Ruby

ChefAshley · Ruby Post #1 (**permalink**) November 13th, 2008, 08:21 PM

Did anyone else see the show Ruby on the style network tonight?? I caught the last 15 minutes or so and think its going to be a good show.

maleficent · Ruby Post #2 (**permalink**) November 14th, 2008, 04:34 AM

Had to google...

Style Network's 'Ruby' reveals more flash than form -- chicagotribune.com

Quote:

Style Network's 'Ruby' reveals more flash than form

By Robert Lloyd
HOLLYWOOD—The Style Network is not the first place you would think to look for a reality series about a 500-pound woman. But here is "Ruby" (7 p.m., Sunday), which joins the home of "Fashion Police," "Dress My Nest" and "How Do I Look?".

Ruby Gettinger lives in the photogenic city of Savannah, Ga.; she is pretty and lively and cannot cross her legs or paint her toenails. She dreams of taking a bubble bath, riding a horse, sitting on someone's lap. She has weighed as much as 700 pounds, which does not sound possible, and looks back nostalgically at 350. She is surrounded by people who love her but cannot resist allowing her the Southern cooking she craves and which is killing her. Sometimes they are the ones to cook it.

"You want to help her," says childhood friend and roommate Jeff, "but you always want her to be happy."

"I'm always taking the easy road, the quick fix," admits Ruby.

As we meet her, she is about to get a life-or-death sentence from her doctor—who describes her as "a metabolic time bomb"—and decides to seriously tackle her weight. On one level, we are here to see whether Ruby can get down to the 150 pounds it's suggested her frame is made to hold. It's the same thing that propels "The Biggest Loser" and other weight-loss shows—the unlocking of the princess from her prison.

"It's not a childhood dream that I dream: Oh, let me be the biggest woman in the whole wide world," she says.

At the same time, we are here to get to know Ruby better, as she gets to know herself better. Indeed, the second episode has relatively little to do with her weight-loss program and much to do with the return of an old, buff boyfriend. (Weighing 500 pounds is an impediment to many things, but it does not stop her from riding on the back of a Harley-Davidson.)

She is good-humored and good company, although one would guess that she's less well-adjusted than she seems, and a visit to a psychiatrist hints at yet-to-be-explored repressed childhood trauma. Similarly, when Ruby's nephew Jim says he lives with his aunt because his parents "got a cat" to which he's allergic, I mean, one would have to think there's more to that story.

It's not the most compelling reality show ever—apart from the old boyfriend, whom she at least claims to be over, there is relatively little personal drama surrounding Ruby. But it's a sweet portrait of supportive friendship and embodies, in a way that's hard to miss, struggles we all have—and there is nothing bad to say about that.

Yeah - doesn't sound very interesting...

What's the point behind the show? especially on the style network?

Bigguy · Ruby Post #3 (**permalink**) November 14th, 2008, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maleficent

What's the point behind the show?

That was my thought exactly when I saw previews for it.
I am actually getting tired of shows like this where we are supposed to feel for the main person just because they are different in some way.

I really dont know why someone would want to watch the journey of an extremely obese person. I know I dont and hence will not watch it.

San · Ruby Post #4 (**permalink**) November 14th, 2008, 05:43 AM

There was something similar on over here a while back, about a 450 lbs woman....who claimed that she wasn't over eating, and was all teary about how she is trying everything and just can't lose weight. Her son was caring for her, even wiping her butt and giving her baths, and he was over 350 lbs as well. She claimed it was all horrible, and she wanted to change, and wanted help, yadda, yadda....

After about 15 minutes they showed her day, and it was revealed that her breakfast consisted of about 8 or 9 Mars Bars and a full bottle of coke, followed by eating anything under the sun, and stuffing her son as well, only to follow it up with a tearful 'I don't know why I can't lose weight' tirade. At that point I was screaming at the telly, and after a heart felt 'If you wanna lose weight, stop eating like a pig you stupid cow!', I turned the tele off. Shows like that are stupid, and if they expect me to feel sorry for any of them, that won't happen. I was nearly 400 lbs myself, and I know that if you want to lose weight, and are willing to make changes and work hard for it, you'll lose it. Simple as that. No point in sitting here and watching shows in which somebody like that is made ut as the poor victim of bad circumstances, and then get them a free gastric bypass operation. That just makes me wanna hurl stuff at the tele!

Bigguy · Ruby Post #5 (**permalink**) November 14th, 2008, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by San

There was something similar on over here a while back, about a 450 lbs woman....who claimed that she wasn't over eating, and was all teary about how she is trying everything and just can't lose weight. Her son was caring for her, even wiping her butt and giving her baths, and he was over 350 lbs as well. She claimed it was all horrible, and she wanted to change, and wanted help, yadda, yadda....

See, this is what drives me nuts about these shows. All of these people simply do not get it- and seem to not get it almost intentionally. I am sorry, 99 times out of 100 if you are 450 lbs it is not because of any reason other than you eat too damn much and do not exercise. Bottom line. When I was huge I knew damn well why I was.

Quote:

Originally Posted by San

After about 15 minutes they showed her day, and it was revealed that her breakfast consisted of about 8 or 9 Mars Bars and a full bottle of coke, followed by eating anything under the sun, and stuffing her son as well, only to follow it up with a tearful 'I don't know why I can't lose weight' tirade. At that point I was screaming at the telly, and after a heart felt 'If you wanna lose weight, stop eating like a pig you stupid cow!', I turned the tele off. Shows like that are stupid, and if they expect me to feel sorry for any of them, that won't happen. I was nearly 400 lbs myself, and I know that if you want to lose weight, and are willing to make changes and work hard for it, you'll lose it. Simple as that. No point in sitting here and watching shows in which somebody like that is made ut as the poor victim of bad circumstances, and then get them a free gastric bypass operation. That just makes me wanna hurl stuff at the tele!

That all being said- and I agree with a portion of it- I am still drawn to the shows on discovery health the same way that people stop to look at a car wreck on the highway. I am honestly amazed sometimes by the ignorance of some people. They do nto seem to get it. The hypocritical part of this was that I would sit and watch these shows while eating a 5 double cheesburgers....

San · Ruby Post #6 (**permalink**) November 14th, 2008, 06:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigguy

That all being said- and I agree with a portion of it- I am still drawn to the shows on discovery health the same way that people stop to look at a car wreck on the highway. I am honestly amazed sometimes by the ignorance of some people. They do nto seem to get it. The hypocritical part of this was that I would sit and watch these shows while eating a 5 double cheesburgers....

Sadly, I used to do the same thing. Sat there and thought 'Well, she's much worse than I am, I'll never get THAT fat', while inhaling yet another bar of chocolate. Fortunately that's in the past, and that's why I think I have the right to rant and rave at stuff like that. I was exactly the same, and I managed to do the same, so why they hell can't they? And why are they on tele, and I am not, even though I am doing much better than they are in the weight loss department??? Not fair! *pout*

Bigguy · Ruby Post #7 (**permalink**) November 14th, 2008, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by San

And why are they on tele, and I am not, even though I am doing much better than they are in the weight loss department??? Not fair! *pout*

I am n ot on TV because honestly the trials and tribulations of an achingly average fat man is just not that interesting.

Maybe if i whined more....
Nah- mal would just make a comment about that.

PaperAirPlanes · Ruby Post #8 (**permalink**) November 14th, 2008, 07:05 AM

I like watchin the shows on discovery health, where the doctors are kinda mean and they say things bluntly to the over weight people. I like watching them cause, I'm not sure, it interests me. Or the shows with teens, the teens whine and complain but ultimately learn "gee..I NEED to do this", I guess I like them cause they actually have to LEARN something and arn't babied.

But I was watchin the commercials for this Ruby one...n I dunno....they kinda made it all out to seem like Ruby was embracing being over weight but should still lose weight, yanno? Kinda like "let's hand everything to her, she can lose weight later" and thats what bothers me.

Bigguy · Ruby Post #9 (**permalink**) November 14th, 2008, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaperAirPlanes

they kinda made it all out to seem like Ruby was embracing being over weight but should still lose weight, yanno? Kinda like "let's hand everything to her, she can lose weight later" and thats what bothers me.

There you go!
Hit the nail on the head and articulated it better than I could.
That is exactly the issue I have with this show.

beautybunny · November 18th, 2008, 06:44 AM

I don't think I'll watch ruby. But I'm usually drawn to those weight loss shows on discovery health, but something like this I just can't embrace so easily. It sounds like she tired of being overweight and though she says she wants to change, the majority of the show (at least the portion that I saw) was based around her and some other guy that was interested in her since the 90's. He was urging her to lose the weight, and her response was "well why can't I have someone love me for being me" Which is reasonable enough, but I started to feel like I was watching another dating show. I can't stand dating reality television.

gingerbabe · December 10th, 2008, 09:05 PM

I watched the first few episodes and I really benefited from them. I seldom have time to watch television and don't generally know a great deal about any current or prevalent shows, but I'll without doubt catch the next few shows of 'Ruby'.

I agree that watching an obese person grumble about being heavy and not actually doing anything about it seems pointless. But, there's something about Ruby that makes me cheer for her. I do not doubt that she has put herself in this condition, but I can relate to her in some ways....Knowing what the right thing to do is, but not doing it in actuality. We all know we shouldn't eat cake and cookies, but we still do, even if we want to stop. Obviously her life is to the extreme, however I feel for her. If Ruby can overcome her obstacles, I have no excuse.

ChristyP · December 11th, 2008, 08:25 AM

I had to watch it. Ruby is a beautiful woman with a lovable personality... I hope she can get down to a weight that allows her to enjoy all of those things that she can't enjoy now.

gingerbabe · December 11th, 2008, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChristyP

I had to watch it. Ruby is a beautiful woman with a lovable personality... I hope she can get down to a weight that allows her to enjoy all of those things that she can't enjoy now.

I'm glad someone else agrees. I hope she succeeds.

missRN · December 12th, 2008, 12:07 PM

I like it. The show shows not only her struggle with her weight but how her weight effects every other aspect of her life (emotional and physical) Anyone who is or has been overweight knows the emotional struggle is harder than the physical struggle. It is hard to lose 300 lbs and it is hard to lose 15 lbs. It doesnt matter if you eat 15 jelly donuts for breakfast or 1, it's the habits and way of life that has to change, and I think that the show is trying to convey this.

Italiana_Lady · Ruby Post #15 (**permalink**) January 6th, 2009, 07:57 AM

I really liked this show as well because shes not just eating whatever she wants and whining about it, she is actually doing a lot to lose weight and it shows her struggle. Actually the show motivated me to excercise more. I saw her trying to walk on the treadmill and she really physically couldnt, she couldnt participate in an aerobics class, and I could tell that if she could, she would have done more and longer. so it gave me the push to do more than I had been doing. Sure it shows when she cheats, but most of the time she brings her healthy meals to the restraunts while her friends order their regular meals. I felt like, if she can do it and not give up, then so can I. I hope I can see her reach her goal, that would be amazing!

She does sometimes annoy me though bc she does whine sometimes lol but so does everyone at times.

Ruby

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