It's Just Abbey

It is very well know that reality tv is far from reality. It is a show full of perfectly cut clips and audio to create drama, villains and, more often than not, idiots. These shows are created to entertain and amuse.

But what about the inspirational reality shows? Specifically The Biggest Loser. A show based on family and friends competing to lose weight in a healthy manner and teaching everyone valuable lessons. Its something I enjoy, as a woman, because it goes against all of those trick diets and pills helping you drop unreal amounts of weight in mere days! In a culture of get rich and skinny quick, this show is refreshing with its lesson that hard work pays off it.

That being said, a recent article was published in Runners World by Brian D. Sabin, "The Truth Behind Loser's Race." The article reveals that Dane and Carli Patterson cheated to finish a marathon. Admittedly these two didn't cheat on their own free will but because they were pressured for the sake of good tv. They were offered a ride for a few miles to speed them up, and they took it. That stated, they still cheated in my book.

Lack of research before the marathon led the tv crew to believe there was a limited time in which they had to finish this race. So, near the end they packed the two "Losers" into a van and drove them closer to the finish. Why? Simply because they were worried that the finish line and all the fans would be gone. They had to have the perfect finish line photo.

Okay, seriously? You have two people running side by side with minimal marathon training and you expect them to finish in a rational time? You don't just run a marathon. Running 26+ miles is hard for even the most experienced runner. I was under the impression this show had experienced trainers to help these people lose weight. Is it possible that these "professional" trainers were not consulted or, in the more likely case, have no idea what they are doing and simply just make good television? What could the show's producers possibly have been thinking?

This part says it all:

"Dane said data from his heart-rate monitor told him he needed to slow down. The couple also stopped at every water station. At one, the TV crew asked the Pattersons to stop and talk about how the race was going. Temperatures climbed.

By the time Dane reached a water stop past mile 16, they’d fallen way off pace. He was exhausted, and a sub-six-hour finish was not going to happen. One of the producers proposed driving Dane and Carli up the road."

Running a marathon is hard work and it was hot in Arizona? Life is hard guys.

And that is the biggest problem. It is the thousands of excuses that are flying from everyone. From the producers pointing fingers when asked who changed their reported time from 5 hours to 3 (a completely unrealistic time for even the best runners) to the couple themselves saying that they just wanted to make people happy. Yeah. Everyone is really happy. You cheated and you lied.  And the kicker? Later the couple returned to the course and walked the 3 miles they got a ride for. How precious. Hey guys, I ran a collective 26.2 miles in seven days! I ran a marathon! I'm so proud of myself! Where is my medal?

After reading that article and seeing the clips cut together all the show wanted was the couple starting and the couple finishing. They wanted the banner and the fanfare. It is safe to assume the Patterson's could have run 10 feet collectively and still gotten a medal. Dane is quoted saying he will look at the medal as a 23 mile trophy. He just doesn't understand. That medal isn't placing. Its not even finishing. Its a "thanks for showing up you little scamp." Had anyone else pulled that stunt, they wouldn't get to keep the medal.

To sum up, the Biggest Loser has lived up to its name. It has sunk to a show going through the motions and thumbing their nose at things that take actual work. Congrats Biggest Loser, you are indeed the biggest losers.

Tune in next week on Project Runway when Heidi says a half finished skirt is FABULOUS!