The Netflix series, billed as a dark revenge comedy, is about a
downtrodden, obese high schooler, Patty the Fatty, who suddenly
loses weight, gains popularity and sets out for payback.
An online petition ahead of its release on Friday had called for
the show to be canceled, claiming it appeared to promote the
narrative that women had to be thin in order to be successful
and happy, and that the show would encourage eating disorders.
Creator Lauren Gussis said the trailer "did exactly what it
needed to do by starting a conversation around the issues."
"There's a long history of satire bringing to the forefront
issues that need to be aired out and as a way to get to truths
that are uncomfortable, and so I'm hoping that that's what we're
doing," Gussis told Reuters Television at the red carpet
premiere in Los Angeles on Thursday.
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Actress Alyssa Milano said she welcomed the debate.
"I think actually it's good to have an opinion, and I think that
people are going to continue to have an opinion as they get further
and further into watching the show," she said.
However, the show has been slammed by television critics and has
only a 10 percent positive rating on review aggregator Rotten
Tomatoes.
The Hollywood Reporter called it "trite," "unfunny," and "a bloated
mess," while Vulture.com called it "an equal opportunity trainwreck"
replete with bad jokes about rape and pedophilia, and offensive
stereotypes of African-Americans, Christians, Southerners and gay
people.
(Reporting by Rollo Ross for Reuters Television, Editing by Rosalba
O'Brien)
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