Netflix defended its controversial upcoming TV show, 'Insatiable,' which has been accused of 'fat shaming'
- Netflix executive Cindy Holland defended the upcoming original series, "Insatiable," at the streamer's Television Critics Association presentation.
- "The creator [Lauren Gussis] felt very strongly about exploring these issues based on her own experiences, but satirically, in a very over the top way," Holland said.
- The show, in which a high school girl wires her mouth shut to lose weight, has been accused of "fat-shaming" and promoting eating disorders.
Netflix defended its controversial upcoming original series, "Insatiable," which has been accused of "fat-shaming" in the lead-up to its release.
At the streamer's Television Critics Association presentation, Netflix's original series VP Cindy Holland addressed the controversy, but stood behind the show.
"The creator [Lauren Gussis] felt very strongly about exploring these issues based on her own experiences, but satirically, in a very over the top way," Holland said, according to Deadline. "Ultimately, the message of the show is that what is most important is you feel most comfortable."
She said the issue of "fat shaming is in the DNA of the show." However, Holland also said that it was a topic that Netflix's PR team could address better.
In the show, which is set to premiere on the streaming service August 10, a high-school girl named Patty gets her mouth wired shut so that she can lose weight, and then gets revenge on the people who made fun of her. Many have criticized the show based on its trailer, calling the show "insulting" and even "harmful," and accusing it of promoting eating disorders.
An online petition for Netflix to not release the show has over 200,000 signatures as of Monday afternoon.
The petition states: "The toxicity of this series, is bigger than just this one particular series. This is not an isolated case, but part of a much larger problem that I can promise you every single woman has faced in her life, sitting somewhere on the scale of valuing their worth on their bodies, to be desirable objects for the male gaze. That is exactly what this series does. It perpetuates not only the toxicity of diet culture, but the objectification of women's bodies."
Watch the full "Insatiable" trailer below: