Adam Richman best known for hosting the gluttonous show Man vs. Food on the Travel Channel, in which he traveled the country overeating as a hobby recently, used the hashtag #thinspiration to accompany an Instagram photo of himself showing the 60 pounds that he has lost. As someone who knows exactly what that hashtag means, it’s obvious to me that he made a mistake in his choice of hashtags, probably out of sheer ignorance but what followed was certainly intentional.
In case you are wondering, the hashtag #thinspiration is used in pro-ana and pro bulimic sites and groups to cheer one another along on their quest for thinness, essentially their journey to self destruction. So, using the hashtag #thinspiration as a non ED sufferer, you are essentially like a bystander watching someone about to jump off the roof and instead of calling the fire department, chanting, “JUMP!JUMP!JUMP!” The hashtag is offensive and when used callously, I can see where some people might get offended, especially those who suffer from eating disorders. I am 17 years in recovery, I can see both sides.
Critics of his use of the hashtag started immediately informing him of his mistake but I’m assuming he felt like it was a personal attack. I get it, he’s worked to lose all the weight he gained from binging on his show. Some people would consider that an eating disorder. But instead of apologizing for the faux pas, Adam Richman retaliated by calling several of the commenters “c*nts” and suggesting that they grab a razor and draw a bath adding that he doubted anyone would miss them and that is where a simple mistake became a deliberate act of assholery. That wouldn’t have been my first choice as a public figure to respond with but hey, what do I know?
He later apologized, I am sure at the urging of his publicist. It was really more of a “sorry, not sorry” apology and by that point, Adam Richman had already done the damage. Quite frankly, his comments after the fact have ruined him for me.
As someone with food issues, him misusing the hashtag #thinspiration would not have offended me to the point of nastily calling him out. I would have kindly educated him as to what it means and represents so that he would not accidentally use it again. But once he started throwing around slurs and telling people to kill themselves, I have to agree with the general consensus that he is, in fact, a little too obnoxious for my taste.
Maybe he and Paula Dean can start your own network for television celebrities who have verbal diarrhea and a knack for offending the public. They could even call it CUNTV. Look, I’ve always been a fan of Adam Richman and his witty banter on his shows but his reaction to this situation went too far.Some times you just have to accept that you stepped in it and apologize.He took a mistake and made it shit storm. They say there is no bad publicity but I think after this, Adam Richman would agree, there is.
What do you think of Adam Richman and his behavior?