The Biggest Loser trainer confesses he had ‘never worked with obese people'
The three-episode series delves into the behind-the-scenes realities of the NBC weight-loss show, which aired from 2004 to 2016.
Interviews with former contestants, trainers, and producers reveal that the show prioritized entertainment over medically sound weight loss practices.
Trainer Bob Harper admitted he had no prior experience working with obese individuals and that aggressive gym sessions were designed for 'good TV.'
Contestants were reportedly pushed to exercise for five to eight hours daily and consume as little as 800 calories, often disregarding medical advice.
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The Independent
5 minutes ago
- The Independent
'Mamma Mia!' returns to Broadway after a decade away, bringing the dance party back to New York
When the musical 'Mamma Mia!' said goodbye to Broadway a decade ago, there were tears and hugs and tons of applause. In the audience of its last show, one woman wasn't entirely buying it. 'I felt then that it wasn't goodbye forever. I felt we'd be back one day,' says producer Judy Craymer, who had conceived of the show in the 1980s. 'I always hoped.' That one day has become today as the ABBA-fueled, feel-good musical returns to its first home on Broadway, the Winter Garden Theatre. It reopens Thursday night. 'It's like when you go to visit the old place where you went to high school,' says Victor Wallace, who made his Broadway debut in the show in 2012, stayed to the final curtain in 2015 and has returned. 'There's so many backstage stories and people and I'm a little overwhelmed.' Fans have fueled the return of 'Mamma Mia!' to make it among the top earners on Broadway, last week grossing $1.57 million over seven previews, fourth behind only 'Wicked,' 'The Lion King' and 'Hamilton.' 'A time of peril' 'Mamma Mia!' endured plenty during its first Broadway life — wars, hurricanes, the 2008 financial meltdown, the move to a smaller theater and critics, who never warmed to the show's high-energy sweetness. A hit in London — where it is still playing — 'Mamma Mia!' opened in New York just a few weeks after the 2001 terror attacks when there was deep gloom and anxiety. Christine Sherrill, who recently toured as the show's mom and is now making her Broadway debut in the role, says audiences are responding to another time of stress. 'We're kind of in a time of peril again, where communities are divided. So to be able to go into some of these cities and have 3,000 people — who would never find themselves enjoying the same thing outside of the theater — sitting there all enjoying this communal experience is really interesting.' The show, featuring more than 20 classic ABBA hits, including 'Dancing Queen' and 'Waterloo,' has been a smash in dozens of countries, including South Korea, Italy, Denmark, South Africa and Spain. Craymer sees the data about the new flock of theatergoers and notes this 'Mamma Mia!' is popular with groups. 'There were people that had seen it on Broadway — probably when they were younger — and now coming back in their 20s and 30s and then bringing their daughters or family.' A Greek story is born Craymer decades ago approached members of ABBA and made her pitch: Instead of doing a musical about the band, she insisted that their songs help tell an original story. Craymer teamed up with playwright Catherine Johnson, and a story set on a Greek island was born about a young woman who is about to be married and wants her father to give her away. But she's not sure who he is, so she invites her mom's three former lovers to her wedding. The musical prompted Craymer to produce a movie version starring Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth, that became the fifth highest-grossing film of 2008. A sequel, 'Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again,' came out a decade later. ABBA's music continues to be the backdrop for numerous popular TikTok trends. In some way mirroring the joy onstage, backstage at 'Mamma Mia!' is a party backstage, too, with milestones celebrated, outings, door decorating contests and gatherings 'Because of the nature of the show, I think it just bleeds into life backstage and that joy that you see on stage, it just overflows into our lives,' says Wallace. Themes of the 'Mamma' Wallace, who started in the musical's ensemble and grew to play the young leading man, Sky, and now is one of the three possible dads, says the show is about friendship, parenthood, hope and second chances. 'It's always surprising how the show surprises you emotionally,' he says. 'It's a great time. It's fun. But I think people identify with these themes and these characters and I think that people are caught off guard as to how the show captures their heart and moves them.' Sherrill looks at the story through a mother's eyes and realizes she's a different person than she was before she had twins. She offers another theme. 'It's a lot about finding your identity,' she says. 'I think that appeals to people on all levels — all people, all levels. Everyone's trying to figure out who they are and what the best version of themselves is. So, I think, that's sort of a universal message that's really playing on people's heartstrings as well, at least mine.'
Daily Mail
6 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Bride sparks debate after revealing she's considering UNINVITING guests from wedding over reaction to her dress
A bride-to-be has sparked a debate online after revealing she's considering cutting guests from her wedding over their reaction to her dress. She opened up about it on Reddit under a subreddit called Bridezillas, explaining that she and her fiancé are planning a small, courthouse wedding followed by a dinner at a nearby restaurant to celebrate, with around 50 guests planning to come. Her choice of gown, the Reformation Vina dress in white, was meant to reflect the low-key, non-traditional vibe of the day. The simple mini dress is designed to 'to have a relaxed fit throughout,' per its website, and according to the bride, it looked perfect on her small frame. 'I'm short, and long/voluminous dresses tend to overwhelm me,' she wrote. 'Plus, I feel like, since it's my wedding, I get to decide what I'm wearing.' But when she excitedly shared dress choice with her find with family and friends, the mood soured. Her mother repeatedly urged her to find 'something else to wear,' her best friend questioned whether it was 'just' her courthouse dress, and others suggested she should pick another option entirely. 'I'm so tired of the criticism that I, someone who loves fashion and clothing, stopped sharing the rest of the outfit details with everyone,' the bride vented. 'Also, I think it's worth noting that I wasn't asking for feedback. I was sharing because I was excited. Now I'm just irritated.' She added: 'This is one of the first things I found besides the venue and décor that is wedding-related, so it's really taken the fun out of anything wedding planning-related.' The bride said she was disappointed by everyone's reactions, especially since in the past when her other family members or friends shared their own wedding dresses, she always 'matched their excitement and [was] supportive because they [were] happy.' She said that aside from her fiancé and her father, no one in her inner circle has supportive of her wedding dress choice, prompting her to regret showing the dress to her loved ones in the first place. And she's now even even reconsidering her guest list and might uninvite some people. 'I regret showing my dress to everyone else, and I will not be defending my choices to them. I'll probably just not share anything else moving forward,' she admitted. 'It's making me seriously reconsider the guest list as well. Am I overreacting?' After the bride shared her story online, strangers rallied by her side in the comment section, and many even gushed over the dress. 'Next time someone makes a comment, remind them they're not wearing the dress or getting married in it. And if it's so bad, they can't be nice and tell you you're beautiful, they can stay home,' one person wrote. Another was more blunt, telling her: 'Your family and friends sound like a**holes.' A third chimed in: 'These people are all being rude as f**k.' One user even posted a screenshot of the Reformation Vina dress she had described - a short, white mini that falls mid-thigh with spaghetti straps, a sheer mesh overlay, and a keyhole back with a delicate white button. The reveal sent commenters into overdrive. 'It's not ugly. I like it. It's simple and the focus will be on your love and not a $10,000 dress,' one fan said. 'Perfect for a courthouse wedding. Super cute,' agreed another. 'It's a really pretty dress. Perfect, and [the] best part: two important people in your life love it! Don't let the naysayers burst your bubbles,' someone else added. And one commenter offered a piece of advice for future brides-to-be, writing: 'Never show people your wedding dress before your wedding day, never tell anyone your baby names until the baby is here and named, never show anyone a house or a car you are buying until the deal is done. People are unhelpful and mean.'
Daily Mail
6 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Outrageous reason NBA mascot claims he was fired as he hits back with lawsuit
A former Denver Nuggets mascot is hitting back after being fired by the franchise's ownership group. Drake Solomon, who had portrayed the Nuggets' mascot Rocky since 2021 when his father Kenn retired, was fired by the team in August 2024. Solomon has now sued Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE), the team's ownership group, alleging disability discrimination and an unlawful severance offer. The lawsuit contends the Nuggets violated the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act through discrimination on the basis of disability, retaliation, and two claims of aiding and abetting unfair employment practices against his KSE supervisors, according to the Denver Post. The Daily Mail has contacted the Nuggets organization for comment. Solomon, whose father had performed as Rocky for more than 30 years before he took over the role, claims that he was wrongfully terminated after undergoing double hip replacement surgery. He says that he was diagnosed with avascular necrosis (AVN), a painful bone condition, during the Nugget's 2023 championship-winning season, which impacted his ability to perform. After Solomon was diagnosed with AVN, he first underwent bilateral core decompression surgery in March 2023. However, the surgery did not fix the issues and, in February 2024, he reportedly notified his superiors of his need to undergo total hip replacement surgery, according to the lawsuit. KSE allegedly informed Solomon just several weeks later that they would be hosting tryouts for the position 'regardless of the outcome' of his surgery, citing a lack of confidence in his health. Solomon claims he told his superiors that doctors had informed him that he would return to full health in three months. 'It came to a point where I was on the court shooting a half-court shot with tears dripping down my face,' Solomon told CBS News. 'It's hard thinking about those times. I really wanted to bring the same energy.' Solomon says he felt ready to return to the role following surgery but was never given the chance, which felt like a 'betrayal.' He underwent the procedure in April 2024 and returned to work the following month, performing his duties throughout the summer, according to the lawsuit. However, KSE still pushed forward with the tryouts. Solomon claims he met all the physical requirements and helped teach the other applicants how to dunk in the Rocky costume but KSE terminated his contract on August 13, 2024. The lawsuit claims that Solomon was not given a reason for his firing at the time but KSE later claimed he was terminated because he did not score first in the tryouts. He was allegedly offered offered $20,000 and a non-disclosure agreement as part of his severance agreement. But he refused the package, claiming that it seemed 'sketchy'. Attorneys say the agreement violated nearly every provision of the POWR Act (Protecting Opportunities and Workers' Rights), according to CBS. The POWR Act was passed in Colorado in 2023 and since then, Solomon believes he is not the only member of the Nuggets organization to have suffered a similar fate. He believes that other employees were offered similar deals and is bringing forward the lawsuit in their behalf as well as his own. Solomon, who says he was on the court at two-weeks-old, insists he didn't want his relationship with the Nuggets to come to an end like this. 'Never wanted things to go down this way,' he told CBS. 'But there are things they could've handled better -- not just with me -- but with others as well.' Kenn Solomon, Drake's father, originated the Rocky role, making his debut in December 1990. He acted as the Nuggets mascot for more than three decades before retiring in 2021. Drake first joined the organization as a member of the 'Promo Squad' in 2012. He also served as the backup mascot and his father's game-night assistant before taking over the role full time in 2021.
