What happened to Fat Tracys?
What happened to Fat Tracys?
What happened to Fat Tracys?#0
Posted: 3/25/05 at 10:41pm
When John Waters okayed Hairspray's conversion into a musical, he said that he wanted to make sure that Tracy was still fat, and most of the pictures of the Tracy's I've seen weren't fat, they were chubby. The closest to fat being Marissa Jaret Winokour, though she was still a bit small for what I thought they were going to go with when they originally said they were doing the show. (She's only a size 12? Even for a short person, that's not very large)
Now, I'm not saying there should be a Tracy that is so big that she can't move (obviously), but I think with a thinner Tracy (like Kathy Brier who's only slightly chubby IMO) the jokes are sort of lost. (I'm not saying anything about her performance, just her appearance) . Why not have girls that are Ricki Lake's size in the movie. And while people go on and on about how fat girls are out of shape and couldn't do the role, I know plenty of bigger girls who have just as much energy as thin girls. Not to mention that that is what the show is all about. Seeing someone who is only slightly chubby do the role isn't as stunning. Not only is the descrimiation about how she looks on camera, but flighting against the stereotype of a fat girl not being able to dance.
I also heard that Tracys are weighed. I wonder why that is? I figure if you are still giving the same quality of performance and you still fit the costume well, why does it matter either way?
I also have a question: Why do you think they chose to make Tracy short? She wasn't called short in the movie as I recall. I guess to make her more sympathetic?
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/04
re: What happened to Fat Tracys?#1
Posted: 3/25/05 at 11:03pmi think most of the tracys start out appropriately fat, however after doing those dances 8 times a week i'm sure they start to slim out a little
Joined: 12/31/69
re: What happened to Fat Tracys?#2
Posted: 3/25/05 at 11:22pm
i seem to remember Kathy mentioning the fun situation of Hairspray wanting her bigger and her soap wanting her thinner. Poor girl.
re: What happened to Fat Tracys?#3
Posted: 3/25/05 at 11:24pmI think that's somewhat true. I do think they loose weight, but I think some are still hired not very big to begin with, it doesn't mean they're not talented, it's just, not as fitting as it could be.
re: What happened to Fat Tracys?#4
Posted: 3/25/05 at 11:26pm
That's terrible. It's also a bit suprising because of how the soap liked to tout how progressive they were having a (if even) plus size actress have a handsome love interest, patting themseves on the back. That's an awful dilema for her. That must have stunk big time.
I hear she made a reall good Tracy though.
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