[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhszZ53SEC8]

I ran across this old recording of an interview with Jim Morrison this week.  In this refreshingly frank discussion, Morrison asks, “what’s wrong with being fat”?  He recounts a time in college when he was at his heaviest.  And rather than describing that time as a auditory “before” picture, he relates how being bigger made him feel strong and substantial and powerful.  He doesn’t describe his extra weight as making him miserable in any way.  He simply talks, in a matter of fact way about the fact that his body was different and that it wasn’t really such a big deal.

It’s interesting to review this interview in the context of the current hysteria over weight.  Could or would Mr. Morrison have made that recording today?  Would his rock star status give him a pass in today’s society?  Or would he be part of a media storm shaming him for being a bad role model for kids around the world?  Would his conventional good looks and talent give him permission to promote the “freshman 15” or in this case the “freshman 40” or would he be silenced by voices who take profit and satisfaction from the promotion of “thin at any cost”?  Or is this recording only surfacing now because it simply couldn’t be released back in 1969?  Was it too unacceptable back then? Was it too controversial?  Or was it simply not titillating enough to be considered interesting back then?

I’m not entirely sure about all this.  In fact, I would love to hear your thoughts.  But one thing I do know for sure.  If you want approach body acceptance like a rock star, this is not such a bad example.

Love,

The Fat Chick