This cartoon is by me and Becky Hawkins.
Becky and I were working together at a coffee shop, and Becky was talking about the movie The Devil Wears Prada. Or, more specifically, Becky was describing a podcast she’d listened to in which the podcasters were talking about that movie.
During the movie, people keep saying Anne Hathaway’s character is fat, and the hosts of the podcast kept saying, “She’s not fat, she’s beautiful!” Becky told me she wished she had the power to deliver a mild electric shock to the speaker every time that was said.
I said, “Excuse me,” and three minutes later I shoved this script under Becky’s nose. Sometimes they come really easy!
Becky adds:
Did I need to go for an authentic Pittsburgh skyline? No.
Is that why this cartoon is getting posted on the last possible day? Maybe.
I drew this while listening to What to Carry, What to Burn, a podcast of wilderness survival stories by Blair Braverman. If that doesn’t strike your fancy, Blair also wrote Small Game, a biting/gripping/sweet novel about a survivalist reality show where everything goes wrong.
Transcript of Cartoon
Panel 1
A fat woman is shopping in a clothing store, flipping through dresses on a rack and looking annoyed. A thin woman beside her, trying to be reassuring, touches her shoulder. A little lightning-bolt like zap emanates from the thin woman.
FAT WOMAN: Why don’t they make nice clothes for fat women?
THIN WOMAN: You’re not fat! You’re beautif—
THIN WOMAN: AAAAGH!
Panel 2
A city skyline. Lightning-bolt like “zaps” are emanating from two different places in the city.
VOICE 1: You’re not fat, you’re bea— Ow!
VOICE 2: You’re not fat, you’re— GHAAAAH!
Panel 3
A hand holds up a phone showing a nervous looking TV news anchor.
NEWS ANCHOR: Scientists are baffled by a sudden plague of minor but extremely painful shocks whenever anyone says… uh… never mind.
Panel 4
Two women sit at a cafe table. One looks at her phone, talking to the fat woman from panel 1, who smiles contentedly.
FRIEND: You had one magic wish you could have used on anything, and this was your choice?
FAT WOMAN: No regrets.
I love this one, but if the genie or whatever gives her another wish, I suggest wishing that clothing designers abruptly realize that fat people buy clothing and will pay for clothing that looks nice on them.
This one is really sweet.