Weight Loss Inc
February 3rd, 2026 Barry Posted in Becky Hawkins collaborations, Fat Acceptance | No Comments »
A cartoon by me and Becky Hawkins.
TRANSCRIPT OF CARTOON
This cartoon has four panels. They all show the same scene – the lobby of a weight-loss store – but a few months pass between each panel. In every panel, a fat redheaded woman, a customer, talks to a thin blonde woman, a saleswoman.
PANEL 1
Through the display window, we can see a green, leafy tree. A couple of bags of money lie under the counter. The customer is wearing a floral sundress and cardigan, and is opening a purse full of cash as she talks to the saleswoman.
CUSTOMER: I’d really like to lose weight.
SALESWOMAN: We can help! It’s only $200 to start!
PANEL 2
The tree has now lost all its leaves, and the customer is returning, carrying a sack of cash and wearing winter clothing. There’s more money under the counter.
CUSTOMER: I lost a bit of weight, but I’d like to lose more.
SALESWOMAN: You got it! For a modest monthly subscription.
PANEL 3
It’s now spring, and there are little pink flowers on the tree. The customer, in stretchy pants and a loose fitting long-sleeved top, returns with a grocery cart filled with bags of money. The saleswoman is cheery, but the customer is downcast. There are now so many moneybags under the counter that some are spilling out the side.
CUSTOMER: Now I’ve gained all the weight back… And a little more.
SALESWOMAN: You need our super subscription plan. It comes with an app!
PANEL 4
The tree is full and green again. The customer is back, with the shopping cart piled so high with money that she’s mostly hidden behind it. The room is filled with money bags, and the saleswoman is lounging on the pile of money, smiling happily.
CUSTOMER: Does it worry you that your weight loss plans keep on failing?
SALESWOMAN: Oh, yes, definitely. So very concerned!
CHICKEN FAT WATCH
“Chicken fat” is an obscure cartoonists’ term for fun background details. There’s a poster on the wall which says “Love Yourself,” but in the first three panels we can’t see the complete poster because the saleswoman stands in front of it. In panel four, we can finally see the small print below “Love Yourself”: “Not yet. Later. Once there’s less of you.”
