Is There a 'SNL' Weight Double-Standard?

By PopEater Staff Posted Sep 10th 2009 11:56AM

'Saturday Night Live' has always been a place where few things were taboo. Sex, drugs, politics ... they all have a place for satire on the legendary comedy skit show. However, one topic that's not in the script, but among the cast, is being called out as sexist and (we're coining the term) weightist. E! columnist Ted Casablanca claims that Casey Wilson was fired from the show because she was asked to "lose 30 pounds during the show's summer hiatus," but didn't. This begs the question: Is there a weight double-standard on 'SNL,' which featured heavyweights like Chris Farley and Horatio Sanz but very few curvy women? Or was Wilson just fired because she wasn't as funny as others? We explore after the jump.

Casey Wilson's 'SNL' Skits

'Penelope'

'Cougar Den'

Throughout its history, 'SNL' has gladly hired -- and successfully written skits about -- the weight of burly male comedians on the show. Jim Belushi was often the "big guy," and late actor Chris Farley's weight was more often the punchline than not. His epic Chippendales dance-off with Patrick Swayze was purely fat-guy-and-buff-guy comedy, but could you picture (or would 'SNL' ever dare) a skit with Megan Fox (set to host on Sept. 26) in a bikini contest with a heavier woman like Wilson? Probably not.

Casablancas is quick to point out that Wilson was "pretty much the only female castmember the show's had in years who wasn't a size 6 or smaller (a pregnant Amy Poehler notwithstanding)."

'SNL' often uses its off-season to trim talent and hire newcomers as replacements. Wilson had never established herself as a fixture on the show, never landing a stand-out character like Kristen Wiig or Amy Poehler have before her. So, the debate rages as to whether it was her lack of weight on the show or what the show thought was a surplus of weight on her body that got her fired.

There hasn't been a comment from 'SNL' on the weight claims.

Comments

(133)

Thursday 10 September

By H

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You are only as good as the parts you get...And just because she is a normal sized woman on TV in a major show it was quite clear from the beginning in how she was mishandled by the head of SNL and all it's writers...Unlike the funny jolly roly poly men that SNL approved of who's talent was limited to yell, jump around, roll over, and scream their lines to top of the heap at SNL...IMO. the ones who need to be fired from SNL is the head pigmaster himslef and his bigoted writers...Oh, and by the way, if you can't write a 3 to 5 minute skit for a normal sized person...Then you are not much of a creative writer to begin with.

By h

Actually it is a size 12...Ya see, years ago...There was no size minus zero, zero, sero plus and onto to one, two, etc...It was 1/2 3/4 5/6 7/8 9/10 11/12 13/14 15/16 17/18 19/20 21/22 23/24...It's the fashion industry that has d-i-c-k-e-d us around all these years...And if any one women has the ovaries to not take it any longer...Go find a good seamtress...Yes, a seamtress who will make the clothing fit you...And then, you won't have to struggle, worry and fret that you are the one who does not fit the design.

By Dan

I have never found myself laughing at anything dratch or wiig have done on the show and would prefer if they were both replaced, even if they felt wilson was overweight she was always used as the good looking wife or gf. I rather put up with that then the one dimensional wiig doing basically the same character on everything on and off the show

By IAN

BRING BACK JANE CURTAIN AND GILDA AND THE REST OF THE OLD CREW,DIDN'T SEE MUCH OF SNL LAST SEASON BUT I WILL SAY THIS,CASEY IS A FOX,IF THEY WROTE BETTER SKITS FOR HER SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN FUNNIER BUT I'LL ALWAYS BE A FAN OF SNL.

If you can't write a 3 to 5 minute TV skit for a normal sized person...Then you are not much of a creative writer to begin with.

By Evelyn

She is so cute and was funny on the show too. I was shocked to hear they were letting her go. One of my favorite skits has her, the other girl that got fired, Amy and Kristen on as singing sisters on a show that's Linkletter-esque... and Kristen's sister character is - um - challenged. It's hilarious! They were all equally funny in it. I just don't think she was given a true chance.

Friday 11 September

By lissakuuipo619

That sucks!

She's funny! I thought she was a very refreshing sight to see on SNL and it was a forward move on SNL's part. It's too bad that SNL had to take two steps back.

By nytony748

MAN, WHAT A DOUBLE STANDARD.
SNL ALWAYS HAD FAT, CHUBBY OR OVERWEIGHT MALES ON THE SHOW AND THEY NEVER GOT FIRED.
FU SNL!

By Daniel

Casey Wilson was fired because she was simply not funny. SNL wouldnt have hired her in the first place if her weight was an issue. Casey was given many opportunities, and didn't do well with any of them

By dizzle

She got canned because she wasn't funny.
The rest of the female cast was better than her in every single sketch. Her cougar impression was weak. Her singing was terrible. She always looked like she was trying too hard. I watched every episode last season, and I can't remember one sketch in which she stood out in a year full of them.

By Jasmine

Oh Please, Ellen DeGeneres on American idol? No way will I watch that DYKE... She is nasty and by far, not funny at all. American Idol is grasping for straws to bring in more celebrities to replace Paula and they will not find another Paula,,, I looked on the internet the other day to see what the panel of judges looked like and Randy Jackson was also missing. Did Simon get rid of him too? I did hear something funny last night about Randy Jackson, I heard he looks like the chef from South Park,,,LOl that was way too funny.... he hehe he

By E

SNL - Really surprised if Loren Michaels did the firing. It does however REEK of that pompous powder-puff Seth who does the news. That guy is so gay, and obviously hates women but his brother is EVEN more gay (if possible). Maybe SNL has room for Ellen??? Hey, she's thin - real thin!

NOW - regarding Ellen...she is a SELLOUT for hijacking Paula's job. Ellen knows nothing about music, and besides...she is 52 years old! Jeez - why don't you just replace Paula with Tony Bennett or Clive Davis...What a way to ruin a show. Idol was unfair to Adam Lambert just because he is gay, and putting Ellen on the show as the "token gay" will only make people not watch. Simon and Simon - you've ruined the show.

Both shows have jumped the shark and turned a corner where they can't come back...and both shows are being run by pompous morons who don't have a clue.

Wednesday 07 October

By kevin

Rodney Bluffington,

If your going to bad mouth anybody for something wrong or different about them, then you should start with yourself. Get a hint and learn to speak correctly and not like some first grade drop out. Here's a clue for you ... wanna and outta are NOT words you idiot. Now you look like and sound like an ass.

Saturday 12 September

By alias

I think that John, Horatio & Chris, the fat guys were NOT, NOT, NOT, funny. In fact they were some of my least favorites. Belushi had a couple of good sketches, but also some over done terrible ones. The other two are not funny at all. Roseanne Barr is and always was funny.

By Phil Forys

I've been wrong before, but this does not seem like a good fit. I think of Ellen a great comedian but I am not looking for laughs when I watch Idol. There is obvoius talent in what she does and I'm sure she knows what it takes to make it in the buisness. I think most viewers will look for a serious critque from the judges and the network will want light heated humor. This could take away some of the creditability from the progam. Regardless, still a very good program. Ellen, prove me wrong as I will still watch.
Phil

By james

I have noticed that SNL doesn't have any plus sized women on their shows. In the case of Casey Wilson, I felt even though she was a overweight she was still sexy. She is very beautiful and should not be fired for this reason. Sometimes, curvy can be sexy and hot.

By Desireesol

SNL hasn't been funny in years, so who cares whether one particular cast member is funny or not? Blame the writers as much as anyone else. And the fact that she was told to lose weight is in and of itself proof that the show's producers (or the network or somebody) are definitely sizeist - and sexist, since only a woman was told to lose weight (as far as we know)! Men get to be fat, but not women - sexism!

By ads9935

I think she is a very attractive woman. But I haven't watched SNL since before Eddie Murphy left.

By Chris Connolly

That's okay. She wasn't funny anyway. It won't be a big loss to the show, but then again if you get rid of the whole cast, it won't be a loss to the show. The show has become such a liability to the channel 4.

By Lakergregg

Hey, that have that non funny fat black guy.
Can't they have the heavy white chick play Whoopie?
Now that'd be funny.

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