Zainab is married though and is not "ignored" or condascended down to like Heather is just because she's large!.....as she's married with kids and so is supposedly seen as normal and respected in some ways because of it, likewise large Pat (history wise). Because Heather's never been married and is still single at 43 (and is likely to remain so for the rest of her screen life) and only had a child by complete default, then she is felt sorry for and overlooked.......that's just the way this cruel society we live in automatically operates I'm afraid. It must be terribly frustrating to be like Heather to hazard an empathetic guess.....!
Steve's just an average looking UK guy in his 50s, basically a slightly overweight 50 something! It's ok for now but he'll have start watching his weight when he gets into his 60s if he wants to live til a ripe old age.....:)
Steve's just an average looking UK guy in his 50s, basically a slightly overweight 50 something! It's ok for now but he'll have start watching his weight when he gets into his 60s if he wants to live til a ripe old age.....:)
lol i dont think he's over weight. adam w is fatter than him!
Zainab is married though and is not "ignored" or condascended down to like Heather is just because she's large!.....as she's married with kids and so is supposedly seen as normal and respected in some ways because of it, likewise large Pat (history wise). Because Heather's never been married and is still single at 43 (and is likely to remain so for the rest of her screen life) and only had a child by complete default, then she is felt sorry for and overlooked.......that's just the way this cruel society we live in automatically operates I'm afraid. It must be terribly frustrating to be like Heather to hazard an empathetic guess.....!
Exactly why I feel sorry for Heather - I think many of us should be grateful we are not like her. Heather has got major issues and she won't be able to fix a lot of them. You can't undo decades of being emotionally stunted. It's difficult to turn your life around when you've almost nothing going for you.
She's an absolutely appalling character who does nothing but reinforce horrible stereotypes about fat people and encourage us all to point and laugh at them. Her 'plights' don't incite empathy in me, she's such a pathetic character that there really is nothing there to hang on to that's positive - she's there as a comedy character, a figure of fun so ridiculous and riddled with stupid 'hilarious' characteristics and quirks (love of cheese, George Michael, that bleedin' yogurt lid...) that she doesn't in any way seem real. So, when the writers give her an equally ridiculous attempt at any kind of drama it falls flat because suddenly her patheticness is supposed to be tragic rather than funny. I'm sorry EE, but you can't have it both ways, and when you try to it creates a character that reinforces the tired old cliche of overweight people being thick, pathetic lonely people who have no one but themselves to blame for their situation and who are there to be laughed at and pitied. Nice.
I'm really surprised there isn't more uproar about her. I can just imagine any shy chubby little girls in schools being called Heather as a horrible nickname.
But then again she always forgave Nick when he stole from her.
I'd love to see how Heather would cope if she lost another job.
That's her son. A stranger who she barely knew three years ago is very welcome to steal from the elderly and slap a poor woman across the face. :rolleyes:
I must admit that Steve has really lost a lot of weight since a decade ago. I think it was the break he took from 2003-2005 that let him focus more on his weight.
She's an absolutely appalling character who does nothing but reinforce horrible stereotypes about fat people and encourage us all to point and laugh at them. Her 'plights' don't incite empathy in me, she's such a pathetic character that there really is nothing there to hang on to that's positive - she's there as a comedy character, a figure of fun so ridiculous and riddled with stupid 'hilarious' characteristics and quirks (love of cheese, George Michael, that bleedin' yogurt lid...) that she doesn't in any way seem real. So, when the writers give her an equally ridiculous attempt at any kind of drama it falls flat because suddenly her patheticness is supposed to be tragic rather than funny. I'm sorry EE, but you can't have it both ways, and when you try to it creates a character that reinforces the tired old cliche of overweight people being thick, pathetic lonely people who have no one but themselves to blame for their situation and who are there to be laughed at and pitied. Nice.
^^This
I've met several people over the years who have had similar issues to Heather or who have been very lonely. I have one very good friend who got into a relationship with a guy over the internet because she had enormous self esteem issues. BUT...........she wasn't overweight, didn't look odd in any way nor act like a 5 year old who'd just had her legs slapped.
Heather would have had far more impact on me personally as a character if she had not been the stereotypical fat bird who lived at home with her harridan mother till she was 40. I would have felt more sympathy and warmed to her.
As it is, I go put the kettle on when she comes on, or the loo. I actually think this could be down to the actress as much as the scriptwriters. Bring in that man on his donkey from the hills of Morocco, it might provide an income for the actress' new bloke......
Heather has a young son who loves her, a large social circle of mostly affable neighbours, and at least two very good friends, one of whom she lives with. I think in real life we would have seen some recognition of these social connections by now. Seeing Heather wallowing in self pity, listening to George Michael, throwing tantrums and generally acting like a child is all fine, I accept the oppresive life she led before moving to Walford had made her like this. I guess all I wanted to see was one small scene with her holding her son and saying "Oh well George, I've always got you though, ay" Just some small acknowledgement that her character was developing and growing as it should. This would make me like her a lot more.
I agree with you tands, Heather has a lot going for her, she now seems to have no money worries, she lives with her best friend, who else on AS has such a long standing friend for a start and she has a beautiful baby boy. We had all the rubbish of how she couldn`t live with out |George and once she got him back she ignores him and wants a man.
The problem I have always had with Heather is not that she is fat it is is that she is so unattractive,
there are quite few fat actresses who are very sexy take the actress who plays Nessa in Gavin and Stacey, saw a bit of a repeat programme the other night and although it was two fat people
it was a very sexy scene between Nessa ans Smithy.
Heather just isn`t attractive like that.
Why on earth don`t they have her making an effort with George and also stop the scenes of her stuffing her face.
It's the actress I feel most sorry for, she is obviously not like her character - as I doubt Heather would be able to remember lines! But some people don't seem to be able to grasp the concept that it is a programme and not real life, I would imagine she is taunted in real life for the character she portrays, and now is most likely to be typecast should she decide to leave Eastenders or they axe her character.
I wish they would develop the character more, a bit more of a back story or a slow change into someone with more respect and not a laughing stock - it's not like they haven't done personality transplants on characters before! :rolleyes:
It's the actress I feel most sorry for, she is obviously not like her character - as I doubt Heather would be able to remember lines! But some people don't seem to be able to grasp the concept that it is a programme and not real life, I would imagine she is taunted in real life for the character she portrays, and now is most likely to be typecast should she decide to leave Eastenders or they axe her character.
What's wrong with getting heated about a TV program? Just because it's not real life story doesn't mean that the soap character's personality can't evoke different responses from people.
Anyway, what makes you think Cheryl is that different to Heather?
Heather: single mum, had a child with someone half her age.
Cheryl: ditto
Heather: obese yet does nothing about it, ignoring her responsibilities to keep healthy for the sake of her child
Cheryl: ditto
Heather: showed naiveness by falling for people like Darren and an imaginary internet figure
Cherul: dating Moroccan goat herder that claims he doesn't want to move to Britain...whatever...
I'm not having a go at Cheryl, just pointing out that character Heather isn't that unrealistic...we all see plenty of people like her out there in the real world which makes her on-screen ulter ego even more annoying - because it resembles many people we see in our lives.
What's wrong with getting heated about a TV program? Just because it's not real life story doesn't mean that the soap character's personality can't evoke different responses from people.
Anyway, what makes you think Cheryl is that different to Heather?
Heather: single mum, had a child with someone half her age.
Cheryl: ditto
Heather: obese yet does nothing about it, ignoring her responsibilities to keep healthy for the sake of her child
Cheryl: ditto
Heather: showed naiveness by falling for people like Darren and an imaginary internet figure
Cherul: dating Moroccan goat herder that claims he doesn't want to move to Britain...whatever...
I'm not having a go at Cheryl, just pointing out that character Heather isn't that unrealistic...we all see plenty of people like her out there in the real world which makes her on-screen ulter ego even more annoying - because it resembles many people we see in our lives.
I meant people in the street who abuse actors and actresses when they don't like their character, there is nothing wrong in getting heated about it, I do too, but I simply meant people whe don't understand they are acting and not real
I meant people in the street who abuse actors and actresses when they don't like their character, there is nothing wrong in getting heated about it, I do too, but I simply meant people whe don't understand they are acting and not real
I don't think anyone should ever be abused as a result of a TV character they play, but if it genuinely is impacting Cheryl's life, I'm sure she would have quit. She has a 10 year old son who might possibly be teased in real life for the character his mum portrays, so for his sake if nothing else, she should depart EE and stop humiliating herself by allowing the producers to make her act like a 2 year old.
I doubt she enjoys playing the role of Heather,so the most likely alternative is that Cheryl would struggle to find work elsewhere, and actors are hanging onto anything they can get these days.
I don't think anyone should ever be abused as a result of a TV character they play, but if it genuinely is impacting Cheryl's life, I'm sure she would have quit. She has a 10 year old son who might possibly be teased in real life for the character his mum portrays, so for his sake if nothing else, she should depart EE and stop humiliating herself by allowing the producers to make her act like a 2 year old.
I doubt she enjoys playing the role of Heather,so the most likely alternative is that Cheryl would struggle to find work elsewhere, and actors are hanging onto anything they can get these days.
Ok that is pretty much what I meant just put a little more eloquently!
Comments
until recently phil was massive yet never ignored.
no he wasnt! jeez steve had to loose a lot of weight for the drugs storyline!
lol i dont think he's over weight. adam w is fatter than him!
Adam W (Ian) is 10 years behind Phil in the sense that he'll have to start watching his weight in his 50s instead....!
Exactly why I feel sorry for Heather - I think many of us should be grateful we are not like her. Heather has got major issues and she won't be able to fix a lot of them. You can't undo decades of being emotionally stunted. It's difficult to turn your life around when you've almost nothing going for you.
I still think she's a terrible character though.
I'm really surprised there isn't more uproar about her. I can just imagine any shy chubby little girls in schools being called Heather as a horrible nickname.
That's her son. A stranger who she barely knew three years ago is very welcome to steal from the elderly and slap a poor woman across the face. :rolleyes:
^^This
I've met several people over the years who have had similar issues to Heather or who have been very lonely. I have one very good friend who got into a relationship with a guy over the internet because she had enormous self esteem issues. BUT...........she wasn't overweight, didn't look odd in any way nor act like a 5 year old who'd just had her legs slapped.
Heather would have had far more impact on me personally as a character if she had not been the stereotypical fat bird who lived at home with her harridan mother till she was 40. I would have felt more sympathy and warmed to her.
As it is, I go put the kettle on when she comes on, or the loo. I actually think this could be down to the actress as much as the scriptwriters. Bring in that man on his donkey from the hills of Morocco, it might provide an income for the actress' new bloke......
The problem I have always had with Heather is not that she is fat it is is that she is so unattractive,
there are quite few fat actresses who are very sexy take the actress who plays Nessa in Gavin and Stacey, saw a bit of a repeat programme the other night and although it was two fat people
it was a very sexy scene between Nessa ans Smithy.
Heather just isn`t attractive like that.
Why on earth don`t they have her making an effort with George and also stop the scenes of her stuffing her face.
I wish they would develop the character more, a bit more of a back story or a slow change into someone with more respect and not a laughing stock - it's not like they haven't done personality transplants on characters before! :rolleyes:
What's wrong with getting heated about a TV program? Just because it's not real life story doesn't mean that the soap character's personality can't evoke different responses from people.
Anyway, what makes you think Cheryl is that different to Heather?
Heather: single mum, had a child with someone half her age.
Cheryl: ditto
Heather: obese yet does nothing about it, ignoring her responsibilities to keep healthy for the sake of her child
Cheryl: ditto
Heather: showed naiveness by falling for people like Darren and an imaginary internet figure
Cherul: dating Moroccan goat herder that claims he doesn't want to move to Britain...whatever...
I'm not having a go at Cheryl, just pointing out that character Heather isn't that unrealistic...we all see plenty of people like her out there in the real world which makes her on-screen ulter ego even more annoying - because it resembles many people we see in our lives.
I meant people in the street who abuse actors and actresses when they don't like their character, there is nothing wrong in getting heated about it, I do too, but I simply meant people whe don't understand they are acting and not real
If you found out he'd suddenly 'died' would you go into mourning?
I don't think anyone should ever be abused as a result of a TV character they play, but if it genuinely is impacting Cheryl's life, I'm sure she would have quit. She has a 10 year old son who might possibly be teased in real life for the character his mum portrays, so for his sake if nothing else, she should depart EE and stop humiliating herself by allowing the producers to make her act like a 2 year old.
I doubt she enjoys playing the role of Heather,so the most likely alternative is that Cheryl would struggle to find work elsewhere, and actors are hanging onto anything they can get these days.
Ok that is pretty much what I meant just put a little more eloquently!