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May 24, 2012

Why does "Old Christine" keep saying she's fat?

by Joel Keller, posted Mar 28th 2006 4:15PM

Does I am really, really, REALLY trying to like Julia Louis-Dreyfus' new show, The New Adventures of Old Christine. The show does provide some good laughs, and the developing relationship between Christine and Burton is looking interesting (although it does seem like she's found him a little on the early side). Even the relationship between Christine and her ex Richard looks like it might be fertile ground to explore. If the writers can stay away from the dumb sitcomy jokes and develop the supporting characters -- the show really sags when Julia's off-screen -- they may have something there.

But what the writers really need to do is stop having Christine say she's "old and fat", or make jokes about her expanding rear end or how she's so much fatter than "New Christine" (Anna seems to agree with me; check the first paragraph of her latest review). I mean, really, have the writers ever taken a look at Julia? She's in fantastic shape for a woman of any age, much less one who's in her mid-forties and has had two kids (Julia, I mean, not Christine). The costume designer seems to get it; the clothes Julia wears on the show are far more form-fitting and revealing than anything she wore ten years ago on Seinfeld, and it all looks great on her.

So why do the writers persist with the fat jokes? Doesn't that play up to every stereotype of how women see their bodies? Can't they go away from the cliché just once and show a divorceé who thinks she's sexy? Wouldn't that make the show better? Let me know in the comments.

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C_homier

I think The New Adventures Of Old Christine Sucks.
I think they should either cancel this show or take it off
the Monday night lineup.

February 07 2008 at 7:25 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Leslie Milosevich

This is very odd. I've watched every episode of the show and oddly I've never even noticed her complaining about her weight. I find the dialogue very funny and hope the relationships grow into themselves. JLD looks fantastic and if she's a little self-depracating who cares, most woman are and I think that's part of the charm of the show. One "forty-something" woman's opinion.

March 31 2006 at 6:49 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mary

I like the new show. I missed it this week! Darn. I thought the bikini wax jokes were very funny last week. An arrow pointing . . . . f u n n y

March 31 2006 at 2:03 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
mary

I like the new show. I missed it this week! Darn. I thought the bikini wax jokes were very funny last week. An arrow pointing . . . . f u n n y

March 31 2006 at 2:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ErricZ

Oh yeah, Julia's pretty darn hot too. :)

March 29 2006 at 3:33 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ErricZ

Gotta keep the kiddies buying glam mags that talk down to them and pretend that fashion is the be-all-end-all of life. The need to perpetuate low esteem in all of society is pretty sad, why expect any better from a TV show?

March 29 2006 at 3:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Moe

Being fat, I tend to notice and get annoyed with fat jokes. I have to admit I've been laughing too much to even notice "Old" Christine's insecurities about her weight.

I agree she looks fantastic. Seinfeld really kept her covered up, even her other defunct series did. I was surprised by her peek-a-boo dress the other night. Not because I'm a prude but because I've never seen so much of her.

Anyway, I wanted to agree, yes writers need to come up with other material than "fat jokes".

March 29 2006 at 9:04 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Guido

Don't you think it's written this way because "old" christine has low self esteem?

The point of the show is that she isn't fat or ugly.. but that she thinks she is because her ex has found somebody younger, and in her eyes sexier.

I like the show so far...

March 29 2006 at 8:25 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Costanza

I really want to like this show, but the "woe is me" crap is getting old. AND SOMEONE DO SOMETHING WITH HER HAIR!!!

March 28 2006 at 7:25 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Morgan at Spot Cost

Holy moly I'm an idiot, "their" should have been "they're" and "your", "you're". My own pet peeves immortalized.

March 28 2006 at 7:18 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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