What exactly did Michael Ventrella do to drop 264 pounds on NBCs The Biggest Loser?
When I interviewed Biggest Loser executive producer Mark Koops earlier this year, I made a point that is generally derided or misunderstood by TV folks who see nothing wrong with tweaking reality to tell a story better. My belief: When you mislead your audience — like, say, by pretending that contestants are actually being weighed during the climatic weight-in segments, when they have actually been weighed hours earlier — they never again know if they can fully trust you. The impetus for this conversation was a feature story I did on Kai Hibbard, a contestant on the show’s third season who has been vocal about her feelings that the show abuses participants by pushing them too hard, hides uncomplimentary facts from the audience and feeds unrealistic expectations in fans who hope to mimic the weight loss they see each week on TV. …
