This My 600-Lb Life Conspiracy Theory Will Have You Looking Twice At Dr. Now
One exciting aspect of watching a new "My 600-lb Life" episode is seeing what kind of person will see Dr. Younan Nowzaradan next. There have been some absolute train wrecks on "My 600-lb Life" over the years, but there have also been inspiring individuals who genuinely want to get healthy. One person has developed a theory about why the former tends to happen more often than one would assume.
Many participants fight Dr. Now tooth and nail when it comes to losing weight. It seems weird they would want to be on the show if they're so adamantly against getting help. Therefore, Redditor u/Region-Certain posits, "I think a lot of people must be nominated by their family or recruited to the show somehow separately from Dr. Now's actual medical practice/process. I think that's why there are so many wild stories on the show and why some people seem really uninterested in actually following through with their progress. I think Dr. Now doesn't like it but is locked into these contracts so he has to do a lot of it."
It would explain why people who aren't interested in treatment are on the show. After all, reality television thrives on conflict, so getting people with combative personalities to butt heads with Dr. Now makes for engaging TV. And with the fan theory getting hundreds of upvotes on Reddit, many fans seem on board with this idea.
Are people recruited to appear on My 600-lb Life?
There's little doubt a ton of people would love the chance to get bariatric surgery from Dr. Now and get started on a better path. As such, it's a little disappointing to see someone completely squander a spot that could've gone to someone more deserving. Ultimately, "My 600-lb Life" is television, and the producers aim to deliver entertainment. For this reason, many people agree with the theory and try to back it up with their own claims.
For instance, Redditor u/UsefulAirport states, "A few plus size influencers have been up front about the show attempting to recruit them." This led to a discussion surrounding plus-size influencer Amberlynn Reid, who makes vlogs surrounding her life. In a 2016 YouTube video, she actually denied she wanted to be on "My 600-lb Life," but admitted that a TLC show about weight loss tried to get her on the series.
It's also worth noting people are paid to appear on "My 600-lb Life." Reports suggest it could be as much as $1,500 for an episode, which can entail up to a year of filming, as well as possible relocation fee reimbursement of up to $2,500. As such, there's a chance some people may try to get on the show just for the money. In all likelihood, the producers affecting who ends up on the show isn't so much a conspiracy theory as it's just what reality TV producers do to get better ratings. It remains to be seen if they actively recruit people who aren't interested, but as long as some people benefit from their appearances, "My 600-lb Life" has value.