Last night, the much-anticipated reality fitness show “Revenge Body” featuring Chloe Kardashian made its debut. Unfortunately, it turned out to be one of the most superficial and disheartening programs in the weight-loss genre— and that’s saying a lot.
The show kicks off with a charming individual named Alex, whose infectious personality makes you instantly want to befriend him. In the opening scene, he arrives home, arms loaded with takeout and fast food, reinforcing the tired stereotype that overweight individuals are incapable of making healthier choices. Alex shares that he hails from a small town where, due to his sexuality, braces, and extra weight, food became his comfort. Then, heartbreakingly, he reveals that his boyfriend, Jake, no longer finds him attractive. “I knew I had gained weight, but I didn’t realize it was that bad,” he admits, tears glistening in his eyes. As he tears into his takeout, I find myself screaming internally, “You are more than this! Get off this show and find someone who truly values you!”
It’s hard not to envision the show’s producers urging Alex to binge on his food while recounting his breakup, which feels disingenuous. As he gazes into the mirror, shirtless and emotional, I want to pound on Chloe’s door, asking, “Is this really the message we want to send?”
“I see a lonely, overweight person,” Alex says. No, no, no! He shines on screen. He’s funny and vibrant. Everyone would want to hang out with him!
“So, why are you here?” Chloe asks.
“I’m in a transitional phase,” he responds. “Jake just broke up with me, and I want him back so badly. He was my best friend. I want to lose weight to possibly win him back.” Wait, what? Jake’s not your best friend, Alex. He’s a jerk! “Why did he break up with you?” Chloe probes, twisting the knife. “He told me he wasn’t attracted to me anymore,” Alex replies.
Alex then shows photos of Jake, who is just as large as he is—seriously? Jake, who do you think you are?
“Who are you hoping to get revenge on?” Chloe asks. Perhaps Jake, right? “I hope that Jake sees all my hard work and thinks, ‘Wow, this person did this for me,’” Alex responds. At this point, I wish Chloe would say, “Alex, you’re incredible! Do this for yourself, not for Jake!” Instead, she shares a bland story about how her sister Kim felt insecure after breakups.
Alex states his goal is to transition from being a “bear” to a “muscle cub,” which supposedly means from a big hairy guy to a big hairy guy with muscles. Chloe promises to connect him with top nutritionists and trainers, excitedly saying, “I can’t wait to see my muscle cub!”
To recap, the show never delves deeper than this. It portrays Alex as a pitiful character, while Chloe offers no substantial advice, and they both celebrate a shallow physical transformation.
Next, Alex meets trainer Ryan, who seems far more competent than Chloe. As Alex mentions his breakup motivation, Ryan shouts, “Good riddance! See ya!” suddenly making me appreciate him. He adds humor by shouting “Forget Jake!” during workouts—this is the highlight of the episode so far. Ryan deserves his own show; it would be a breath of fresh air compared to this nonsense.
Then we meet Sarah, who labels herself the “designated ugly fat friend.” Surrounded by a group of harsh women, she receives unsolicited fashion advice that’s downright cruel. I just want to rescue Sarah from this “bitch den” and take her to a place where we can binge-watch Netflix and enjoy life.
When Sarah walks into the den, the women begin tearing apart her outfit. “It’s too tight,” one remarks. “You don’t have a shape,” another adds. What kind of toxic environment is this? Sarah doesn’t need to change her body; she needs to ditch these so-called friends.
The scene shifts to the club, where Sarah’s friends are horrified that she sits down. “Oh, my God, look at her!” one gasps, as if sitting down is an alien concept.
Fast forwarding to her meeting with Chloe, Sarah compliments her beauty, similar to Alex’s initial interaction. Did they all have to follow a script?
As Sarah shares her weight struggles compared to her friend Miranda, who remained thin, Chloe asks what she wants to change. Sarah mentions her nails and skin, to which Chloe replies, “That stuff is fixable. I have dermatologists with magic wands who can fix your face.” What?!
Chloe then pivots to ask about Sarah’s ideal revenge body outfit, to which she responds, a bikini. Chloe declares, “I want to get you in a bikini and throw a pool party!” Ugh, I can’t even.
Ultimately, both Alex and Sarah lose weight—Alex shedding 30 pounds and Sarah 27—in twelve weeks, culminating in a glamorous reveal. Sarah confronts a former friend with no recollection of their past cruelty while Alex realizes his motivation came from his breakup.
This show is entirely focused on appearances, neglecting the essence of what truly makes a person extraordinary. Chloe Kardashian, despite having a typical body type growing up, seems to have internalized insecurities and is now marketing them as empowerment to her audience. It’s disheartening, to say the least.
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Summary:
The debut of “Revenge Body” proves to be a shallow and disheartening look at weight loss, focusing on appearances rather than the underlying issues that make individuals truly valuable. The program’s emphasis on revenge against former partners rather than self-love and acceptance sends a troubling message.