What I Learned From “The Big Guy” Frank Payne (1962–2012)
Frank’s brave documentary shows it’s impossible for weight gain/loss to be tied to calories alone
I taught college English for two decades. Students usually came into these required classes with low motivation. I could have given traditional assignments and fought student apathy with tests and strict requirements. Instead, I chose to interest students by selecting readings and units that could directly benefit them — from career development to health.
One of the first units we worked on that increased motivation and interest in independent learning was food. We read Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser and viewed Super-Size Me, Morgan Spurlock’s entertaining and interesting documentary about eating only McDonald’s for 30 days.
In the course of her research, a nursing student found a new documentary for the list: My Big Fat Body (2009) starring comedian Frank Payne, aka “The Big Guy.”
Everyone was immediately interested in the story of this funny, humane, nice guy who stepped out of his comfort zone to get a full physical exam. Even before the exam, Frank filmed his large body in exercise shorts: in 360°. Right up front, Frank said he was morbidly obese, which he defined by being more than 100 pounds…
