The Disney Channel is under fire a joke about eating disorders that was made on “Shake It Up,” one of the channel’s many original programs aimed at kids. The most vocal criticism came from Demi Lovato, a former Disney Channel star who has famously struggled with her own emotional and psychological issues. From CBS:
The singer-actress, 19, took to her Twitter account to express her anger after one of the show’s characters quipped, “I could just eat you up, well, if I ate.”
“What are we promoting here? #notfunnyATALL,” Lovato tweeted on Friday. “I find it really funny how a company can lose one of their actress’ from the pressures of an EATING DISORDER and yet still make [a] joke about that very disease.”
“And is it just me or are the actress’ getting THINNER AND THINNER…. I miss the days of RAVEN, and LIZZIE MCGUIRE,” she added, referring to actresses Raven-Symone and Hilary Duff.
Lovato, the former star of the Disney Channel’s “Sonny with a Chance,” continued, “Dear Disney Channel, EATING DISORDERS ARE NOT SOMETHING TO JOKE ABOUT.”
The Disney Channel’s PR account then tweeted Lovato to apologize and announce that it would be pulling the episode in question from their rotation, saying “It’s NEVER our intention to make light of eating disorders!” Let me be clear about something here: good for you, Demi Lovato. It certainly wasn’t the worst or most offensive joke I’ve ever heard, but it was definitely out of place on a show aimed at young kids. And I’m especially glad someone in their peer group stepped up on this issue, rather than some paternalistic group playing the “Won’t somebody please think of the children?!” card. I think we can all agree that a 19-year-old taking a stand on social media and getting a major international media corporation to admit error and change its course is, if nothing else, pretty damn Raven.
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I think what is way worse is the joke about the girls saying that they are 13 then LIE and say 16 in front of boys. Young guys GO TO JAIL for that sh*t.and are labeled a sex offender for life. Just ask Oklahoma State. #statutoryrapeNOTfunny
I subscribe to the make a joke about anything, nothing is out of bounds school of thought. I do hope we start getting more sweet sweet disney channel news on this site though. /chopsbusted
That Lovato girl worked for Disney and is shocked that they don’t give a shit about their ‘talent’. I guess she is pretty dumb or a really great actress.
Oh, that’s nice.
Really, it’s cool to see any young celebrity use their powers for good, even if it shouldn’t take a 19-year-old to tell Disney that the joke was inappropriate.
That Demi Lovato really is an arm cut above the rest. But seriously, what does Ashley Greene think about this?
I see what you did there.
i laughed at the eating disorder joke on allen gregory. as a healing bulimic, get over yourself
Well, is it “#notfunnyATALL”, or do you “find it really funny”? Pick a side; we’re at war.
On the other hand, good on ya, Demi.
In all seriousness, good for her, although I’m surprised no one on here has pulled a “When did Demi Lovato become legal?!” joke yet.
I would have but it’s hard to type with one hand.
/Close enough for ya?
Well played sir.
What I find interesting is the fact that Lovato is watching Disney crap at the age of 19. She can watch anything now, yet chooses to watch this crap.
Everything is on the table when it comes to making jokes. I would expect this from a female comedienne and not the Disney Channel. I think Disney made the mistake of making a bad joke for their target audience, but really, eating disorders are something to joke about – as is suicide, alcoholism, religion, etc. The key is knowing one’s audience.
If she didn’t want the world to judge her body size, she shouldn’t have become an actress. If she hadn’t become an actress, she might have gone to school. If she had gone to school, she would have learned the difference between plural and possessive. And then maybe I would have been able to take something she wrote seriously.
5 bucks says Guerrero gave himself an Anthony Michael Hall Breakfast Club self shoulder punch after he wrote that last line.
Disney is for the kids!
manwall.com
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No subject is off limits for making jokes, but on Disney Channel, that’s not the case. Good for Demi.
As someone who lived through a severe eating disorder and would really like to fuck Demi Lovato, I’m mad at the Disney Channel right now.
I hope Demi pulls a Mama Cass.
Not for nothing, chicks with eating disorders give great head.
/winks at Demi