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What We Can Learn About The Fat-Shaming At Pentas Big Stage 2019


I am sure many of us in the local plus size community have heard about the fat-shaming comment guest judge Mark Adam made about Sherry Alhadad in front of maybe hundreds of thousands of people in the live audience, watching on TV or, like me, read it on the Internet through social media, not only in Malaysia but also Indonesia, Brunei, Thailand and South Korea.


Pentas Big Stage 2019 happened last night in Malaysia - which is a singing talent competition which contestants from different countries come to compete. As the night's hosts Alif Satar and Sherry Alhadad are standing with a Thailand contestant who is being given their feedback by the panel of judges, Mark Adam (a Philippino actor and singer, who was a guest judge) made a bad joke and body-shamed Sherry.


Mark: (to the participant) This opportunity is very big, you see... (then gesturing to Sherry)... even the host is big.

(crowd laughs)


(Sherry is speechless)

Alif Satar: Mark, you're right. She has big talent, bro.


***

This is high-level cringe at just how wrong and tasteless of a joke it is. I have so many opinions and feelings about it. Mark Adam have since posted an apology on social media, but this just shows that many are still tone-deaf to fat jokes and fat-shaming.

We at Mis Claire is so proud of Sherry and support her being a plus size talent in the local entertainment industry. She was looking so good last night (Min Luna is her stylist, ok?), like, bro, why you gotta be like that? Show some class.

We need more people, male or female, like Alif Satar. We should not laugh at jokes that degrade others and we should stand up and defend the shamed, like in this instance.

So what can we learn from this?

1. Be sensitive of your jokes. Think - will he or she feel ashamed if I say it?

2. Don't join in. The crowd laughing is so cringe - I would BOO!

3. Don't be like Mark - be like Alif. Stand up for what is right.

4. For plus size ladies - take note that fat-shaming is still very common, be strong and it is useful to have a few comebacks ready on-hand.

What do you ladies think? Rant below! Grr!

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