Steph Tisdell is Fat. It’s both the name of her standup show and the statement she opens with. She has been fat all of her adult life, and she’s good at it. She also excels at the yo-yo dieting and disordered eating that has dominated her life for years. Tisdell has tried everything, even signing herself up for what she describes as an “adult fat camp” for $10,000. Throwing herself into the camp’s wellness principals, Tisdell does manage to lose 10kg – only to regain it while trying to afford another stint at the program.
The breaking point comes when Tisdell begins experiencing back pain and her doctor gives her a life-changing piece of advice: “I don’t need you to lose weight, I need you to get strong.”
Despite the subject matter, Fat never feels heavy. Tisdell’s self-deprecation always has an undertone of the absurd. We are aware throughout that the terrible things she has previously thought about herself and her body are comedic because they are ridiculous. She pokes fun at the wellness industry that preys on people’s insecurities and the linen-clad white women who gatekeep these spaces.
Tisdell is also too generous in spirit for this to feel downbeat, something that comes across before the show even begins. Having suddenly cancelled the rest of her Melbourne run for personal reasons, she greets us with a flyer for fellow First Nations comedian Leon Filewood, encouraging people who enjoy her show to go see him next. Her show also opens with a reading from emerging First Nations writer Skye Cusack, who shares an excerpt from her upcoming novel.
In a world where fat people are so often the butt of the joke, Tisdell exposes the flawed logic which underpins fatphobia and the damage it does. Despite a supportive crowd, there are moments when anti-fat bias still shines through. Most notably, the audience applauds when Tisdell mentions losing weight in recent months. The weight loss, Tisdell tells us, is a side-effect more than anything. She’s happier, more regulated and better able to take care of herself now that she is not driven by shame. The audience nods along at all the right points, but it is still the weight loss they applaud.
This is Tisdell’s first standup show in four years. We see a window into why she made the choice to quit and why she has chosen this moment to return. Tisdell admits she craves external validation, but that is not why she has stepped back on the stage. Fat is a show about healing and it feels as much for Tisdell herself as it does for us. Despite this, it never feels self-indulgent. The show is akin to a long conversation with a very funny friend you’ve lost touch with, updating you on the twists and turns their life has taken since you last spoke.
It is rare to find a show this soft and airy that also delivers such a powerful message on the intersections of race, class and health. First Nations people are disproportionately affected by obesity and receive worse health outcomes. The latest Closing the Gap report shows that suicide rates are continuing to rise among First Nations communities. On top of that, Tisdell realises the wellness strategies she paid so much to learn are, at their core, co-opted from Indigenous knowledge.
The lessons at the heart of Fat are deeply serious, but they are delivered with a startling brevity. Tisdell’s return to standup is as triumphant as it is joyous – let’s hope she continues for years to come.
Steph Tisdell’s Fat will be at Sydney comedy festival on 9-10 May and Brisbane comedy festival 14-17 May
In Australia, the Butterfly Foundation is at 1800 33 4673. In the UK, Beat can be contacted on 0808-801-0677. In the US, help is available at nationaleatingdisorders.org or by calling ANAD’s eating disorders hotline at 800-375-7767. Other international helplines can be found at Eating Disorder Hope
Indigenous Australians can call 13YARN on 13 92 76 for information and crisis support; or call Lifeline on 13 11 14, Mensline on 1300 789 978 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org
