mother, a nurse, made frequent trips to the Pritikin weight-loss resort in Florida.“Everything
in my family was about health and weight,” he said. “My mom didn’t let
any of the kids eat sugar. Even at birthday parties we were denied
cake. All of those issues were in the back of my mind when I wrote the
show.”
So he wanted this series to make a
statement about diet, weight and beauty.
“I don’t believe it’s about
willpower,” Mr. Berman said… “If it were, then the
assumption would be that if we all wanted to be a size zero, we could
be a size zero. Everyone has different needs and desires. If someone
finds a doughnut to be comforting, who are we to judge them?”
Brooke Elliot is the actress who plays Jane. Her performance is intelligent, assertive, fun and charming. Margaret Cho plays her assistant and the two of them together are dynamite!
“The show is supposed to blow open the stereotype of what we believe
about weight or the roles overweight actresses have to play,” Elliot said.
“I’m just trying to play this character honestly and make sure we’re
sending the right message.”Mr. Berman said his show would continue to try to be nonjudgmental about weight and focus on issues of self-esteem and identity.
“This
show is not telling people they need to lose weight,” he said. “I feel
there are enough shows that make people feel bad about themselves. If
you want to lose weight, fine. Just don’t hate yourself if you’re
larger than average.”
Great message! And such a refreshing take from Hollywood! If you want to see full episodes go to Drop Dead Diva and enjoy! Here's a sneak peak:
