# My Beautiful Mommy -Why Mommy's boom-booms are bigger & her tum-tum is smaller **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 17, 2008, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-beautiful-mommy-why-mommys-boom-booms-are-bigger-her-tum-tum-is-smaller/445677 "2008-04-17T01:32:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2008, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-beautiful-mommy-why-mommys-boom-booms-are-bigger-her-tum-tum-is-smaller/445677/1 "2008-04-17T01:32:56Z")
God bless this modern world! [My Beautiful Mommy](http://www.newsweek.com/id/132240/page/1) > [@](#): > > “My Beautiful Mommy” is aimed at kids ages four to seven and features a plastic surgeon named Dr. Michael (a musclebound superhero type) and a girl whose mother gets a tummy tuck, a nose job and breast implants. Before her surgery the mom explains that she is getting a smaller tummy: “You see, as I got older, my body stretched and I couldn’t fit into my clothes anymore. Dr. Michael is going to help fix that and make me feel better.” Mom comes home looking like a slightly bruised Barbie doll with demure bandages on her nose and around her waist. > > The text doesn’t mention the breast augmentation, but the illustrations intentionally show Mom’s breasts to be fuller and higher. “I tried to skirt that issue in the text itself,” says Salzhauer. “The tummy lends itself to an easy explanation to the children: extra skin and can’t fit into your clothes. The breasts might be a stretch for a six-year-old.” ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2008, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-beautiful-mommy-why-mommys-boom-booms-are-bigger-her-tum-tum-is-smaller/445677/2 "2008-04-17T03:01:02Z")
I’m feeling a little queasy. As for the illustration from the book, no living woman will (should?) ever look like that. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2008, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-beautiful-mommy-why-mommys-boom-booms-are-bigger-her-tum-tum-is-smaller/445677/3 "2008-04-17T03:07:42Z")
You have to laugh. It’s just hilarious how low people can stoop to justify, and even rejoice in, the most egregious sort of superficial, consumerist waste. The part I found funniest was that it was the plastic surgeon who came up with the book - and the plastic surgeon IN the book looks exactly like Superman. I wonder what Dr. Mike really looks like? Come on, that’s _hysterical_. This is comedy gold. ---
**Author:** ![Amblydoper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@Amblydoper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amblydoper)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2008, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-beautiful-mommy-why-mommys-boom-booms-are-bigger-her-tum-tum-is-smaller/445677/4 "2008-04-17T03:51:14Z")
[QUOTE=RickJay] You have to laugh. It’s just hilarious how low people can stoop to justify, and even rejoice in, the most egregious sort of superficial, consumerist waste. [/QUOTE] Mommy needs implants cause her SUV makes her boobs look small. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2008, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-beautiful-mommy-why-mommys-boom-booms-are-bigger-her-tum-tum-is-smaller/445677/5 "2008-04-17T03:55:27Z")
The part I found funniest is that it is a [vanity published book](http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/010154.html) with no ISBN, no distribution, and no real hope of ever reaching any sort of audience–even if people wanted to read it. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2008, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-beautiful-mommy-why-mommys-boom-booms-are-bigger-her-tum-tum-is-smaller/445677/6 "2008-04-17T03:57:16Z")
[QUOTE=pepperlandgirl] The part I found funniest is that it is a [vanity published book](http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/010154.html) with no ISBN, no distribution, and no real hope of ever reaching any sort of audience–even if people wanted to read it. [/QUOTE] Thank God for small blessings. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2008, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-beautiful-mommy-why-mommys-boom-booms-are-bigger-her-tum-tum-is-smaller/445677/7 "2008-04-17T03:58:02Z")
You have to admit, it’s just heartwarming how courageous Dr. Mike is, to have gotten through medical school and been board-certified all while suffering from microcephalism. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2008, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-beautiful-mommy-why-mommys-boom-booms-are-bigger-her-tum-tum-is-smaller/445677/8 "2008-04-17T04:05:13Z")
I swear, I thought from the thread title that y’all had had a baby. And I was, like, “Wow, did I ever miss _that_ memo…” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2008, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-beautiful-mommy-why-mommys-boom-booms-are-bigger-her-tum-tum-is-smaller/445677/9 "2008-04-17T04:48:59Z")
To be fair, here, it looks like that sometimes after he performs surgery, their kids ask awkward questions, so he made up a little booklet to help explain it to them. I hate superficially unnecessary body modifications too, but it’s not that bad an idea, it’s a reaction to what happens after surgery, not a recommendation as a standard book for school libraries. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2008, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-beautiful-mommy-why-mommys-boom-booms-are-bigger-her-tum-tum-is-smaller/445677/10 "2008-04-17T05:51:01Z")
As an antidote, may I offer the Russian folktale [My Mother is the Most Beautiful Woman in the World](http://www.amazon.com/Mother-Most-Beautiful-Woman-World/dp/0688512518). ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2008, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-beautiful-mommy-why-mommys-boom-booms-are-bigger-her-tum-tum-is-smaller/445677/11 "2008-04-17T11:51:38Z")
Is that book for real? It looks like a parody from MAD magazine. And it looks like Dr. Michael had too many trips to the surgery himself. How can he even walk through normal doors? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2008, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-beautiful-mommy-why-mommys-boom-booms-are-bigger-her-tum-tum-is-smaller/445677/12 "2008-04-17T12:16:44Z")
“You see kids, mommy has been conditioned to hate herself, by unrealistic media portrayals of female bodies, and rather than telling her she doesn’t need to do that, we’re going to _change her_. Oh, and considerably lighten her bank account, too”. ---
**Author:** ![essell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/34f0e0/32.png) [@essell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/essell)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2008, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-beautiful-mommy-why-mommys-boom-booms-are-bigger-her-tum-tum-is-smaller/445677/13 "2008-04-17T13:32:52Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] “You see kids, mommy has been conditioned to hate herself, by unrealistic media portrayals of female bodies, and rather than telling her she doesn’t need to do that, we’re going to _change her_. Oh, and considerably lighten her bank account, too”. [/QUOTE] Far be it from me to defend the media, but it was probably her husband’s idea. Us men can be right bastards. Still, it might stop him having an affair with their teenage babysitter. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2008, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-beautiful-mommy-why-mommys-boom-booms-are-bigger-her-tum-tum-is-smaller/445677/14 "2008-04-17T13:38:05Z")
[QUOTE=essell] Still, it might stop him having an affair with their teenage babysitter. [/QUOTE] Hmm. “Why Daddy Traded Mommy for the Babysitter” might be a good sequel. ---
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2008, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-beautiful-mommy-why-mommys-boom-booms-are-bigger-her-tum-tum-is-smaller/445677/15 "2008-04-17T13:50:24Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] “You see kids, mommy has been conditioned to hate herself, by unrealistic media portrayals of female bodies, and rather than telling her she doesn’t need to do that, we’re going to _change her_. Oh, and considerably lighten her bank account, too”. [/QUOTE] “Yes, darling… and this is so important to Mommy that she’s going to put her very _life_ at risk simply in order to look better. Don’t worry, darling, if Mommy dies, Daddy will find you a new Mommy.” ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2008, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-beautiful-mommy-why-mommys-boom-booms-are-bigger-her-tum-tum-is-smaller/445677/16 "2008-04-17T15:28:02Z")
[QUOTE=essell] Far be it from me to defend the media, but it was probably her husband’s idea. Us men can be right bastards. Still, it might stop him having an affair with their teenage babysitter. [/QUOTE] Maybe mommy wants to have an affair with the paperboy. ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2008, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-beautiful-mommy-why-mommys-boom-booms-are-bigger-her-tum-tum-is-smaller/445677/17 "2008-04-17T17:03:57Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] “You see kids, mommy has been conditioned to hate herself, by unrealistic media portrayals of female bodies, and rather than telling her she doesn’t need to do that, we’re going to _change her_. Oh, and considerably lighten her bank account, too”. [/QUOTE] …and we’re going to teach you to do it, too–[starting really early.](http://www.phillymag.com/articles/pretty_babies/page1) Double-ugh. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2008, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-beautiful-mommy-why-mommys-boom-booms-are-bigger-her-tum-tum-is-smaller/445677/18 "2008-04-17T17:21:17Z")
I’d hit it. With a baseball bat. ---
**Author:** ![supervenusfreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@supervenusfreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supervenusfreak)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2008, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-beautiful-mommy-why-mommys-boom-booms-are-bigger-her-tum-tum-is-smaller/445677/19 "2008-04-17T17:26:29Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] Hmm. “Why Daddy Traded Mommy for the Babysitter” might be a good sequel. [/QUOTE] Perhaps the super doctor has a friend who is a super lawyer. The good ones always travel in packs. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2008, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-beautiful-mommy-why-mommys-boom-booms-are-bigger-her-tum-tum-is-smaller/445677/20 "2008-04-17T17:30:59Z")
[QUOTE=friedo] I’d hit it. With a baseball bat. [/QUOTE] Would a heated [pestle](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5107360.stm) do? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-beautiful-mommy-why-mommys-boom-booms-are-bigger-her-tum-tum-is-smaller/445677.md?page=2)