Truth in advertising, Alabama style

Arentcha tired of seeing ads for gyms, spas and weight-loss programmes that tell you it's possible for you (Fatso!) to look ripped, fit, tanned and beautiful, just like those 20-somethings in their ads, with hardly any effort, but at the cost of megabucks? Dontcha think it would be nic if somebody told you the truth: that fitness comes only if you work at it, and even then won't make you sex-toy handsome or beautiful?

Today, from Alabama, comes a report that someone has dared to tell that stone truth. The speaker of truth to blubber is Scott Campbell, a former AL state trooper, now the owner of Pell City Fitness, in Pell City AL (duh!). In front of his gym, he put up this very truthful sign.

As you might expect, Mr Campbell's sign has drawn a lot of attention, including that of the SJWs who get their hair on fire about "body-shaming". Somebody -- probably someone with a body mass index of about 40 -- reported Mr Campbell to city hall, who told him to take down the sign or face a $500 fine. Ah, the cost of telling the truth!

Mr Campbell defended the message behind the sign in a personal Facebook video. "I'm not mean-spirited at all," he said, with the sign as a backdrop. "This sign was a playful jab; it's supposed to be an attention-grabber. I love people, I care about people, and you know what, I don't care if you're ugly or not. I can help you get in shape and that's kind of the attitude of the sign. When I started working out, I was 300 pounds and had to find somebody who could relate to me and understand how to help me lose weight. So that's what I wanted to do here."

Walt hopes that Mr Campbell's business will expand, just like the waistlines of those for whom the truth hurts!

Warning! "Body-shaming" latest form of political incorrectness

For decades -- centuries, even -- "fat jokes" were staples in the routines of every comedian and comedian wannabe, right up there with mother-in-law jokes. Walt remembers one alleged comedian, Leonard Libitsky, who made fun of his own fatitude, calling himself "Fat Jack Leonard". In 1964 he did a record called "How to Lose Weight with Fat Jack". The premise was that fat people could change if they wanted to, for instance if they got tired of being the butt of "fat jokes".

Walt also remembers a regular bit on the Garry Moore Show in which Garry's sidekick Durward Kirby, in the role of Senator Claghorn, did a half-dozen or so fat jokes, along the lines of:
"She's so fat that the post office is going to give her her own zip code!"
"She's so fat that when she gets into the same elevator you're in, you'd better be going down!"
"She's so fat that when she takes off her girdle, you'd better stand back or you'll get flabbed to death!"
Badabing, badaboom!

And then there was Married with Children, in which Al Bundy constantly made fat jokes about and at the expense of large ladies who came into his shoe store. Here's a video mix.



Yes, there's a "skinny joke" in there too. And an ageist "ugly joke". Bad, bad Al! Bad, bad writers! And bad, bad audiences, to laugh at other people's "challenges". How lucky we are to live in the enlightened 21st century, when that type of low humour is forbidden.

That's right, folks. It's now politically incorrect to make mooing sounds as fat women in yoga pants waddle down the street. Why, that's "body-shaming", a type of "bullying" which you can expect to be added to the ever-lengthening list of behaviours prohibited by our ultra-PC human rights codes.

Nowadays, thanks to the suffocating political correctness spread over the land like a wet blanket by our lamestream media and politicians, everyone (except old, straight, religious white guys like us here at WWW) is entitled to the protection of the nanny state from any form of insult, offence or embarrassment. So the next time you see someone who looks as if she/he/it belongs on the People of Walmart website -- I've got that one bookmarked! -- keep your mouth shut. Don't say you weren't warned.

Note from Ed.: While looking for a picture to go with this post, I stumbled on a website called Girls In Yoga Pants. Some of you may find it of interest. Some may find it indecent. Whatever your opinion, please keep it to yourself. Don't risk the wrath of the PC police!