Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders - Gawker Comments

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

Mary — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:57:46 EDT

The twins drove a purple Jeep in the original books though...they bought it after Liz crashed the Fiat during one of the 47 junior proms they attended

Mary

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

Dr-Gordon-Patzer — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 22:29:53 EDT

Yes, unfortunately, Sweet Valley High looks to be a not-so-subtle promulgation by Random House of lookism or physical attractiveness phenomenon or, as it might also be called, it's good to be beautiful and it is better to be more beautiful. This promulgation again reinforces the popular cultural value that thinner body builds or smaller body sizes equate with greater physical attractiveness.

At the same time, even though this story jumps 25 years from 1983 to 2008, the basic message concerning good looks and not so good looks these past 25 years has remained rather consistent. As the unfortunate reality continues to be communicated, or reflected, by mass media, smaller sizes, particularly for women and girls of all ages, are more attractive and thus more valued than larger sizes. In turn, people will pursue that more valued look, be it young girls or their parents, regardless of the cost that can be measured in terms of money, self-esteem, and health.

Dr. Gordon Patzer
author of "Looks: Why They Matter More Than You Ever Imagined"
[www.GordonPatzer.com]

Dr-Gordon-Patzer

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

beirut — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 19:12:01 EDT

@winniecooper: Hahaha. Like a 7? Whale.

beirut

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

slowtraincoming — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:54:00 EDT

and far be it for Random House to ask young girls to aspire to drive an environmentally friendly car...

slowtraincoming

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

winniecooper — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:15:16 EDT

I wonder what size Claudia Kishi was? That fattie was always hiding Ho Hos in her room.

winniecooper

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

rosaluxembourgeoise — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:24:36 EDT

@LilyBonesBurana: Well done, then. Carla will fear you.

rosaluxembourgeoise

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

mockingbird — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 13:22:02 EDT

@heartbreakturnip: I know it because I've been able to wear a size 8 since high school, and yet my ass has gotten larger every year.

mockingbird

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

DahlELama — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 11:49:54 EDT

If this was an attempt to make me vomit up breakfast in order to work my way towards a "perfect size 4," mission accomplished.

I am so glad that I already own every Sweet Valley High book ever made and will never need to buy any of these sad, sad reiussues.

DahlELama

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

numbersix — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 09:47:35 EDT

@collegecallgirl:

I hate that I know this, but wasn't Lila Fowler a Unicorn in those books?

numbersix

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

collegecallgirl — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 09:38:17 EDT

Six, four, it all seems just as unattainable when you're a kid who melts cheese on a plate and then eats it. Might as well call them perfect size UNICORNS.

collegecallgirl

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

uwishunu — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 08:06:15 EDT

it seems so not-with-it that they would point out the size difference.

I wonder if Elizabeth is still "four minutes older... but sometimes it feels like four years"?

uwishunu

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

intothelight — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 06:05:07 EDT

i feel sorry for kids today. they get this type of message at the same time that they're bombarded with ads for mcdonalds, doritos and coca cola. and earnest news reports about childhood obesity. i wonder if noreen and kathy have kids.

intothelight

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

LilyBonesBurana — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 05:24:32 EDT

Oui, ma petite gaufre, I pun in ze Fronch! (Mme. Levy will be so happy to know I wasn't sleeping through her class those three years).

Now my goal is to rewrite dirty limericks, replacing "Nantucket" with "baguette," and reworking all the rhymes. Oh, and to stalk Carla Bruni.

LilyBonesBurana

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

rosaluxembourgeoise — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 02:56:49 EDT

@LilyBonesBurana: You don't really mean "coup de gras", do you? Because you know the difference between "grâce" and "gras", right, and in particular that "gras" means "fat"? Or perhaps you are wickedly funny!

rosaluxembourgeoise

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

LilyBonesBurana — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 02:32:59 EDT

B-b-butt, a size 6 then *is* a size 4 now. Dang vanity sizing strikes again. Sheesh, if they're going to step up the anorexia stakes, at *least* whittle them down to a 2. For the send-'em-reaching-for-the Adderall coup de gras, go for 0.

LilyBonesBurana

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

Koreanish — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 01:08:14 EDT

@Colonel Mustard: Mustard, you're the bestest.

Koreanish

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

Colonel Mustard — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:47:13 EDT

"This Spring, the Wakefield twins will lumber their size 6 way through another caper! The clues are thick and heavy in this oversize book, when murder comes down hard at the local gym. Was it the aerobics teacher? Or perhaps a disgraced marathon runner? The twins can barely keep up! Still, they tear into this case like a bag of Doritos and stuff themselves with intrigue, wedging themselves uncomfortably into tight situations. They'll feel the squeeze when an athletic wear designer mistakes them for his models, and things swell to a massive crescendo aboard a blimp when Jessica finds yet another bloated corpse and an ungainly mass of evidence pointing towards someone they least expect. This one's big, folks -- really big -- so be the first at this all-you-can-eat buffet of mystery!"

Colonel Mustard

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

SisterHavana — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:19:26 EDT

So wrong. So very wrong.
I'm afraid to see what some of the other changes might be.

SisterHavana

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

CodePink — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 00:14:04 EDT

I'm a perfect size AWESOME.

CodePink

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

ElektraBlue — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 23:57:12 EDT

I just heard that Alice is in rehab and Gretel's in O.A.

ElektraBlue

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

Dorothy — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 23:34:02 EDT

Just three eight balls shy

Dorothy

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

Koreanish — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 23:17:37 EDT

Well, at least they're not a size zero?

Koreanish

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

ouiserboudreaux — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 23:17:03 EDT

I just don't even understand why this is something they had to revise. Is the difference between a size 4 and size 6 something so drastic as to take away from the plot lines of a tween/teen book?

What's next - will they change Little House on the Prairie stories? Instead poverty and lack of food in a devastating winter being a negative, now it'll be a positive for Laura!

ouiserboudreaux

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

BeRightBack — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 23:08:24 EDT

@foolinthepool: YES. Thank you.

BeRightBack

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

foolinthepool — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 22:53:44 EDT

P.S. -- Shouldn't the last sentence in the first paragraph of this press release read "...it was rare to find a teenage girl WHO wasn't reading about the trials and tribulations of [modern day fatties] Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield..." as opposed to "THAT" wasn't reading about said trials and tribulations? Not just silly and anorexia-inspiring, but just plain sloppy, too. Send your press release writers and copy editors back to class, Random House, and make sure they eat something before attempting to write and/or edit...

foolinthepool

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

foolinthepool — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 22:37:36 EDT

Do the twins aspire to work at Conde Nast? Apparently so, but they would need to drop a couple more sizes. For shame, Random House, for shame.

foolinthepool

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

ADismalScience — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 22:35:47 EDT

@ChicaBarnfell:

Oh come on. Don't get sour grapes just because they moved the finish line! Like you'll really notice if you reduce breakfast from 3 almond shavings to 2.

ADismalScience

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

MarlaHooch — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 22:29:32 EDT

I was always under the impression that the Wakefield twins were supposed to be really pretty. Not horse-faced, direct-to-DVD versions of Paris Hilton like Leven Rambin.

MarlaHooch

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

ChicaBarnfell — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 22:25:59 EDT

This just makes me sick. I remember when I got to be a size 6 in college and was soooo happy because that was "the perfect size." So am I supposed to be grateful that my ideal size growing up was a little more attainable? Sick. These books are for elementary and junior girls. Sell your anorexia somewhere else Random House.

ChicaBarnfell

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

SybilDisobedience — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 22:18:09 EDT

@PRIsNotJournalism: I don't know; I've always been sort of a Claudia girl, myself. Is she available?

SybilDisobedience

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

PRIsNotJournalism — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 21:59:16 EDT

In the 2008 version, The Baby-Sitters Club becomes a covert name for a high-priced prostitution ring, including members "Kristy," "Mallory," "Stacy" and sweet "Mary Anne."

PRIsNotJournalism

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

rosaluxembourgeoise — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 21:19:57 EDT

@ADismalScience: If you were a woman, that would be a high two. High zero, if you were ready to lay out good money.

rosaluxembourgeoise

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

ADismalScience — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 21:13:48 EDT

@Nick Douglas:

Isn't it fucking awesome to size yourself based on the actual number of inches as opposed to some stupid abstracted number? High five.

ADismalScience

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

HiredGoons — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:57:08 EDT

I also hope they'll be smoking Meth in the Girl's Room and giving ten-dollar blowjobs at recess behind the monkey bars.

HiredGoons

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

Nick Douglas — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:50:52 EDT

@heartbreakturnip: I was about to say the same thing. Is it even true? IS THIS HOW WOMEN WORK I DON'T KNOW

Nick Douglas

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

heartbreakturnip — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:46:57 EDT

Also: Thought the change is horrible symbolically, in reality a 1980s size 6 was/is nearly the equivalent of a 2008 size 4. During the last 20 years we've experienced size deflation to accompany waistline inflation. Don't ask me how I know this.

heartbreakturnip

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

drugman — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:46:31 EDT

Kathy and Noreen probably have to absconce and "cut" after they sign letters like this. Not exactly what NOW has in mind when they boast female managers...

drugman

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

ADismalScience — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:40:14 EDT

1983

The Twins died in a terrible car accident

2008

The Twins died in a botched quadruple implant surgery

ADismalScience

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

heartbreakturnip — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:39:28 EDT

The Hardy Boys are rough trade now and occasionally date Marc Jacobs .

heartbreakturnip

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

MisterHippity — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:38:26 EDT

Ok, forgive me for getting all sincere and Jezebel-ly for a minute, but speaking as a parent, it really pisses me off that Random House Children's Books not only goes out of its way to encourage anorexia by re-defining the "perfect" clothing size for girls from 6 to 4, but also proudly trumpets that revision in a press release.

Hey, Random House Children's Books: What the fuck?????

MisterHippity

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

kingsquiddish — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:37:34 EDT

since she now works on the school website and not the school newspaper will SVH be available in a podcast or for download online??

kingsquiddish

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

HiredGoons — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:35:22 EDT

@mrs. rogers: Not ONLY are they living like hobos, but they're putting themselves in danger by doing the job that the Police SHOULD be doing.

HiredGoons

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

raincoaster — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:35:05 EDT

This reminds me of when Allure ran "Size Eight? How to Look Size Four!" and I thought it couldn't get any worse. But a Wrangler will never, ever outrank a Fiat. Pah! Suburbanites!

Of course, I have a secondhand Trixie Belden where she buys her first girdle, so I guess the more things change the more they stay the same.

raincoaster

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

josette — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:33:27 EDT

Wow. This makes me so sad. In grade school when my two best friends became rexy, I totally clung to the fact that those twins were perfect at size 6. Also: how is a wrangler better than a spyder??

josette

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

stevenash'ssexynose — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:31:34 EDT

I don't watch the Hills. I had no idea what it was until last night when my roommate filled me in. Then we watched "Real Housewives" or something of the sort. Yikes. And yes, the Boxcar children need help. Please help them- and not with solving any damn mysteries.

stevenash'ssexynose

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

karion — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:31:18 EDT

Okay, that is positively wretched. And yet completely predicted by commenters in the earlier thread on this. Jesus.

karion

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

Helman — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:30:02 EDT

What percentage of the gawker audience do you suppose watches the Hills? Or Gossip Girl(s)? Is it something like 50%? Am just curious.

Can't we focus obsessively on Mad Men?

Helman

Random House Proudly Promoting Eating Disorders

HiredGoons — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 20:29:31 EDT

While we're at it, can we get Social Services to help The Boxcar Children?

HiredGoons