Compliment slip

Whilst one deals with weight, and the other with relationships, there are some strikingly similar sentiments expressed in these shows.

In Super Size v Super Skinny, size 12 presenter, Anna Richardson, went on a quest to that leanest of lands, trimmest of towns, slenderest of cities: LA, to see the extreme lengths people will go to, to lose their love-handles.

She rendezvoused with a former professional athlete, who could pump dumbbells that weigh the same as you or I, who had an excessively defined six-pack, and the thighs of a Grecian athlete, but who was going in for several thousands of dollars worth of surgery, to remove the fat under his belly button.

As Richardson put it “there was barely an inch to pinch”, but – all the same – he went in, and – looking roughly the same – he came out.

The former athlete said, after he had recovered from his surgery (eight weeks later in fact), that if he were to choose again between living with a bit of fat on him or going under the knife, he’d choose the fat.

On an entirely different note, a recent episode of Wife Swap presented viewers with one of the most absurdly old-fashioned couples ever to grace our screens. The husband would invite his friends over to watch the football, and the wife would obediently take their orders for sandwiches and drinks. The husband – retired – would lounge about the house all day, and the wife would cook and clean. The husband would throw his dirty sock and boxers on the floor when he got changed, and his wife would tidy up after him like a mother after her seven-year-old son.

When this couple swapped wives with another couple, the wife learned what she’d been missing out on, suddenly being allowed to have her own life, go and take part in activities she enjoyed, and even being cooked the occasional meal.

The husband was forced by his new wife of the week to do all the house work, so that he would learn to appreciate all that his unduly tolerant wife did for him. A new rule was also instated: that he should pay his wife three compliments each day.

And here is where the link with Super Size v Super Skinny will begin to come clear…

When Anna Richardson was talking to the afore mentioned former athlete, admiring his muscular body, and even giving his so called “fat” a little poke, she asked him why he would even consider having an operation when he is so athletic, and has such an amazing body for a man in his forties?

(Quite frankly, his body would be amazing for a man in his twenties.)

Surprisingly his response to this was not in the form of some image obsessed defence. He simply said “Thanks, you should teach my fiancé those words.” He didn’t want to change his body because he felt competitive with any hunky male celebrities, not even because he was genuinely unhappy with it it seemed. No: It seemed that the reason he wanted to go under the knife was because he was under the impression his wife would prefer his body that way.

Now his wife did not appear on the show, so who knows, she might have been a dreadful woman, and might have told him he was looking a bit chubby. However, it is equally likely that she was more passive, and rather than insulting him, simply didn’t compliment him.

When the couple in wife swap were reunited, the first thing the husband said to his wife was: “You look lovely.” When the two couples were reviewing their weeks apart, the wife said that she’d already noticed a change; apparently he hadn’t paid her a compliment in years.

The husband – with a totally straight face – replied: “You’ve got two more coming.”

It almost seems too simple, but think about your own experiences of receiving compliments. Be it someone saying they like your shoes, or someone saying you look like Kate Moss: receiving a compliment gives you a buzz. If you’re feeling a bit grotty and someone says they like your hair, it makes you feel a little better. So try it!

Maybe three a day to your loved one is a little excessive – unless of course you have several years to catch up on – but next time you see someone walking around wearing a dress that you think is beautiful, tell them so. And if you friend, or relation, or boyfriend or girlfriend is looking like particularly hot-stuff, let them know.

If you love your boyfriend or girlfriend’s nice hair, manly arms, perfect feet, dainty hands tell them. We can’t possibly know all the insecurities that are lingering behind our friend’s piercing blue eyes and pretty faces, so who knows, maybe by paying them the odd compliment, you might be stopping them from paying for plastic surgery...

Add Comment

You must log in to submit a comment.