Do you remover the first time you saw a plus sized man in a movie?

On TV?

In your local theater show?

What did he look like?

Did he smile?

Did he laugh so full his tummy shook?

Did he make you smile if just for a moment?

What was his name?

Did he have one?

Was he good? Or evil?

Was he brave or a coward?

Was he deserving of human decency?

Every year I see less fat men on tv

Less heavier gentlemen in the movies that I watch or the shows that I go to.

But that’s not to say they do not exist

That they do not fill the same role we always have.

The comic relief

The wealthy villain who somehow can’t afford weight loss surgery.

The selfish fool who always slips up.

But this is not who we are

Not really.

We are human

We have hopes and dreams and emotions

We do not always fit in your box

No matter how hard you push

No matter how many tears we shed to ease the pain.

As if anyone would believe that villains aren’t skinny.

As if anyone would believe the fat guy isn’t funny.

A side effect of the bullying

Using self deprecating humor to mask the pain

The fat guy makes you laugh

The fat guy makes you smile

The fat guy makes you happy

But what if he weeps?

What if he hurts

What if he cannot see the horizon?

So the fat guy walks into a bar

The fat guy walks into the bar every night

Because who am I if not a punchline?