Tough Biggest Loser trainer Jillian Michaels has received some criticism for referring to the contestants on the show as “monkeys” in a status update to her Facebook page. Michaels wrote, in part “Monkeys are back on campus. Work to be done.” Some commenters on the post note that “monkey” can be a derogatory term and is considered racist. I rarely viewed the word that way until I saw it used as a racist epithet in the comments. (Note that “monkey,” “racist,” and “racism” are among the moderated words here. This is so that we can quickly find and ban racist comments. I wish it didn’t have to be this way.) Others note that “monkey” is a term of endearment and that many people refer to their children as “little monkeys.” I think it’s safe to assume that Michaels meant it that way, but maybe she should be more careful about what she writes. A PR person for The Biggest Loser has issued a response that she used the word as a “term of endearment.”
There’s also some buzz on Facebook about Michaels’ love interest. She wrote in the same post that she couldn’t wait to get home to her “baby,” and there’s speculation about who that could be. Here is Michaels’ post and some selected responses.
Jillian Michaels – My baby is FINALLY home. So funny. I never used to care about being away from people I dated. I loved having the space. Now, I seem to count the seconds. Am i getting old and soft? Get a few hours together and then I am off to BL. Monkeys are back on campus. Work to be done.
Comment from “Georgia”: Shame on you using a term like “monkeys”. You should know better, no matter how you meant it that is an inappropriate term.
Comment from “Web”: Sometime’s being politically correct is a good thing! Words have different meanings to different people. Good or bad, you will be held accountable for what you say. It’s simple, think before you talk!
Comment from “Allison Nathan”: I am so grossed out that anyone would be offended by you calling the BL contestants monkeys…If they watch the show they will see how much you care and that it was a term of endearment.
Comment from “Debbie”: if you look at Jillians pictures, she refers to some of the people in the pics as monkeys. It is a term of endearment, nothing more…. get over it! I call my kids monkeys all the time.
Comment from “April”: Not at all offended by the term “monkeys”. Jillian calls the contestants this often. Go back and read comments above, and you’ll find some past contestants comments on it. đ
Comment from “Chris Price”: So is everyone wanting to know who JM is seeing. Here’s a couple hints. Who do you take to company parties? Your partner. Jill took Mouse. When you adpot a pet and give it a hyphonated last name, whose name do you use besides yours? Your partner’s. Harley’s last name is Michaels-Mouse’s last name (per Jill on Twitter) Who is in your home ofter enough to have many pictures in that home. Your partner. Check all the pictures of Mouse in Jill’s house, in her car, at the BL finale and pretty much everywhere else Jill is. Last question. What does it mean when a person constantly talks about their partner in gender neutral terms? It means it’s a gay/lesbian relationship.
The upcoming season of Biggest Loser: Couples includes a mother and son in which the son is the largest contestant yet. Michael Ventrella is a 30 year-old DJ from Chicago, IL. He started the competition weighing in at 526 pounds, but according to The Biggest Loser’s website he lost an incredible 34 pounds in the first week! NBC posted a brief interview segment with Michael and his mom, Maria, (below and via E! Online) and I really feel for the guy. Both Maria and Michael start crying when they talk about the weight they’ve gained and how their health is suffering.
Trainer Michaels has said that she’s concerned about the medical safety of the contestants especially considering that they keep getting larger. She said “As the trainers we have no say over the challenges. We worry about them too.” She added that she can work wonders for people. “When someone feels strong physically, they feel strong in every aspect of their existence. If they have endurance and achieve in the gym, then I can redefine their entire self image. I can wipe away years of negativity.” There’s another trainer on Biggest Loser and I’m not so sure that Micheals should be taking all the credit. She’s partially right. People do redefine their self image, but they do it themselves with help from trainers and nutritionists. Those “monkeys” deserve a lot more credit for the hard work that they do.
There are two reasons I am boycotting “The Biggest Loser”. 1) By watching this show you are supporting the same production company that is currently filming the Octomom’s reality show, and I would rather stop watching tv than support Octofreak in any way. 2) Jillian M. is an abusive hard-faced women who can only get results by shaming the people she is training. I do not enjoy watching her degrade overweight people. I feel like yelling at her until she gets more feminine in her manly face.
I have a kickboxing cardio DVD of hers and she is really intense. I’d be willing to bet it’s a somewhat derrogatory comment intended for everyone she trains. She is just indiscriminately loud and verbally abusive and I think she views it as incentive for those she trains. I eventually put her on mute and just kept working out. Too bad the contestants can’t.
People don’t have to go on the show, it’s not compulsory. Everyone knows how she trains, so why should anyone be overly shocked about how she speak or gets her clients motivated?
LOL, Ophelia.
I won’t watch this show because I don’t agree with the exploitation of anyone, especially heavy people (and children in general). I also detest “reality” TV so much that I have never seen an episode of American Idol or Survivor, or any of that other crap TV producers & networks love to cram down our throats.
Ego much, Jillian? You don’t call grown adults “monkeys.” I call my infant son a “little monkey” because he loves to climb and grips things with his toes. I would never call my teenage children or husband a monkey.
What crap. People are far too over-sensitive, looking for racism and insults where none is intended.
Since when do we have an inborn right to never feel offended or uncomfortable? Folks need to just get over it and take things the way they are intended, and not the way the twist them in their own minds.
I agree with Sammy, even if I find Michaels annoying. Im sick of her merchant-marine face in those stupid Internet diet ads.
I wonder how many people actually watch this show for so-called inspiration or how many just hate fat people and want to see who cries first, which is the money shot of reality TV.
Who is Mouse? … She is definitely setting off my gaydar
This PC crap is out of control! My husband and I were at the gym last night and one of the guys we talk to a lot was telling us that his 23 year son was reprimanded at work for something he said to a black co-worker who he worked with for over 3 years and considered him to be a good friend. It was the day after Thanksgiving and our friend’s son saw his co-worker and said what are you doing at work, I thought you were taking “Black Friday” off meaning the busiest shopping day that kicks-off the Christmas season! The guy hauled him off to HR and they said that because he was such a good worker and that he never gave them trouble he would basically be spared for this racist remark!! His son explained what he meant and it was so obvious what he meant and HR said they know but that they had to take some kind of action!! My husband said to our friend so if someone says to us”looks we’re having a white Christmas” should we haul them off to HR?? It’s just so out of control!!
Crab, check this out:
http://wcbstv.com/national/negro.census.form.2.1409469.html
Did she used to be a man? Something wrong with that face.
She has the same hard, mannish look that heidi Klum has.
@ Dolkite, when I was a kid that’s what African Americans were called “negros”. If you look at a box of black toner for printers, what does it say under the word black? “negro” which means black! I was born in America as well as my parents but my grandparents came straight off the boat from Italy! I’ve gotten called, meatball eyes, guinny (sp?) whop! I don’t care, I’m proud to be of Italian decent and I find it funny and I laugh!! Soon it’s going to be an all out war!!
This show should have been cancelled a long time ago. I don’t care what BS Jillian sprouts, the type of weight loss strategy on this show is a health hazard. How long will it be before someone collapses from a heart attack?
Jillian is as annoying as a physical trainer can be. Most are annoying narcissists who spend far too much time gazing at themselves in the mirror.
Crab – Also from my morning newsreading:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-transit-funding-lawsuitjan07,0,1728469.story
The show isn’t any more a health risk than the status quo for the people who participate. These people are disgustingly obese and for whatever reason, they are motivated by being on the show. Good. At least they FINALLY are motivated to do something about their health.
They sign up for it. They sign the waivers. They want Jillian. She makes for good tv (and by the way, you do understand you see a miniscule portion of what goes on during their day)
She resembles that hideous Melissa Rivers. That alone makes me not like her.
When your culture has a history of being called deragatory things like “monkey”, you do become sensitive. If you don’t what it’s, like shut up, but don’t tell me to get over it.
Crab- sounds to me there was more to that situation than your co-worker’s son let on. I’m sure there was more, but his parent is probably a rabid Glen Beck or Sean Hannity fan, so he decided to feed them that nonsense.
It’s ridiculous the extremes that some people go to over an innocent comment!
Why should people have to watch what they say for fear of being called a racist unless of course they are and if so they should be ashamed of themselves.
I think the whole PC thing went way too far when my son come home and told me that it’s racist to play british bulldog in schools now and sing bar bar black sheep! Come on now not everything has an underlying meaning.
@J-Lin- And you know this how? Sometimes, in this heightened era of political correctness and sensitivity, things are as they seem. Sure, there may be more to the story, but then again, maybe there isn’t. It is wrong of you to assume that there HAS to be more to the story.
Years ago, a co-worker of mine was accused by someone of making a racially inapproriate comment to another co-worker. After much drama, accusations, and threats, turns out the accuser had made these claims at several jobs prior to this, in hopes of gaining financially from it. The sword cuts both ways.
jussayin.
butter face
exploiting fat folk?
health hazard? heart attack?
for pete’s sake.. . how do you even argue with ignorance like that
Is her “baby” a man or a woman?
Jillian has always been intense and hateful, but she’s even more so this season. Maybe she’s tired of the show and trying to get fired. I like Bob. If I had to choose a trainer – it would be him.
I think she is referring to them as monkeys in the sense that she is training them. Unless all the contestants are black, I don’t think she is speaking in terms of race at all.
I think shes on roids,
she definitely has issues…
LOL! OMG seriously??? It’s so obvious to anyone who uses just a second of critical thought that she didn’t use the term ‘monkey’ in a racist way (especially considering most of the contentants are white).
FYI: Any person with a UK background uses ‘monkey’ or ‘cheeky monkey’ in a light-hearted way when addressing someone who is being sassy or impertinent. Here in Canada I’ve never heard it as a racist insult – didn’t realize it was one.
I don’t like her and here is one more reason not too. She is mean and it shows.
When did this b1tch emerge from the mist?
She is a lesbian and everyone knows it-kinda like Bob is gay and everyone knows it but it’s not like, something they openly advertise. I think they feel like it isn’t anyone’s business, which it isn’t.
Jillian doesn’t seem like a r**ist to me at all. She seems like she used the term in a joking manner.
Crab-“negro” is the Spanish word for black. If you don’t speak Spanish, don’t use it to mean black.
And it does seem like there was more to that story than your friend let on. Everyone knows what Black Friday is, especially if you are in a room full of adults who grew up in America.
Firestarter-it does go both ways and none of us will know the exact circumstances of that kid’s situation (unless crab goes back and asks that gym dude’s son, his HR rep, and the black guy what happened). But to me, being a black person, you tend to be more suspicious of supposedly “I was called a ra**st for no reason” stories.
Sage: But to me, being a black person, you tend to be more suspicious of supposedly âI was called a ra**st for no reasonâ stories.
it happens all the time. right here is an example of a whole bunch folk calling out this girl for using a slur, when she obviously did no such thing.
…
Also, for CB to have the M word set as a trigger word is just ridiculous. Are you kidding me. M word. meh. that’s F word uncalled for.
What happens when Paris buys herself an actual M. will a whole thread be deemed inappropriate?
I can’t figure out for the life of me why someone would want to go on National TV to lose weight and be at the whim of criticism at all moments. I don’t even understand how that it at all conducive towards weight loss and improved self image.
Racial slur or not, this woman is a monster. No personal trainer worth her weight in kettlebells would have to treat people the way she does to get results, and it isnt all for show “drama”- because not one person I know wants to see anyone act
the way she behaves.
She should be fired and forced to spend the rest of her PT career assisting that anderson woman train madonna’s biceps
I love her. I don’t watch Biggest Loser, so I don’t know how she behaves on the show.
All I know is that after years of trying other ways to get in shape, I tried her videos and they worked for me. I like the drill seargant approach, I guess. It made me feel more like I could do it when she said something like, “People tell you so often just take the stairs, BUT THAT IS A FALSE MESSAGE OF LETHARGY THAT IS DOING YOU NO FAVORS.” It worked for me a lot better than the programs where the trainer would say, “Oh, if you’re tired, just walk in place.”
So I would. I would walk in place, or half-ass it, and I never got results. With her, I finally got in shape, because the DON’T STOP YOU WHINY BABY worked for me, even though she wasn’t really there.
I think it’s just different methods for different people. It’s not for everyone, but it worked for me a LOT better than the “nice” approach.
Slow news day huh? This is flat out idiotic that people are even making this an issue.
Amy, are you sure British bulldog was considered racist? It was banned at my primary school, but because of all the kids getting injured from it, not racism.
I’ve heard monkeys be used as a racist term before, but she seemed to be using it as a sort of endearment here.
Oh, and yeah, I totally get the gay vibe off both her and Bob.
Melissa Rivers ….THAT’s who she reminds me of, it was bugging the crap out of me. Thanks FS.
Ah, shoulda known YOU folks would come out of the woodwork – all you people with stories of “this one time…” where the following anecdote consists of a tale when someone was accused of being racist, or someone was surprised that another person took offense in a particular situation.
Bottom line: who the hell are any of you to tell someone else what he/she can/can’t be offended at? Yes, you may think the whole PC thing is out of control but for a people who have a long and undeniable history of segregation and denigration that continues to this day, why wouldn’t you expect there to be people perpetually on edge for the simple fact that these attitudes will not ever go away? If you don’t agree with it, more power to you, but how dare you dismiss someone’s being offended as nonsense. If you were in a conversation with someone from another culture who had never heard before that “xxxx” is an offensive term against your own culture/race/religion/etc. and you informed this person that you don’t look too kindly upon it, would you NOT be upset if this person dismissed your point and continued to use it to your face??? If you traveled to a different country and discovered that a certain gesture is deemed rude by locals, would you continue to use it just as you would back home? Of course not! It’s about respecting other cultures even if you don’t personally have the background that would allow you to be familiar with why something is offensive or its historical connotations.
It is true that not everything necessarily has an underlying meaning, but don’t be so daft as to act completely clueless as to why someone black, when hearing the word monkey, would naturally hesitate and give extra consideration to the situation and its context…
And Dolkite — so what?? So what that some people are offended at the use of the word “negro”? Again, WHO ARE YOU to think this is absurd? The point at hand is whether people are out of line by being offended at what comes out of Jillian Michaels’ mouth, yet you felt the need to bring in a story that shows “those darn black folks are at it again, being too sensitive” to prove what point, exactly — here’s another example of black people overreacting? Tee-hee, let’s all have a good chuckle. They’ll just never get over that whole discrimination thing; I mean, it’s not like it still happens today, right? Give me a freaking break.
Sometimes I call my boyfriend monkey-butt LOL. Maybe I should ask him if it offends him (oh please!)
I know she’s harsh but when you’re that obese someone needs to step up and not feel sorry for them. If I was that obese I don’t think I would have the entire country watching me and make their own opinions on why I am so obese but sometimes that’s what it takes. They recently had a show of previous contestants and with the exception of one, all of them kept losing weight so maybe her way does work.
I call my kids Monkeys too – and i mean it with all the love in the world. They’re just always climbing on everything they’re not supposed to.
I don’t think she meant it in a derogatory way, however, you’ll always get some overly sensitive people who will look for the negative in everything people say.
@SageAdvice, “Crab-ânegroâ is the Spanish word for black. If you donât speak Spanish, donât use it to mean black.”
I said when I was a kid thatâs what African Americans were called ânegros” I never said I called them that and also if you look at a box of black toner for printers, what does it say under the word black? ânegroâ which means black! I never said I used the word either! Check your facts before you accuse, and for your information I do speak Spanish, just saying!
Oh, get off your soapbox, glowkey. The whole PC thing IS out of control and it only serves to divide, not unite people of different backgrounds and cultures. The whole PC movement encourages people to automatically assume the worst about others and what they mean when they say things.
I seem to remember a politician a few years ago who used the perfectly valid and acceptable word “niggardly” once. He was branded a racist because the word is similar to the racist term that we are all familiar with. So because of political correctness, we are not even allowed to use words that are completely unrelated to race or culture-just because they sound kinda like another word.
I said it before and I’ll say it again-it’s crap.
okay so if you were wondering about mouse, shes one of her best friends and her “right hand woman”(assistant) NOT her girlfriend.
some of her other statuses refer as her love interest as a male, saying “him”
and if you must know, her boyfriends name is Justin, hes in some of the photos she has in her facebook album “Personal Pics” heres a link if anyone wants to look.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2945954&id=127882247420
and to prove to you that jillian is not a lesbian! (SAYS BY HERSOLF!) look at these comments: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2483749&id=127882247420
I’ve gone thru a few levels and hope to be on the show soon. I want Jillian, and I want her tougher. The last time I lost weight and kept it off was in the US Army by a Drill Sergeant. I can only hope she’s tough enough. Some people need this, other’s need to be cuddled. If I willingly subject myself to Jillian, don’t assume she’s being mean. It may not be what would motivate you; but it motivates the hell out of me. Hopefully this show will start puting guys like me on it. I’m not saying I’m this big unbreakable Tough Guy, I’m just tired of all the blubbering. Man up and take it…Bring it on Jillian, Give me your best shot!
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