The following statement is from a new advertisement campaign for one of the largest health clubs in the UK: “Advance health warning! When the aliens come, they will eat the fatties first.” Apparently, quite a few people were offended by it. From The Telegraph:
Vicky Palmer contacted the health club (attached to Bristol’s Cadbury House hotel) to complain after seeing an advert similar to the sign in a local newspaper. Mrs Palmer, who had an eating disorder as a teen, said the sign and adverts should be removed.
“I am not overweight yet I still find this extremely offensive and patronising, but how much more so to someone genuinely overweight?,” she said.
Yatton councillor Tony Moulin described the sign as “tacky”. Mr Moulin said: “I think this sign is insensitive, tacky and could cause offence to some people.”Manager at the health club Jason Eaton said: “The alien campaign has been developed as a tongue in cheek look at the fact that people, generally, over the Christmas period do put on a little weight.
Manager at the health club Jason Eaton said: “The alien campaign has been developed as a tongue in cheek look at the fact that people, generally, over the Christmas period do put on a little weight.
“We do not intend to cause any offence to anyone.
“Gym advert warned ‘fatties’ would be eaten by aliens” (via Fortean Times)
UPDATE: Several folks in the comments remind us of a similar ad and similar controversy in San Francisco a decade ago.