Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition gets emotional this week

It looks like Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition has found its groove after a lackluster first episode. Last week’s show was excellent and if this week’s wasn’t quite up to par with last week, it still had some pretty dramatic and awe-inspiring moments.

This time around we met Dana, a 44-year-old, 498 lb man who has to take 8 to 10 painkillers every morning just to get moving! He also has a thing for Reese’s Puffs cereal — as do I (in moderation). Dana knows he has a problem with food but he doesn’t know why … or he does know why but it’s not something he wants to deal with. Enter Chris Powell. I thought Chris was just too stand-offish in the first episode, and maybe that can just all be chalked up to no connection with the subject who didn’t seem to really be that interested in changing her life (or maybe it was just the editing), but over the last two shows he’s become much more involved with his subjects.

We know the show’s formula now: a week at the California Health and Longevity Institute getting medical tests, nutrition lessons and the first workout. Then back home to a remodeled house (I’m sorry, but if anyone turned my living room into a gym I would not be happy … but I could use a new refrigerator) and three months of intense workout with a bonus for hitting the goal. Dana worked hard, but was also doing some secret eating that pissed Chris off until Dana finally revealed a dark secret of childhood sexual abuse. It was a stunning, breakthrough moment for Dana, especially to admit that on national TV before even telling his family, but the matter seemed to be glossed over too quickly. This, again, is my biggest issue with the show. Did Chris, or anyone else, have more one-on-one conversations with Dana about the abuse? Whatever happened off-camera worked, because Dana surpassed his goal by 1 lb. and was given a vocal coach to help with his singing.

It was also great to see Dana and his brother, who he hadn’t seen in years because Dana had isolated himself from his family, perform together in a church in Los Angeles but after returning home Dana had a mental breakdown of sorts and an injury — a torn ACL. Dana missed his next goal by a wide margin, only losing 29 lbs of the 70 lb target and the injury was obviously a contributing factor that didn’t seem to be addressed until the next weigh-in. In order for him to receive the skin removal surgery, Dana would have to lose 108 lbs in the next three months. Little did he know that Chris was spying on him and getting copies of his grocery receipts! Chris saw Dana being more social and buying pizza and ice cream! Seriously, if I knew my personal trainer was getting copies of my grocery receipts because he (or the production company) was footing the bill, I would sure as heck buy my own pizza and ice cream!

Dana’s big weigh-in showed that he had only lost 40 of the 108 lbs needed for the surgery. When confronted about the socializing and food bill, Dana said he needed the food for comfort and when pressed, he finally admitted that he’s gay. Wow! This was a guy who started the show saying how much he wanted to get married and have a family, then admitted the abuse and finally, after achieving some success with the program, was able to admit that hiding his homosexuality from himself and everyone he knows made him not only hide behind food but hide from his own family. I don’t know if it was just a coincidence that this episode was scheduled to air now in the middle of Gay Pride Month, but it was a courageous and wonderful moment for Dana because not only did he lift the weight of that secret from his shoulders, but he was able to complete the program by losing a total of 203 lbs (not his actual goal of 250lbs, but it was still a monumental amount of weight to lose in a year). It was nice to see the little follow-up at the end about Dana’s coming out to his family and their unconditional love for him. I only hope that his church family was as accepting, and that others hiding from themselves will be inspired by Dana’s journey.

Even with all of that going on, and as much as I admire Dana for dealing with his issues (on national TV, no less) and losing the weight, the best moment of the series so far had to be Chris Powell totally losing his cool with a heckler. As Chris and Dana walked across a bridge carrying 50 lbs of food, some guy kept yelling “FAAAAAAAAAT!” and “COOOOOOOOOW!” at Dana. Chris was too cute as he asked the cameraman if he could do something about it, and when he got the okay Chris just let the guy have it. I thought Chris was going to knock the guy’s lights out and throw him off the bridge. After the verbal smackdown, Chris came back to Dana and apologized for being rude to the heckler! Chris Powell, you are my new hero.

“I hope they bought me an extra seat, ’cause I’m going to need an extra seat on that plane!” — Dana, when he learns he’s flying to Los Angeles

“Those who mind, don’t matter and those who matter, don’t mind.” — Chris after Dana comes out to him

Clacked by Chuck Duncan
on Jun 14, 2011 @ 00:33 EST5EDT