Comments on: Wii Fat girl appears on BBC, “mortified” mother calls for warning

By: pjmaybe

pjmaybe — Thu, 22 May 2008 09:04:52 +0000

I’m working on it, I’m working on it.

Though the missus has expressly stated that she put up with the force feedback wheel, the bongos, the light guns, the Wii Fit Board and the Guitar Hero guitars - but divorce proceedings would ensue if Rock Band appears within a 500 yard radius of Maybe Towers.

By: morriss

morriss — Thu, 22 May 2008 07:18:14 +0000

Yeah, in true left-wing, socialist fashion I declare that all three of us are right. Pat, peej and myself. Now let’s all get copies of Rock Band and play together.

By: pjmaybe

pjmaybe — Thu, 22 May 2008 07:18:03 +0000

Pat - I don’t question that it’s a legit story - just about every games site is running it this morning. But the Beeb seem to have this weird “thing” going on with gaming, I wouldn’t even describe it as a love hate relationship - more seizing on the negative side of gaming and the industry, and paying mere lip service to the positive stuff.

Still, they’ve got some way to go before they catch up with my local commercial radio station that I do stuff for now and again. They REALLY hate gaming (they’re part of the Capital network which probably explains a lot).

By: pjmaybe

pjmaybe — Thu, 22 May 2008 07:16:01 +0000

The last bit of what you said Moz is exactly what I thought when I first ran the story. Fair enough, they don’t even own the bloody thing and she played it at a friends, and fair enough she was probably a bit embarrased when it labelled her overweight but oh my if that’s the worst thing that ever happens to her in her life, I think she’ll do alright.

Parents seem all too quick to wrap their kids up in cotton wool to protect ‘em from the “big evil” world out there. But nah, I reckon you’re right - this whiffs of a moneyspinner to me.

Ninty should just send them a free sticker in the post that says “Wii Fit’s BMI is not for kids! Have a nice day” - That’s what I’d do.

By: morriss

morriss — Thu, 22 May 2008 07:12:58 +0000

After I moaned at how pathetic the parents were and then got chastised by my missus that they indeed did have a point (thus agreeing with Pat and peej I had to concede that she (thus you two weirdos) have a point.

However, I really think the parents want some money out of Ninty and are trying to turn it into a media circus. Ninty are in the wrong, they apologised. The hurt a child’s feelings unintentionally through ‘minor negligence’ (ho-ho), that’s all.

I reckon mummy and daddy know that Uncle Nintendo have got shitloads and are hoping for a nice little comp for shutting tfu.

Also, Pat’s right, they should actively put a stick on the box or something like that.

By: patlike

patlike — Thu, 22 May 2008 07:12:22 +0000

I do think it’s a legitimate story, though. It’s right that the BBC question it. Stuff like this - especially at this level of sales - can have a real social impact, and the bottom line is that Nintendo’s making money from telling people they’re not fit enough. In most cases that’s fine, but in this case it isn’t and I don’t see the problem with highlighting it. As I said, I think the real question is why Nintendo’s refusing to actually do anything about it.

By: pjmaybe

pjmaybe — Thu, 22 May 2008 07:05:57 +0000

The missus mentioned this when we first got Wii Fit - that Nintendo really are doing the same trick they did with Brain Training and turning something relatively “for fun” into something it’s not - a scientific and medically proven method for turning you into Charles Atlas or Paris Hilton overnight.

Still, in our litigious society sensationalist pap like this gets more attention than people exercising common sense, so well done Auntie Beeb for wrapping the world up in cotton wool again, hurrah!

By: patlike

patlike — Thu, 22 May 2008 06:55:45 +0000

I think they have a point, personally. It isn’t accurate to use BMI as an indication of how “fit” a child is, and it is damaging to label a child “overweight” when they clearly aren’t. All Nintendo needs to do is put a sticker on the box. The question isn’t whether or not they have a case to answer - they’ve already admitted they have - it’s why they won’t do something about it.

By: pjmaybe

pjmaybe — Thu, 22 May 2008 06:38:30 +0000

Much as I hate these fucking idiots, she’s actually right in that Nintendo should’ve made it a hell of a lot clearer that the BMI method of indication used in Wii Fit is completely unsuitable for children, as is the universal standard BMI test. As someone’s already said you’d get the same results on any BMI calculator, not just Wii Fit.

But hey, s’long as the beeb can run yet another anti gaming story, everyone’s happy right?

By: patlike

patlike — Wed, 21 May 2008 20:30:46 +0000

This is correct. That girl looked pretty pissed to me. She had it coming.

By: dtredrea

dtredrea — Wed, 21 May 2008 20:07:34 +0000

Ok time we just said it:

Whether you are ‘fat’ or not has nothing to do with Wii Fit and everything to do with how many beers we’ve drank.

It is just that simple.

By: patlike

patlike — Wed, 21 May 2008 17:00:12 +0000

PT:

By: Psychotext

Psychotext — Wed, 21 May 2008 16:36:35 +0000

lol @ the lardarse mii. =D

By: deanimate

deanimate — Wed, 21 May 2008 16:33:42 +0000

she’s not fat and doesnt look skinny either. a good healthy weight i would say.
i bet she doesn’t eat too much Jam Roast™

By: morriss

morriss — Wed, 21 May 2008 16:09:19 +0000

Can I be the first to say Jesus fucking Christ!

By: patlike

patlike — Wed, 21 May 2008 15:53:18 +0000

They were saying that BMI isn’t a correct way to measure health in children. Honestly, watch the video. She’s thin, if anything.

By: G1GAHURTZ

G1GAHURTZ — Wed, 21 May 2008 15:50:30 +0000

Well, if she typed her height and weight into a BMI calculator on the internet, she’d get the exact same result, right?