'Chelsea Settles' Features MTV's First Plus-Size Star (VIDEO)

Meet a new kind of MTV heroine.

That's the tagline of MTV's newest show, "Chelsea Settles," a reality series starring a pretty 23-year-old girl dreaming of moving to Los Angeles and making it in fashion. Oh yeah, and she weighs 324 pounds.

The engaging trailer posted on MTV.com depicts Settles as an upbeat, determined and sweet girl who loves Kim Kardashian and whose weight has become an obstacle to achieving her dreams (to use some MTV-like language).

One of the most intriguing parts? When Chelsea applies for a fashion job and is harshly warned by her boss, "We're in an image business... the fashion industry is very weight-conscious."

It will be interesting to see how the uplifting, life-transformation story plays out against the tough, uncompromising standards of the fashion industry. She wasn't kidding when she said the industry is weight-conscious.

Check out the trailer for "Chelsea Settles" below. We have a feeling we'll be tuning in for the 11:00 pm premiere on October 11.

WATCH:

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Comments

[demisfine]

10:54 AM on 08/23/2011

She has a lovely, friendly face.
Good luck to her.

[veritas88]

12:07 AM on 08/23/2011

This girl is likable up until the point where she mentions she's a "fan" of Kim Kardashian. Ugh.

[FiredUpRTG]

12:22 PM on 08/22/2011

Maybe MTV will be more responsible than exploitative. The "Real World" started out interesting and then became all about beautiful people bed hopping. I might actually watch MTV for the first time in years.

[madamgodami]

12:09 AM on 08/22/2011

Their are a lot of plus size woman.And of course they help make the world go round,nothing wrong being big at all/ Maybe it will change the fashion industry Being that most model's look sick half the time.And they will see nothing wrong with gaining some pounds.

[avery t]

10:55 AM on 08/22/2011

In America, the underweight problem affects only a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of the number of people that the obesity problem afflicts. Skinny models may be in the public eye, but there are only a couple of thousand of them in the whole country. Also, only a portion of them look sickly. Many look good. You just have to not look at them through the eyes of envy.

[DSevere]

12:35 PM on 08/22/2011

F&F. The current generation of kids is the first one that is expected to have a SHORTER life expectancy than their parents -- and obesity is the #1 reason for this. Right now, 65% of Americans are overweight or obese. If this keeps going, there will be disastrous consequences in terms of increased medical costs, and a lot of people who won't live to see 50, which is really sad.

[madamgodami]

02:20 AM on 08/23/2011

Some of the stuff your saying is true but a woman wearing 16 plus is considered Big and their are a lot of us so your #'s are wrong.

[bmitche]

09:03 PM on 08/21/2011

Pretty face. I wish her well.

[pooigoddess]

05:40 PM on 09/13/2011

Pretty face...ButterBod?

[goddess lacy]

07:55 PM on 08/21/2011

While I believe shows like this can be inspirational to young women, MTV should focus more on putting plus-sized actresses on their shows that teens flock to. A good example of this is Sofia (Julia Pace Mitchell) on The Young and the Restless. Her weight has never been addressed on the show, and she is portrayed as a beautiful, confident and successful woman. As long as over-weight people are shown only on weight-loss tv shows, that is all the general public will see them as - just another "fat" person wanting to be "skinny."

[Gloria Hollins]

07:28 PM on 08/21/2011

I will be watching. She has a beautiful face. I think this sends a positive message about changing your body the right way and that's what girls need to see. It's sad how body conscious we all become as women because of what is feed to us by the media, this is a step in the right direction.

[msd7733]

07:24 PM on 08/21/2011

I think unless health is made the key reason to drop the pounds they will all creep right back on again. People have to be taught the serious issues they will face if they don't change their life by making healthy choices.

[DSevere]

07:29 PM on 08/21/2011

Thank you. People also need to work out whatever issues made them adopt a compulsive behavior to begin with. Compulsive overeating is more socially acceptable than being an alcoholic, for instance, but it's just as destructive, and it stems from the same sort of feelings. And those feelings need to be addressed, or the person will never be able to stick to their new, healthier behavior.

[SharleighL]

07:59 PM on 08/21/2011

Not true at all. If someone has a true food addiction problem - yes, there is such a thing just like an alcoholic, drug addiction and gambling addiction - it will be 10,000X more difficult to lose the weight and keep it off. Usually it helps to belong to a support group such as Overeaters Anonymous and/or be in therapy to resolve the underlying issues that drive someone to have the addiction. This is a life-long issue. If someone does not have an addiction like this, it is impossible to relate and understand. And yes, I'm speaking from experience.

[Marturia]

07:01 PM on 08/21/2011

MTV's first plus sized woman star and it has to be about losing weight. Of course.
It couldn't be about Chelsea designing clothes for larger women, working in the industry just as she is. No, she has to lose weight and now it's just another cliche'. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

[DSevere]

07:21 PM on 08/21/2011

I'm sorry, 324 pounds is not plus sized, it's morbidly obese. And I applaud Chelsea recognizing that it's not okay, that it's a potentially fatal addiction that she needs to do something about.

It's one thing to be plump (i.e. a size 14-16, 170 lb. or so person where you're kind of big but it's not affecting your health) it's quite another to be at a weight that's going to take decades off your life because of heart disease and diabetes.

[Marturia]

08:11 PM on 08/21/2011

I totally agree with you. We all know that 324 lbs. is an unhealthy weight. I happen to be at a healthy weight. My point was that MTV has it's first overweight female star and the only thing they can think to do with her is to make the show about losing weight. It shows no imagination whatsoever and continues to promote the myth that overweight people can't accomplish anything in their lives without losing 'the weight'.

You mentioned that Chelsea has "a potentially fatal addiction that she needs to do something about." I agree. On the other hand, a lot of thin models who are chain smokers and/or are addicted to dangerous drugs would fit the same profile.

I just get tired of seeing overweight people portrayed as those who could "really be a success or be productive .. IF ONLY THEY WOULD LOSE WEIGHT." MTV is just continuing to push that same stereotype.

[pooigoddess]

05:42 PM on 09/13/2011

Amen, DS!

[Heather Boss]

03:32 PM on 08/21/2011

I see a sweet, smart and funny young woman. A HARD WORKING person.

She's going to see her dreams come true. Not for being "infamous", but for doing real self-work, inside and outside. I am so happy that MTV is doing this. I hope it doesn't get cancelled... if any thing, this is less sensationalist than most shows.

[Alicia Townshend]

03:20 PM on 08/21/2011

I suppose I'll have to wait on passing complete judgement until I see the show itself, but a couple things stood out to me: The first is that there's nothing new about a TV show centered around an overweight person trying to lose weight. The second is that I'm wondering if this show will end up not as a journal of her weight loss struggles, but will end up instead being some mindless show where in the end everyone is encouraged to be happy "just the way they are". MTV is sometimes too politically correct that way. In no way do I feel that obese (or underweight, for that matter) people should be made fun of or be made to feel that they are "less-than" an ordinary person. However, health awareness and self-control need to be acknowledged and acted upon, too.

[TNgirlinWA]

02:09 PM on 08/21/2011

I actually worry for people who are on "reality" shows (in quotes because, of course, it's not truly reality but more a construct of what is edited together and shown to the viewers). Actors are used to critics who don't like the way a character is portrayed, but these are REAL PEOPLE whose actual personalities, habits, appearances, etc. are open to ridicule and judgement. An actor knows that when someone criticizes his portrayal of a character, that it's not necessarily a judgement on him as a human being.
As someone who's also an overweight woman, I know how unforgiving and judgmental people can be about size and appearance. I also know what it's like to have lived with the barrage of insults so often hurled by people, to be one of the last "acceptable" prejudices, to look for magazines that offer models in ALL shapes and sizes and find nothing. In the movies and on television, fat people are so often the comic relief or the punch line of jokes or, even worse, portrayed as disgusting, slovenly, lazy wastes of space.
I hope that this girl can help open the door for other men and women of size (who get discriminated against no matter what job they try to get, by the way). I just hope she doesn't get beaten down in the process.

[stag001987]

01:45 PM on 08/21/2011

So she has a weight problem. She is still prettier than than most of the Hollywood elites with their overdone plastic surgery. This girl has a lot of natural beauty and I wish her the best.

[lindalawrence]

05:36 PM on 08/21/2011

And..... in just a few sentences you managed to sum it up perfectly!!!!

[Marturia]

07:04 PM on 08/21/2011

She is a natural beauty. Well said!

[TheLibraryOfCodex]

01:37 PM on 08/21/2011

***The engaging trailer posted on MTV.com depicts Settles as an upbeat, determined and sweet girl who loves Kim Kardashian ****


Oh boy

[Ashley Renee Frank]

07:40 PM on 08/21/2011

At what point do you think it's okay to judge someone because of how they look?? It's not that easy..just to put the bucket of chicken down or whatever. Some people are addicted to drugs and alcohol and their way of staying off them is staying away. Food addiction is different. You need food to live. Temptation is very hard to risk,especially when it's being shoved in your face everyday.