Getting Waisted: America the Nation that Worships Fat
Author: Ascot Media Group, Inc.
Published: 2014/05/16 - Updated: 2021/07/18
Topic: Disability Publications - Publications List
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main
Synopsis: Since 66% of US adults are overweight, why aren't we a nation that worships plump? Getting Waisted: A Survival Guide to being Fat in a Society that Loves Thin by Monica Parker. Getting Waisted is a funny and inspirational look at life through society's fun-house mirror bridging the divide between serial-dieter's survival guide and memoir, it takes the reader on Parker's bumpy ride from chunky baby to chunky adult.
Introduction
Actor, writer and producer, Monica Parker, has struggled with weight issues practically since birth! Her latest book, GETTING WAISTED: A Survival Guide to BEING FAT in a Society That LOVES THIN is a hilarious anti-diet book that reminds us a few (or more) pounds do not change who we are - fun, sexy and desirable, even if we aren't Hollywood perfect!
Main Item
"My dear friend Monica Parker, the hilarious humorist, Mother Hen to me, Gilda Radner, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, John Candy - all of us when we started out in Toronto has written a book about truly finding yourself, being content with who you are and developing an enduring sense of self-esteem." - Dan Aykroyd
"I was born in Glasgow, Scotland. I weighed six and a half pounds. One hour later I weighed sixty-two pounds. Alright, maybe this is a slight exaggeration, but only about the time. My fat cells did start expanding at warp speed from the minute I exited the womb. I have no idea what was in that milk but I've been on a slippery slope ever since..."
And, so begins, GETTING WAISTED: A Survival Guide to BEING FAT in a Society That LOVES THIN (HCI - $15.95), the ultimate anti-diet book. It's a book that speaks to everyone who can identify with having struggled over and over to lose weight only to gain it back time after time. And, as is apparent by the opening line, it's funny.
There are so many hustlers promising the fastest fix to a better new us. "I listened and I drank their elixirs and I became tiny." What they didn't tell the author, Monica Parker, is that it wouldn't last! An actor, writer and producer, Monica's story is funny and painful but it's also inspirational. She considers herself the poster woman for turning lemons into chocolate. We are all flawed, chipped and dented; which doesn't mean we're also not interesting, vital and sexy. "We must celebrate who we are as our mental health depends on it."
Ultimately, GETTING WAISTED is a funny and inspirational look at life through society's fun-house mirror. Bridging the divide between serial-dieter's survival guide and memoir, it takes the reader on Parker's bumpy ride from chunky baby to chunky adult, where every mouthful arrives loaded with calories and anxiety. Insanity is added to the mix when she moves to Beverly Hills, a town filled with women all running in circles like dogs chasing their tails as they try to get back to their original birth weight of six-an-a-half-pounds: a place where being fat is considered a criminal offense.
Praise for GETTING WAISTED
Jillian Medoff, bestselling author of I Couldn't Love You More and Hunger Point:
"Funny, frank, and refreshingly honest, Getting Waisted is Monica Parker's audacious memoir about her lifelong love/hate relationship with her body. But this book isn't really about being fat; it's about being human, and every woman who has ever used food to sate an emotional emptiness, or longed for self-acceptance, should read it."
Katie Ford, writer/producer of the box-office smash, Miss Congeniality, and the renowned TV series, Desperate Housewives:
"I love Monica's humor, her honesty, and - better - her truth. That love letter to her unexpected boyfriend is something every woman will want to live. I love her compassionate, funny, sharp, beautiful, and romantic voice. It'll make so many women feel they are not alone."
David J. Pilon, Ph.D., 2012 president, Eating Disorders Association of Canada-Association des Troubles Alimentaire du Canada:
"Monica Parker brings a human - and funny - face to the body politic that dictates that happiness and acceptance derive only from a slim physique. She courageously mines her life experience, in and out of the public eye, not only exposing her vulnerabilities but also revealing her resilience and hard-won self-acceptance. Monica's story inspires and her message is truly off the scale."
Christie Andrus, M.A., president, The Human Factor:
"Monica Parker's work is outstanding. What she writes about mirrors the experience of many, and her capture of it is clever, poignant, and leaves her readers feeling like we belong. I've listened to the reaction of her audiences - it's as if she's been inside their heads. She says it as others have experienced it: all the silly, hurtful, and consuming monkey-talk we put ourselves through by not accepting who we are. Monica evokes a full spectrum of emotion: 'Did she really say that' 'Aren't we suppose to keep that to ourselves' 'I thought I was the only one who felt different/lesser/odd...' Thank you, Monica, for exposing our nutty ways through your humor and naked honesty. It inspires me, and others, to become more and more of who we really are meant to be."
Sarah Rafferty, actress, 'Donna Paulson' on USA Network's hit drama Suits:
"Thank God Monica Parker has turned her revelatory one-woman show into a hilarious memoir. At times both gob-smacking and inspiring, it's a story for any human who has struggled with 'fitting in' and gaining ever elusive self-acceptance and love."
Arlene Sarner, award-winning screenwriter/playwright/producer:
"Ever known a female worried about losing her virginity, bathing suits, and finding Prince Charming while battling body issues? Ever known a female who hasn't? Meet Monica Parker, the brilliant, witty, and perceptive woman who has gifted us with a hysterically funny, painfully honest, and outrageous true-life memoir of her life lived well and large. Getting Waisted leads us on Monica's raucously hilarious journey, from Scotland, to Toronto, and then to Beverly Hills - a fat girl growing into a fat woman, hungry for love and life while struggling with scores of diets tried and failed. But because Monica is a gifted writer, right up there in the Pantheon with Nora Ephron and Carrie Fisher, there's more than laughter here. This is ultimately a story, populated by a parade of incredible characters, about breaking free from societal stereotypes to embracing who you are, and living life on your own terms. Parker has done that with enormous charm, wit and humor, emerging as a happy and successful actress, writer, producer, and inspirational speaker living an extraordinary life - and with her Prince Charming at her side. She beat the odds, and after reading this wonderful book, I think I can too!"
Wendy Crewson, award-winning actress:
"Getting Waisted is funny as hell, and the good news is, it's not just for big girls. It's a welcome tonic for anyone who has ever looked in the mirror and felt insecure... hello skinny, flat-chested girls with cat-eye glasses! Her adventures through self-doubt and into the sunshine of self-love are full of sass and panache. She's a cheerleader of the 'don't let 'em get you down' school of survival, and the BFF we all want on the other end of the line. So let's have a piece of chocolate, reapply that red lipstick, and get out there and give 'em hell, girls! Life's a cake and Monica wants more. I'll have what she's having!"
Kerrie Keane, artistic director, White Buffalo Theatre Company:
"Play the hand you've been dealt. Heard it before? It's never rung so true as from this very funny, brutally honest voice. In Getting Waisted, Monica Parker shares 'the 101 humiliations it cost her to create the evolved woman' she's become. She finds a comedic take on most of those mortifying events, and chalks up the rest to the fire needed for the forge. Few of us escape the curse of comparison, especially with the media bombarding us with impossible standards of beauty and lifestyle, but Ms. Parker, in true Rabelaisian spirit, inspires us to get on with it, to accept and forgive. What an amusing kick in the ass!"
About the Author:
Monica Parker is an actor, writer, and producer in theatre, television, and film, most notably All Dogs Go to Heaven. She was born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland, until the age of thirteen when she immigrated with her parents to Toronto, Canada. Monica is currently starring in her insightful and funny one woman show, Sex, Pies & A Few White Lies, which premiered in 2010. Monica has just completed two features already under option, and has a recurring role on ScyFy's Defiance. Monica lives with her long-time husband and saint, Gilles.
GETTING WAISTED is a hilarious and heartfelt memoir, a rallying cry for women everywhere to trade the Spanx for self-acceptance.
Available wherever books are sold or to order directly from the publisher, contact: www.hcibooks.com or (800) 441-5569. GETTING WAISTED: A Survival Guide to BEING FAT in a Society That LOVES THIN by Monica Parker IBSN: 978-0-7573-1774-3 - $15.95
Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Ascot Media Group, Inc. and published on 2014/05/16, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, Ascot Media Group, Inc. can be contacted at hcibooks.com NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.