Mo'Nique Is 'Phat' Being Fat In 'Girlz' Movie

Mo'Nique stars in the April 2006 Fox Searchlight Pictures Film "Phat Girlz"

One of the great things about going to the movies these days is the fact that you get to see all of the movies coming out in the next few months in the same genre of the one you are going to see.

When I went to the theater last night with my wife Christine for our Valentine's date night to see "Big Momma's House 2" (VERY funny movie, by the way!) I saw a trailer for a new upcoming movie about a fat woman who only wants to be loved and accepted for who she is.

It's called "Phat Girlz" and stars the bombastic and paunchy Mo'Nique.

I recently blogged about how I think the new strategy in Hollywood is to reach the obese since they make up such a major segment of the population now and are getting bigger (in numbers and weight) every year. It makes sense to create films that will appeal to a "large" audience. And "Phat Girlz" appears to fit that mold perfectly.

But unlike the movie "Just Friends," which starred a rather good looking skinny actor as the lead "fat" character, "Phat Girlz" has the loud and proud Mo'Nique and all of her body out there front and center in open view for the viewers to see. Can't you hear Mo'Nique screaming, "You gotta problem with that?" LOL!

Congratulations goes to her for landing such a major role in a film and I hope this is only the beginning for her and other overweight actors and actresses. The blatant discrimination that overweight and obese actors have had to endure for generations may be finally turning a corner as society could be becoming more and more accepting of obesity than it once was. With 2 out of every 3 Americans currently classified as overweight or obese, this change in Hollywood's philosophy may have something to do with that.

But let's not take away from what Mo'Nique brings to the table in talent. She is a very funny lady who has been seen on "Showtime at the Apollo," HBO's "Def Comedy Jam," and most recently starring in the hit UPN series "The Parkers" for the past five years where she has been showered with numerous award nominations for her excellent comedic acting skills. Her comedy is in-your-face and not for the faint of heart. But that's just the way she likes it!

She even wrote a book entitled "Skinny Women Are Evil" which became an instant New York Times bestseller.


Mo'Nique doesn't hold back in her opinions about the skinny in her book

As you can see, Mo'Nique has been a very busy and accomplished lady. But what about this new movie of hers? Is "Phat Girlz" going to continue with the negative stereotypes of "fat" people? Or is this movie going to blaze new territory for larger actors and actresses everywhere?

That remains to be seen when the movie hits theaters April 7, 2006. From the trailer, it appears the movie is going to be a funny take on what life is like for someone who is overweight or obese. Plus-sized women unite because Mo'Nique is your guiding light to happiness in this new movie (or at least that's what the movie studio is hoping will happen!).


Mo'Nique's character Jazmin Biltmore chats with a health nut at the gym

From what I have read about the plot of the movie, Mo'Nique's character is a "smart-mouthed aspiring fashion designer" (gee, how much of a stretch was it for her to play this role as Mo'Nique is a sarcastic comedienne who has her own clothing line out now?!) who is frustrated with her weight because it has gotten in the way of her ability to find a romantic interest and general approval from the people around her. But the movie takes an interesting turn when she finally meets a man who thinks she's sexy and beautiful just the way she is.

Somehow I think this movie is going to appeal to people like this woman who wants us to just accept her because she likes being fat. And it should. You won't get an argument out of me that overweight and obese people should be treated just like everyone else because I know personally how hard it is being in that circumstance and wouldn't wish it on anyone.

But the good news is that weight loss is not an impossible task. However, people who need to lose weight need to stop lying to themselves denying they have a problem to begin with and instead they should start losing weight any way they can. That's what happened for me before I started livin' la vida low-carb in January 2004 tipping the scales at over 400 pounds. The time had come for me to get my weight under control and take my life back. And that's what I did.

"Phat Girlz" will undoubtedly be a very funny movie with a great message of acceptance for the obese. But whether society accepts obesity or not, that shouldn't give people who need to shed the pounds a reason to just throw their hands up in the air and give up hope for weight loss. Instead it should add fuel to their fire to finally DO SOMETHING about their weight for the sake of their own health as well as the well-being of those friends and family members who rely on them being around.

You can e-mail Mo'Nique about her new movie "Phat Girlz" by using this contact form on her web site!