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Biggest Loser Family Edition: Nice Ladies Finish Ninth
Rankings by Donna Emery
As of October 22, 2008
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This week on the Biggest Loser, the Red Team’s Amy met her Waterloo – or, dare I say it – Waterload.
Those of you who are veteran watchers of this show will remember Neal from two seasons ago, and his infamous adventures in Waterloading. I can remember how angrily the show’s fans – and his fellow contestants – reacted to his antics. I also remember savoring the moment when he returned for the finale, and didn’t win the $100, 000 prize.
Here’s hoping a similar fate befalls the Three Huska-teers: Vicky, Brady and Heba.
Last week when Heba seized control of the team formation, she claimed to be doing it for her team’s sake, but she also admitted that “losing” husband Ed had led her to being determined not to lose Bob as her trainer. I can relate to that. If I were on the Biggest Loser, I would prefer Bob as my trainer, too. But she also made a remark last week about knowing her friendship with Vicky and Brady would therefore create a three-person alliance. This week, it was evident that the alliance is alive and well, despite unconvincing protests to the contrary. And this week, it took out one of my favorites: Amy P.
Everyone knows this is a game, and I don’t blame the contestants for doing whatever they can to win the prize. It’s a lot of money. But I do get upset when they not only cheat, but purposely sabotage other people. I know it’s probably naïve of me to expect the contestants on this show to be completely devoted to weight loss and getting healthy – especially after several years of seeing many instances of manipulation by teams and individuals – but it always upsets me, nonetheless.
In the past five weeks, I have developed some favorites for this season. From the beginning, I have mistrusted and been angered by Vicky’s blatant manipulations, and by her unhidden glee at other contestants’ misfortunes. I don’t know if she’s a gambler, but she probably doesn’t have a good poker face. Whenever any of her underhanded actions are found out, she looks triumphant. One glance at her face when Brady stood on that scale was enough to convince me that the Fix Was In.
And, it was pointless for her to be so mean-spirited about whether or not the challenge was worth winning. Bob had a point: you do your best, no matter what the prize. And as for what it was worth, I wonder how their kids felt when they watched this episode and found out their Mom didn’t think talking to them was worth making an effort.
As for Heba, she cemented her alliance with the Brown Team this week, and voted Amy home. It was clearly about hurting Phillip, and the fact that it might “weaken” his resolve was only icing on the cake to them. This was clearly payback for last week’s Peanut Butter Cup incident.
All I can say is, the other Amy is lucky that Red Amy wasn’t this week’s Biggest Loser – because if she had been, that Amy would have been gone.
I hope they go to singles soon, because Heba will see how far her alliance with the only intact married couple in the game goes, when they gleefully vote her home. She’s been last in the rankings almost every week, so only good fortune – and the alliance – has saved her, thus far. .
Brady seemed like a nice guy to me, until he showed his true colors on that scale. His little whispered conference with Heba, before the weigh in seemed a bit contrived to me, also. Why did he feel the need to arm her against Amy? Why couldn’t he have played it straight and relied on losing weight to help his team win the weigh in?
With the preview for next week predicting a loss that will wipe out the other team, I have to bet the farm on that loss belonging to Brady. In true “Neal Style”, he’ll most likely lose at least 25 pounds. That should keep Blue in the game for another week, and save the remaining Amy for next week. One of the Black Team will go home, and I hope it’s not Coleen or Phillip, because they’re the ones I’m rooting for now.
Here’s how they stand in the running for the prize:
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Amy
Current Ranking: 1 Previous Ranking: 1
A 26-year old purchaser from Auburn Hills, Michigan. She’s sweet and bubbly and she and her mom work well together. She’s currently studying cosmetology and has battled her weight since middle school.
What a shame she ended up on the Blue Team, and I hope her weight loss continues long enough to keep her in the game until it goes to singles. I think she has a good chance to win, and her absence from the discussions between Red Amy and the Brown team shows me she’s not part of their games. She has lost 46 pounds or 18%
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Phillip
Current Ranking: 2 Previous Ranking: 4
A 41-year old real estate agent from Greer, South Carolina.
To me, Phillip looks a lot like TV’s “Dr. Phil”, and he seems just as likeable. He began to gain weight while serving in the Air Force. He’s been married to his high school sweetheart for almost 20 years.
He’s another one of my favorites to win it all. He’s doing his best to help his
team, but he sincerely encouraged Amy when her loss wasn’t so great. He’ll miss
her, but I agree with his wife. He won’t crumble. I hope he makes them eat their
words. He has lost 59 pounds and that’s 17.82%
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Vicky
Current Ranking: 3 Previous Ranking: 5
A 37-year old anesthestist from Hourna, Louisiana.
She’s been good at juggling career and home up until now, but realizes she hasn’t taken enough time for herself. She’s setting out to prove that working moms are a force to be reckoned with!
Her all-knowing smirk when Brady was on the scale said it all. Added to her nasty
attitude about the worth of the challenge, it really adds up to a lopsided motive for
this game. Sure, it’s a competition. But there are ways to play the game without
being shady. She’s done a great job by losing 43 pounds, or 17.48%
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Brady
Current Ranking: 4 Previous Ranking: 2
A 36-year old pharmacist from Hourna, Louisiana. Brady is proud of his Native-American heritage and wants to be a good example for their two children. He says he is the counselor, but considers his team to be very competitive.
Brady lost some ground this week, because of his small loss. I predict he’ll shoot
up in the standings next week, but I’m hoping it doesn’t take him far. He has lost
58 pounds or 17.01%
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Colleen
Current Ranking: 5 Previous Ranking: 7
A 23-year old receptionist from Cleveland, Ohio. She’s
a cute but formidable opponent who has struggled with her weight since her
teens. She wants to be more active and have a healthier life
Her amazing results this week helped her climb in the ratings. She’s really
becoming a hottie, and I hope she can stay in the game long enough, now that
she’s getting smaller. She has lost 37 pounds or 16.97%
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Michelle
Current Ranking: 6 Previous Ranking: 6
A 26-year old aspiring aviation engineer from Dallas, Texas. She has a beautiful smile and a personality to match. She looks forward
to taking off enough weight to take charge of her life.
I love her beautiful smile, and I hope the symbolism of meeting her mom in the
middle of the log wasn’t lost on her. She’s building a relationship, which will
serve her well on her weight loss journey. She has lost 40 pounds or 16.53%
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Renee
Current Ranking: 7 Previous Ranking: 8
A 46-year old event planner from Dallas, Texas. She’s just as lovely as daughter Michelle, although she worries about the effects of her weight on her new marriage. She wants to travel to Hawaii after she loses some weight.
Good for her for winning the challenge! Way to go! I hope she lasts through next
week’s probable elimination, but if last week was a predictor, her days may be
numbered. She has now lost 42 pounds or 15.73%
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Heba
Current Ranking: 8 Previous Ranking: 9
A sales representative from Raleigh, North Carolina. It’s easy to like Heba. Her bubbly personality and determination make her fun to watch. She really wants to have a child someday, and knows that better health would be helpful.
It’s always harder for the larger contestants to equal the percentages of the smaller ones because they have to lose more weight to do it. Heba’s doing a good job, but her percentages remain very low. Her alliance with the Brown Team saved her this week, but future episodes may end up in that alliance coming back to bite her in the butt. She has lost 41 pounds or 13.45%
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Amy
6th Elimination
A 40-year old real estate agent from Greer, South Carolina.
This bubbly lady is a dynamo at the office, but raising her autistic son took a toll
on her emotions and led to a weight gain. Now, she wants to get healthy and be a
better role model.
I am so sad to see her go, but really glad to see how great she looks. The scenes
of her on horseback with Rhett were priceless. Go, Amy! Keep up the great work.
She lost 38 pounds or 16.58%
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Shellay
5th Elimination
A 51-year old stay-at-home mom from Royal Oaks,
Michigan. She hopes to enter the job market, and wants to prove that she can lose
the necessary weight.
I was sorry to see her go home, but WOW she looked amazing in her
transformation video! So glad she kept up her weight loss and it will be wonderful
to see her at the finale. She lost 27 pounds, which is 12.5%.
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Ed
4th Elimination
A chef from Raleigh, North Carolina. Cooking delicious
food all day doesn’t help in his quest to lose weight, but he and Heba would like
to have a family, so he’s hoping a weight loss will be the key to better health.
What a beautiful speech he made to Heba. What a sweet thing to see his sincere
feelings for her. He’s done so well at home; I am looking forward to seeing him
at the finale.
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Jerry
3rd Elmination
A 51-year old police sergeant from Cleveland, Ohio. We already know he is the “sickest contestant”, so I have to give him kudos for however long he and Colleen make it through the game.
I will miss Jerry and seeing his relationship with Coleen, but for his sake it was
best for him to go home. If you saw the transformation video, you know Jerry’s
doing great now! On the show he lost 17 pounds, or 4.43 %
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Tom
2nd Elimination
A 42-year old cab driver from Everett, Massachusetts. He sits in a cab all day, so it’s tough to keep the weight off. He wants to find more time and energy to spend with his family.
Tom did a great job while he was at the Ranch. He began at 314 lost 8.59% before he was eliminated.
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LT
1st Elimination
A 23-year old cab driver from Everett, Massachusetts. He works with his dad in the taxi, and has copied some of dad’s bad food habits.
L.T. tried his best, but the curse of Week Two caused him to gain weight. He began at 357 and lost 4.2%
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It’s probably too soon for the game to go to singles, but I wish it would. I’m hoping I’m wrong about next week’s results, although that would probably mean Purple Amy is going home. In the end, I hope that the Biggest Loser will be the real Biggest Loser, unlike the year that the at-home winner beat out the “champ.” And I know it’s foolish to hope for this, but I hope that we see less of the games and more of the life transformations that some of us watch this show to see.
Donna is a nurse and teacher, and a mother of 5. She lives in Pennsylvania and is admittedly addicted to many reality shows. You can reach her at mrsed4ever@yahoo.com.
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