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Biggest Loser Family Edition: Transformation Brings Elation
Rankings by Donna Emery
As of December 4, 2008
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This week on the Biggest Loser, the final five contestants went to the Big Apple, appeared on the Tyra Banks show and then squeezed themselves into glass cubes for the chance to go to a spa vacation. When the challenge came, Vicky even decided to show us her “softer side”.
Too bad the only person she convinced was that notorious softie, Bob.
For all these weeks, Vicky has done nothing without an ulterior motive – so please forgive me if her performance this week left me thinking she is hedging her bets, in case she has to contend for the audience vote, in order to be part of the finale. With the final prize just beyond her grasp, she knows that although it may look like she’s got her finale berth in the bag, anything can happen on this show – and only two people will be certain to return to play for the prize she so desires.
So no matter how hard she has worked for the last ten weeks, and no matter what she does next week, if she falls below the yellow line she’ll be at the mercy of an audience who has seen her manipulative words and ways and are just drooling at the thought of paying her back by voting for whoever is below that line with her.
So maybe the Gameplayer – as even she has called herself – was still playing the game, when she freaked out during the challenge?
Putting that aside, the episode was about makeovers, and all of the contenders – even Vicky – have made an amazing transformation. If we didn’t already know that, from the “before” pictures they’ve been flashing during the last few weigh-ins, we certainly saw that in their wonderful makeover struts on the Tyra Banks show. All of them looked wonderful – although I don’t know what they were thinking, with Vicky’s makeup and hair color. Heba and Michelle really impressed me; they both looked absolutely wonderful. Heba in that red dress and Michelle in the purple were definitely the highlight of the episode.
How sweet was it to see Michelle and her daddy; Renee and her husband, Vicky and her sister, Ed and his dad, and Heba and her brother? What wonderful surprises and thrills for these hardworking people. I was touched and gladdened to see them all show off their new healthier bodies and habits to their family members.
This has been a really strange season. Many of the nicest people (like Red Amy, Phillip, Coleen and Purple Amy) were eliminated and it came down to three Blue Meanies and the lovely Pink ladies for the final five. If I had predicted a winner in the beginning of the contest, it never would have been the sweet ladies from Dallas. They didn’t seem to be contenders at the beginning; especially Michelle. With all her insecurities, and with the week where she almost decided to go home voluntarily, I didn’t think she’d have what it takes to last through to the end.
Now, she’s the one I am rooting for.
Ed never did anything to incur my wrath, but I don’t think he has what it takes to win. He’s been consistently in the bottom of the rankings in every week that he was in the competition. So, even if I liked him – and I admit, he does make me smile sometimes with some of his remarks – I wouldn’t hold out any hope he might win, although he has the most weight to lose.
It’s a ladies’ season again, so that means Heba or Michelle should be the winner. Yes, I know Vicky’s a lady – although, in my opinion, that’s using the term loosely. I can’t root for her, despite my concession that she has worked hard to lose the weight and played the game craftily if not with integrity. The quivering wimp on top of the challenge cubicles this week is difficult to square with the wrathful woman who posted the “Revenge” poster on her door and gleefully voted Amy home, even after she foolishly saved her.
It all comes down to next week. If Vicky is above the line, then she will do whatever it takes to win the prize, and I can only hope the other person beats her. If she is below the line, then I hope enough people vote against her to keep her away from the finale. Even if she wins the at home prize – and I truly hope she doesn’t – it would be better than having her as “The Biggest Loser”.
I know it’s just a TV show, and I know that the title isn’t “The Nicest Loser” or “The Most Likeable Loser”. But if the show is supposed to inspire America and to demonstrate the way to a healthier lifestyle, then I can only hope that the winner of this year’s contest is someone who truly embodies that spirit. No matter how much weight she has lost, Vicky doesn’t represent that spirit, in my opinion.
I’ve recently read reports that Bob and Jillian have been talking about next season’s crop of “Biggest Loser” contestants with enthusiasm, so I know the show is continuing – and it would seem to be continuing in a positive manner. That’s the way it should be. This season hasn’t shown us the jawdropping weight losses that we’ve come to expect. No one has lost 100 pounds, on the show, and it’s not likely anyone will. And the gameplaying has been over the top this year; thanks mostly to our dear Vicky. So, next year is something to truly look forward to.
But of course, we still don’t know how the contest will play out, this year.
Here is how they stand, going into the final week:
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Michelle
Current Ranking: 1 Previous Ranking: 3
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.
She’s still on top and she only has one week to go! If anyone deserves to win, it’s
her. She’s taken her fears and cast them aside, and worked through all of her
issues with her Mom. She has transformed herself into a true beauty: inside and
out. She has lost 71 pounds or 29.34%.
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Vicky
Current Ranking: 2 Previous Ranking: 2
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 hard work can’t be denied and I’m glad she has been able to turn her life
around. But her attempt to convince us that she’s likeable is too little, too late.
She has lost 70 pounds, or 28.46%
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Heba
Current Ranking: 3 Previous Ranking: 6
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.
She’s been so much easier to like since Ed came back, and she and Ed were so sweet to treat Bob to that dinner. Her makeover showed her to be a beautiful woman and I actually won’t mind if she’s the winner. She has now lost 77 pounds, which is 26.19%
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Ed
Current Ranking: 4 Previous Ranking: 5
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.
He’s still on the bottom of the pile, so here’s hoping that means he’s above the line next week instead of Vicky. He’s amusing and endearing, and he looks really good. He has lost an impressive 85 pounds, which is 25.37%.
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Renee
12th Elimination
What a shame she went home! I would love to have seen her win! But she took her
elimination with class, and has every reason to hold her head high. She not only
looks great, but she got her relationship with Michelle back – and that’s a prize
better than gold. She looked wonderful in her transformation video. On the show,
she lost 72 pounds or 26.97%.
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Amy
11th Elimination
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.
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Colleen
10th Elimination
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 weight loss luck ran out this week, but she’s made amazing progress and it
looks like she’s continuing her losing ways, at home. She looks amazing and
although I wish she could have won it all, she is going to look great at the finale.
She has lost 49 pounds, or 22.48%.
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Brady
9th Elimination
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.
He’s been one of the leaders for awhile, and his support may have been part of Vicky’s momentum. Although I don’t expect her to crumble because her spouse left (like Phil did) here’s hoping she is less focused next week. While on the Ranch, he lost 77 pounds or 22.58%
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Phillip
7th Elimination: Update - Has lost 68 pounds, or 20.54%
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.
Mr. Nice Guy went home this week and although I still think the Black Team made a bad decision, I loved seeing his vows renewal with Amy. Maybe he did take his focus off the game but I think his weight loss next week would have been a big one. He looked amazing in his transformation video and I wish him and Amy well. He lost 62 pounds on the show, and that’s 18.73%.
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Amy
6th Elimination: Update - Has ost 47 pounds, or 20.52%
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: Update - Has lost 39 pounds, or 18.06%
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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Jerry
3rd Elmination: Update - Has lost 41 pounds, or 10.79%
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: Update - Has lost 48 pounds, or 15.29%
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: Update - Has lost 57 pounds, or 15.97%
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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With the last week of competition almost here, I can rest assured that the worst that could happen would be Michelle competing for the votes of the audience with one of the Blue Team. Can we dare to hope it might be Vicky down there, vying for America’s votes? That would make everything worth it, for me. I doubt she garnered enough sympathy this week, to gain her any votes – especially over Michelle, but of course, everyone is entitled to their own opinion.
Who do you want to win? Who do you think WILL win? Who do you think will be vying for votes, and would you vote for Vicky to be in the finale – over anyone?
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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