Too Fat to Fly? Kevin Smith and SouthWest Airlines

Ah, yeah. Hello Kevin Smith. Welcome to the land of fat prejudice. Sorry, we really don't have a welcome basket full of goodies, just a big slice of reality.

Kevin Smith kinda has a special place in my heart, and here's why:

I remember standing outside the Billagio in Las Vegas with Corinna
Makris and her friend Steph during the Las Vegas BBW Bash in 2006. It was the
very first shoot for FAT GIRLS FLOAT.
And when we got to the taxi line. Corinna and Steph were talking, and I got
a little quite and introspective. I was thinking about 'what am I doing?', 'am I
sure I should be doing this?', and getting a little quiet. Basically, second
guessing myself. I remember thinking to myself, "I know I am probably part
crazy, and I am sure I will get some sort of sign that even though all this is
possible and necessary-these stories need to be told- it is nice to have a
little worldly, or perhaps divine confirmation." And then it happened. I was
looking around. And in the taxi line I saw KEVIN SMITH. He was in line with his
parents. Now it seemed pretty certain that he was in the taxi line, and no one
noticed him. It looked like some guy in the taxi line with his parents, not a
famous movie director. I looked right at him, and recognized him. We made eye contact for a second or two, I smiled, he looked away (but he had that look like, I have just been recognized on his face) and got in the taxi with his parents. "Good-bye Kevin Smith" I mumbled, "See ya around some time." That was my sign. HA! Well, that's how I took it anyway.

What can I say.. I love me some fat film directors. (sorry, Kevin, Dave Garret [Ten Stories tall] will always be number one for me)

Corinna, do you recall that?!

Well, Mr. Smith, I don't think you deserve special treatment because you are a celebrity, and I don't think you do either.

I agree, if you can sit in the seat, with both arm rests down, whether or not you need a seat belt extender, you are in. And ready to fly.

Flying should not be an unpleasant experience for anyone.

I fly. I buy one seat. I use my own extender. No one has complained. I also have not flown SouthWest because they have been pretty much anti-fatty for some time. Nothing new there.

I went to TMZ.com to read the comments about Mr. Smith's experience.

And I am always appalled by the general public's comments on such cases considering fat. I am not surprised, however. I guess because we are all working for a day when Post-Fat will be achieved---size neutrality.

Here are some of my faves:

Laney said "Fat folks are very selfish people in general."

How are we selfish? Can't figure out that comment.

I agree with one poster, Tony, who said:

"Now, I'm no rocket scientist, but, I figure, if a 250 pound dude is a "safety
risk", I'm not sure I feel very comfortable on Southwest airplanes! Are they
worried that too much weight up front might tilt the airplane? What is the plane
made out of, tinfoil?"

Amen, brother. I mean, it is not AEROFLOT, ya know. We actually DID have to disembark the rear passengers before the front passengers so as not to tilt the plane!

Some felt they don't think Mr. Smith was "too fat," but yet that the airline handles the issue poorly. If you are bad to one customer, chances are you are bad to others.Good customer service is good customer service, period.

One body builder recalled that his shoulders are too broad and he does not fit into one seat--but isn't fat. He chooses to buy two seats.

I am looking forward to 'hearing the whole story " on Mr. Smith's SMODCAST.

In the mean time, thank you, Mr. Smith for standing up for yourself, and not handling this quietly...size discrimination all too often gets swept under the rug.

On a lighter(?) note......

As Mr. Smith battles SouthWest, I continue to battle Windows Vista, who I think is size neutral, but a big pain in my ass.

Speaking of which....

Ah, yes. Today is February 14th. The day many equate with love. That being the case, all I can do is remember and remind: Love YOURself, Love YOUR body, Love your neighbor and love your neighbor's body (respect everyone).

And with that, I leave you with a pic of yours truly, a real fat ass that will never be found on a SouthWest flight.

Love.

Fatties of the world, U N I T E!

--Kira Nerusskaya
New York City

......just over the bridge from New Jersey, Mr. Smith. So, how about that interview?

Final PS: Corinna--for the record, I was 'reading' TMZ.com NOT watching...and NO KITTENS were killed in creating this post!


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