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TLC shows are a guilty pleasure of mine. I watch things like Little People, Big World and the variety of specials they come up with (my favorite is I Didn’t Know I Was Pregnant). They seem to specialize in trying to educate their viewers about the personal standpoints of people from diverse backgrounds (health 
problems, religions, large families, etc…). I use “educate” loosely since sometimes they seem more exploitative than informational.
I’m not surprised that they are producing a six-episode series chronicling the lives of a morbidly obese family which is tentatively titled One Big Happy Family.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the show’s creator, Mike Duffy, chose to develop the series because of his own family’s struggles. He said: "Growing up, we had a problem with obesity, and I know how it feels to be fat… High school is hard enough to deal with — imagine what it would be like to be morbidly obese. This is a very loving family. They are dedicated to losing the weight because they communicate as well as love each other so much."
Duffy says that he was inspired by the astonishing 200 pounds that his father managed to lose at 60 years old. That’s really incredible. He’s also quick to point out that this is not a game show so the family’s motivation to lose weight is genuinely for their health. I’m really looking forward to it. I never had a weight problem until I had some serious health problems after I had children. It’s very, very hard to lose weight and the reasons for obesity can range from an eating disorder to the side effects of medication. There are so many causes for it and I hope this opens the eyes of people who do not understand how difficult it is.
image: TLC.com
