YouTube Star Nicole Arbour Says She Doesn't "Believe in Bullying," Defends Fat-Shaming Video—Listen!

"Dear Fat People" creator sticks up for her comedy

By Francesca Bacardi Sep 11, 2015 6:41 PMTags
Nicole Arbour YouTube, Fat ShamingYouTube

Despite the fallout that continues to plague Nicole Arbour since she shared her "Dear Fat People" video on YouTube, she's defending her comedy.

In a radio interview with the BBC, Arbour explained that she only wanted to find humor in an unfunny subject. "My aim was to make people laugh, and I think that's pretty darn noble," she said.

But Arbour, whose video has been viewed more than 20 million times and was even taken down from YouTube for its offensive nature, said her controversial video was made for a specific audience and that people were blowing it out of proportion. "The video was about obese people," she added. "I was very specific that it's not the average guy with some cushion for the pushin'."

Many have criticized Arbour's video for its fat-shaming nature, but the YouTube star said that her satirical video was actually meant to help spread awareness. "We really care about them and we want them to be healthy because I'm selfish and I want them around," she quipped in her interview.

In fact, Arbour claimed that her comedy isn't about calling people out.

"I don't shame people. It was an act. It was one bit," she said. "I don't hate anyone. I don't shame anyone. I don't actually believe in bullying at all."

When the interviewer asked if making jokes at the expense of fat people was "cheap," she replied, "20 million views isn't that cheap." She even said that all of her material is bound to insult someone, but as long as a person understands where she's coming from, then she believed it would be fine.

"I'm an equal opportunity offender and it all goes back to comedy," she said. "I think everyone is being a little too sensitive about everything."

Arbour poked fun at herself to try to prove a point. "I look like a dumb blonde and sometimes I play into the stereotype of what I look like and have a little fun with it," she said, defending the reasons behind her video.

While she has received some serious backlash, and even was fired from a movie role, Arbour insisted that there are people who appreciated her "bit."

"I've had a lot of fat people say this is hilarious," she explained. "I've had a lot of fat people message me and say, 'You made me want to put down the Oreos and go for a jog.'"

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