Fat Actress

Fat Actress, created by Kirstie Alley and Brenda Hampton, aired on Showtime in 2005, delivering a semi-fictional, satirical account of Hollywood. This show is no conventional sitcom resulting from a finely-tuned Hollywood concept meeting but rather an audaciously unabashed exploration of the entertainment industry's obsession with weight and the struggles of an actress to land quality roles due to her size.

Starring Kirstie Alley herself, the premise of the show is grounded in her real-life experiences and public persona. In the series, Alley assumes a dramatized version of her own identity. Alongside her struggle to land acting gigs, the show dives into the chaotic and at times, hilariously nerve-wracking ups and downs of her life which include dieting frustrations, ridiculous weight-loss schemes, run-ins with Hollywood personalities, and navigation of complicated relationships.

While the show bears many hallmarks of traditional sitcoms — laugh-out-loud moments, slapstick humor, and farcical storylines — it simultaneously tackles the pervasive issue of body and beauty standards in Hollywood head-on. It provides a critique of the swift and ruthless judgement passed in an industry that all too often values appearance over talent, pushing its protagonist to desperate lengths to fit into Hollywood's pervasive skinny ideal. The Fat Actress embodies this struggle, and its humor celebrates defiance in the face of societal conventions.

A supporting cast of characters accompanies Kirstie on her journey through the demanding landscape of Hollywood. Bryan Callen, known for his roles in both comedy and drama, takes on the role of Eddie Falcon, Kirstie’s makeup artist and confidante, supporting her through squabbles with insensitive directors and misguided trips to weight loss clinics. Rounding out the main cast is Rachael Harris, who plays Kevyn Shecket, Kirstie’s assistant, adding another layer of comedic depth to the show with her own delusions of grandeur and dramatic life dilemmas.

One of the standout features of the show is its incorporation of guest appearances from real-life celebrities, ranging from John Travolta to Kid Rock, and even former NBC chairman Jeff Zucker. These cameos lend an air of authenticity to the show, blending the lines between reality and fiction and creating amusingly awkward experiences that highlight the absurdities within the entertainment industry.

When it comes to the visual presentation, Fat Actress carries a lighthearted aesthetic that contrasts with the heavier themes beneath. Interestingly, the series utilizes a semi-improvisational approach that contributes a unique energy to the series. Scenes often feel spontaneous and unpredictable, keeping viewers on their toes and further highlighting the chaotic world Kirstie navigates.

Fat Actress works as a comedy, yet it doesn’t shy away from the serious and pervasive issues plaguing Hollywood and society in general. Kirstie Alley, through her strong performance and self-deprecating humor, commands the show as she fights an industry hung up on appearance and delivers a message about body acceptance.

Throughout its seven-episode run, Fat Actress uses its raw, unfiltered take on life in the Hollywood spotlight to never lose sight of its core message. It portrays Kirstie’s character as strong, endearing and purely human, and the comedic exaggerations only serve to reinforce the harsh realities many plus-sized actresses face in real life.

Hilariously outrageous yet poignantly real on many levels, Fat Actress is truly a unique take on the Hollywood sitcom. In the end, it makes a firm statement about the realities of being a 'fat' woman in Hollywood, the residual problems of discrimination based on size, and the resilience it takes to keep fighting for one's dreams despite the odds. It's not just about an actress dealing with weight-related issues; it is a commentary on societal norms and our tendency to stereotype people based on body form. Fat Actress emerges as provocation against size discrimination while advocating for body positivity in an industry that so often refuses to do so.