One, they've been doing this for years, and two, it's reality television, what would you expect? It's not cruel, you think they don't know that they weigh 400 lbs?

The contestants don't think so -- who are we to judge.

I think once they were done they felt ok. I don't know if I could do that, it would be hard. I give them all credit, because it takes a strong person to do what they had to do. I support them all.

I think it was a stressful experience for the contestants, but I thought it was positive that the show talked about the public weigh-in as a showing of courage and a public statement of taking the first big step. It could have been traumatic and humiliating if it was presented in a different way. It must have made it especially hard for those people who went home right away though.

I think it was cruel and humiliating. How would any of us like to stand half naked in front of family and friends and stand on a scale, no matter what our weight?? It scares me when we start acting like overweight people don't deserve the same respect.

I don't believe this was cruel at all. We all see it so what is the difference. They all would have seen it eventually. I think it takes courage to be on the show at all because you know you will be out there for the whole world to see.

"...and a pair of twins who together weigh slightly less than a ton!" One wonders if Louise Barile knows that a ton is 2000 lbs.

ThePants

But, she actually said "less than half a ton" which is exactly right...

The contestants are being displayed on national television in a reality series that revolves around their WEIGHT. That's just as bad as them being made to weigh themselves in public. They CHOSE to come on the show--it's not like they didn't know what they were getting into. No one obligated them to do anything that they didn't sign up for. If anyone thinks that stunt was cruel, they are deluded.

Having lost over 175 pounds myself, I can empathize with these people. I understand the psycological aspect of being overweight, trying to lose weight, and trying to control what seems to be "biological" forces. That being said, once you finally decide to take drastic measures to improve yourself and your life expectancy, facing the facts is very important. Being able to be honest, to yourself and the world, is an important step / tool to assist with your motivational state. The feelings of shame and humiliation also can be drivers to keep one motivated, cruel as that sounds. Admitting where you are and what problems you have are half the battle...

We are all motivated by pain and pleasure. While incredibly difficult and my heart goes out to them, I believe they will look back in 3, 6, 12 months after rebuilding their lives and see it as a huge turning point. What an huge emotional blast to make a public declaration in a most venerable place to change their lives. It is the hiding of themselves that got them to this point. They, as well as everyone one else really knows what they looked like. However we think people don't. It is like the emperor and his new clothes. I lost 170lbs and know what hiding was all about. What would we all be like if we had to make public declarations about other parts of our lives that are not working. Marriage, family, school, work, business. It definitely would remove any blur from our intentions to make a statement "This is what I want to change in my life and am going to do it". TheDietMafiaHitman (dot)com

Being obese is a difficult and humiliating experience on its own. I do not see how forcing people that are already acutely aware of their size on a daily basis to strip down and weigh in in public, for what would seem to be purely voyeristic purposes, is helpful?! I am an avid fan of Biggest Loser, but to me, it seemed like this does not have the contestants' best interest at heart, more accurately, it appeared to be a pathetic media stunt.

What ever happened to compassion? Just because a person is overweight does not mean they have to be humiliated. Trust me when I say that when you are overweight you are perfectly aware of what you look like and it should not be fodder for primetime television. Why not treat these people with the respect any human deserves. I think it is disgusting and I for one will not be watching this show. It is perfectly acceptable in today's society to be prejudice against overweight people with out recrimination.

The show is made to change your life and inspire the nation. If you dont have to guts to be in front of your friends/family as they see you step up... then what motoivation do you have when Bob and Jillian are pushing you? We all know that no one 100% cares about the $250,000 as to getting in shape and feeling better then then have in God only know how long, Good for NBC to find a GREAT motivation tool. point proven. the twin sent home after week one lost 100 lbs. WHO DOSE THAT???? a motivated person thats who!!

The main two problems I have with the show "The Biggest Loser" is firstly the sly "Hollywood, beautiful people", inside-joke, wink at each other, tongue in check attitude that these people are not part of the "cool, hip, in" crowd and that they are thus "Losers" because of their weight and that only way their lives can have any meaning is for them to become the self-centered, narcissistic, "in" crowd. It is the same attitude illustrated in "Ugly Betty" and "Shallow Hal". Shallow Hal wasn't a story about "inner" or "real" beauty, it was a story about an ugly guy and his friend that gets what he deserves for hitting on "hard-body" women way out of his league. It is just another way for the "Hollywood" types to "make fun of the fat kid" and I refuse to watch.

The second problem is that it could be used as club to further abuse the obese, by showing that there is no excuse for to be morbidly over weight. All those contestants lose massive amounts of weight through proper diet and exercise. They learn portion control: eat one cookie, not the entire bag. It reinforces all the negative stereotypes of obese, of being lazy, over eating, and having no self-control/will-power. The truth is these contestants are carefully screened to make sure their weight isn't the result of medical conditions that would prevent proper eating and exercise from working. I know a guy that does triathlons and has a "beer gut" and a BMI of 26. I'm 6"2/235 and the BMI chart says I should be <168. I've been 168, when I was like 14 and had a 28 inch waist. I ate constantly, but I looked like something out of a Japanese WW II POW or Nazi concentration camp. That is supposed to be my "Normal" weight??? No thanks. The problem with a lot of the obesity research for what "Normal" weight is, is based on research conducted in Europe in the early 1950s and 60's. That would be like going to Somalia or Ethiopia or North Korea to get a sample base line for "normal" human height/weight today. It just wouldn't be a correct data sample. Look at Europe today. "Obesity" rates are rising there, just as in the US over the last few decades. Why? They are starving anymore. There is enough food and people have enough money to afford it.

I will get off the soap box now.

I don't see the big deal. Have you seen the show and what they wear on their weigh ins? If you are willing to bare your soul and your fat on t.v. for the chance of a big payout and a big weight loss, what is so different than what they did here?

Maybe if we were more honest with ourselves and others with our problems, we'd spend more time helping ourselves and others overcome them instead of hiding everything in shame.

Remember this is a CHOICE, the individuals do NOT have to be there. They do NOT have to be LARGE either, so they have to BE on this programme. It is CHOICE, so they made a choice to SIGN UP for whatever this telly programme designed. If they do NOT like it, then leave. Good for them for wanting to alter their lifestyle, and good luck, though. The Trainers are good people to take on these tasks each time, though paid to do so of course, but still good to each person.

The humiliation is a motovating factor in the contestants losing mega amounts of weight in an unrealisticly rapid manner. After the show, many of them will either gain it all back plus more, or become bullimic/aneroxic to avoid future humiliation. What you all don't think about is how truely unhealthy this is for these people whose systems have already been so abused by obesity. Sooner or later, one of them is going to die from complications & you all will be saying what a terrible show it was, etc...

I agree with a lot of what has already been expressed above. It is tough being overweight. Even though I have not been overweight my whole life, I have struggled as I got into my 40s (and now approaching 50). But the show is about "going public" with weight, so if they can do it on national TV, why not in front of their hometown audience. No difference in my opinion. I also agree with the poster who said that the show emphasizes the totally irresponsible notion that you are only beautiful if you are thin and in shape. People come in all shapes and sizes and we are all beautiful. Has anyone looked at how the biggest losers fair after they are off the show. A lot of them gain the weight back. Its just not a realistic environment for losing and keeping weight off. Just another Hollywood reality show in mhy opinion designed to promote the two trainers. That Jillian gal is EVERYWHERE now. Duh I wonder why.

The only cruel thing about this show is that - despite Bob and Jillian - it makes losing massive amounts of weight in a short period of time look relatively easy. I think it's great that people are inspired to try to lose weight because of the show, but often, when they don't lose 13 pounds in one week, they get discouraged and quit. Reality is that healthy weight loss (for someone who is not under constant medical care like the contestants are) is .5 to 2 pounds a week. Real people aren't working out 8 hours a day, either. There also isn't enough follow-up with previous contestants to show you that a lot of them look great for a few months, but when they lose weight rapidly and through a non-sustainable program (one that doesn't work in their real lives), they gain some (sometimes A LOT) back. That's the only cruelty I see in this show.