# I pit Gareth, Zsalynn's husband, on My 600 lb life **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 7, 2014, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gareth-zsalynns-husband-on-my-600-lb-life/683120 "2014-03-07T15:59:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Athabasca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Athabasca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athabasca)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gareth-zsalynns-husband-on-my-600-lb-life/683120/21 "2014-03-07T18:13:20Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Well, let’s see: this is the Pit, and the post is whining about how mean and bad a semi-fictional character on tv is, and how the other semi-fictional character (a morbidly obese woman who’s submitted to the questionable practice of bariatric surgery) should really dump the first character who isn’t being good enough to her shrinking landmass… > > So, yeah, I’m injecting a few cries of What Bullshit! Sue me. Semi-fictional? Hmm. Like she’s wearing half a fat-suit? Alert the FCC! We demand truth in broadcasting… Seriously dude, the apoplectic responses are a little OTT\> ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gareth-zsalynns-husband-on-my-600-lb-life/683120/22 "2014-03-07T18:21:56Z")
Apoplectic does not mean what you think it means. (Retraced in case you were referring to some of the responses that took the mock soap opera seriously). ---
**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gareth-zsalynns-husband-on-my-600-lb-life/683120/23 "2014-03-07T18:23:37Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > There’s rarely a difference on television, no matter how they present the setting. Commercial television no longer has the budget or motivation to do open-ended documentaries, and you can be sure that the series was blocked out in all but the minute-to-minute details before the first frame was shot. Thaanks for telling me how television works. I haven’t booked anything since last year. I’m sure things have changed a lot since then. There isn’t any fake manufactured drama for the cameras. A person **dying** for real is quite enough. Or are you suggesting it was a planned death for an endorsement deal or more Twitter followers so they could snag some appearance fees? You are introduced to the obese person, shown their circumstances and challenges, are there when they meet with the Dr., follow their emotional and physical preparation for surgery, and then watch how it goes afterwards. Some are success stories, some are exasperating, some you want to punch their families in the face, some you wish their families could be prosecuted and one woman’s heart couldn’t take the strain any more and she died. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gareth-zsalynns-husband-on-my-600-lb-life/683120/24 "2014-03-07T18:31:22Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Well, let’s see: this is the Pit, and the post is whining about how mean and bad a semi-fictional character on tv is, and how the other semi-fictional character (a morbidly obese woman who’s submitted to the questionable practice of bariatric surgery) should really dump the first character who isn’t being good enough to her shrinking landmass… > > So, yeah, I’m injecting a few cries of What Bullshit! Sue me. You’re also being an asshole, asshole. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gareth-zsalynns-husband-on-my-600-lb-life/683120/25 "2014-03-07T18:31:29Z")
Gareth’s been insufferable ever since he was made regional manager. ---
**Author:** ![Athabasca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Athabasca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athabasca)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gareth-zsalynns-husband-on-my-600-lb-life/683120/26 "2014-03-07T18:57:44Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Apoplectic does not mean what you think it means. > (Retraced in case you were referring to some of the responses that took the mock soap opera seriously). Yeah, it was a reach. Insufferable, maybe? Gratuitous, ad hominem, perhaps? Time to dig out Roget’s ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gareth-zsalynns-husband-on-my-600-lb-life/683120/27 "2014-03-07T19:09:27Z")
> [@Athabasca](#): > > Semi-fictional? Hmm. Like she’s wearing half a fat-suit? Alert the FCC! We demand truth in broadcasting… > > Seriously dude, the apoplectic responses are a little OTT\> Eh, you’re fine. You weren’t whining, and as mentioned up thread, this is a very interesting topic. Don’t let this nonsense dissuade you from it. And on that note, I’ll throw in that the husband does sound like a dick. As a matter of fact, I have someone in my family trying to do the same damn sabotage weight loss thing too, just on a much smaller scale. Unfortunately, all the person can do is try to find the inner strength to get better despite these attempts. It’s obviously an uphill battle, but if they can make it, will probably see results long-term. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gareth-zsalynns-husband-on-my-600-lb-life/683120/28 "2014-03-07T19:13:04Z")
How about _ghastronominable_? ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gareth-zsalynns-husband-on-my-600-lb-life/683120/29 "2014-03-07T19:26:06Z")
Yes, I was calling out **Amateur Barbarian** , not the OP. I should have taken a cue from **Drunky Smurf** and been more clear. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gareth-zsalynns-husband-on-my-600-lb-life/683120/30 "2014-03-07T19:29:04Z")
> [@faithfool](#): > > It’s obviously an uphill battle, but if they can make it, will probably see results long-term. This person did make it. On her Facebook page you can see that she is down to about 230 lbs from her pre-surgery weight of 592 (or 596?). In her episode, she could barely walk down the hall to get to the Dr’s office, and now her Facbook page is plastered with photos of her at the gym, on vacation in Jamaica… She looks so happy. What’s even better is that her daughter is very active. I just hope the asshole father doesn’t fatten up the kid as payback. She’s chubby already. The show’s format now is a year of shooting for one episode. The first four episodes of the show were seven years of shooting for one episode. Each episode is one person’s journey, then it’s on to a new person for the next episode. They have update shows once in a while. ---
**Author:** ![Athabasca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Athabasca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athabasca)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gareth-zsalynns-husband-on-my-600-lb-life/683120/31 "2014-03-07T19:33:58Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > How about _ghastronominable_? It’s got a George W Bush vibe, being that it’s made up of all kinds of delicious other words, which was his forte, and he is from TX, so it fits rather nicely. TY ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gareth-zsalynns-husband-on-my-600-lb-life/683120/32 "2014-03-07T19:52:53Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > I can’t think of anything less meaningful than pitting reality show participants. Anything. Pitting anonymous users on a message board? ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gareth-zsalynns-husband-on-my-600-lb-life/683120/33 "2014-03-07T20:09:57Z")
Since this is about a TV show, I’m going to send it over to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gareth-zsalynns-husband-on-my-600-lb-life/683120/34 "2014-03-07T21:20:21Z")
> [@LibrarySpy](#): > > I should have taken a cue from **Drunky Smurf** _There’s_ a seldom-used phrase! ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gareth-zsalynns-husband-on-my-600-lb-life/683120/35 "2015-04-22T03:18:26Z")
Okay, I did see the episode (it re-ran a few days ago) and while the husband’s definitely a jerk, she had plenty of her own issues too, and of course we’re only getting her side of the story. I do hope she manages to keep the weight off, and that she and her daughter can have a happy life (and that the daughter can have a good relationship with her father, if they both want it). ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gareth-zsalynns-husband-on-my-600-lb-life/683120/36 "2015-04-22T03:32:17Z")
There was a follow-up for this family. She kicked Gareth out. Go Zsalynn! ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gareth-zsalynns-husband-on-my-600-lb-life/683120/37 "2015-04-22T14:52:05Z")
What the fuck kind of name is Zsalynn and how do you even say that? ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gareth-zsalynns-husband-on-my-600-lb-life/683120/38 "2015-04-22T15:37:25Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > What the fuck kind of name is Zsalynn and how do you even say that? In its original Klingon form its pronounced “jackass”. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gareth-zsalynns-husband-on-my-600-lb-life/683120/39 "2015-04-22T16:54:41Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > What the fuck kind of name is Zsalynn and how do you even say that? “Jah lin”, I think. Don’t know what kind of name it is. Gareth sure was a tool though. How about the jackass who hooked up with a woman of size (who seemed to genuinely love him) prior to his surgery, then started treating her like crap immediately after the surgery? After she had bariatric surgery, his treatment of her became even worse – he pretty much refused to pick up prescriptions for her, and he wouldn’t help her take care of their toddler (she was shown picking up the kid even though she wasn’t supposed to be lifting anything). She did serve him with divorce papers, but I think they got back together. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2015, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gareth-zsalynns-husband-on-my-600-lb-life/683120/40 "2015-04-22T16:56:40Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > In its original Klingon form its pronounced “jackass”. My bad. Was thinking that was the husbands name. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gareth-zsalynns-husband-on-my-600-lb-life/683120.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-gareth-zsalynns-husband-on-my-600-lb-life/683120.md?page=3)