Full House alums Jodie Sweetin and Andrea Barber shared why they had a difficult time revisiting this popular episode centered around a costar’s appearance.
For those who don’t know, Jodie (who played Stephanie Tanner) and Andrea (who played Kimmy Gibbler) have a Full House rewatch podcast How Rude, Tanneritos! And on the latest episode, they looked back at one of the series’ most infamous episodes, “Shape Up.”
“Shape Up” is centered around Candace Cameron Bure’s character, D.J. Tanner, going on a crash diet and starving herself as a way to look skinnier for for Kimmy’s birthday pool party. Candace was only 14 years old when the controversial episode aired in 1990 during their fourth season.
Despite noting that series creator Jeff Franklin consulted with Candace and her parents for permission to sign off on the subject matter, Andrea still believes it “doesn’t negate the fact that it’s a spotlight on a teenage girl and her insecurity.”
“It was very uncomfortable to watch. It made me really feel for Candace, too, having to carry this storyline.”
Jodie agreed, adding, “I know it was something that she was sensitive about. It’s hard when it’s something that you’re really dealing with to be like, ‘Oh, I’m gonna pretend that this is fine and that I can resolve it,’ you know?”
While both hosts believe it did touch on important issues like teenage girls’ body image and societal pressures to look a certain way, they still couldn’t push aside the idea that it might’ve been hard for Candace to differentiate the character from her real life.
“There’s still a real person who has to say these lines and feel these emotions,” Andrea added.
Last year, Candace spoke out about what it was like filming that episode and how she eventually made the decision to lose weight between Season 4 and Season 5.
“They actually talked to my mom and dad, and they talked to me and said, ‘Would you feel comfortable if we wrote an episode like this?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, sure.’ But when you’re in it and doing it, it feels a little awkward.”
Andrea, who recalled feeling insecure about an episode where her character Kimmy had to stuff her bra, admitted to being mad about how much people commented on Candace’s body.
“It makes me so mad that she went through that and that people did comment on her cheeks and her face,” Andrea said. “She looked great. Like, so many girls were like, ‘I wish I looked like you,’ and she felt so insecure about it. And I’m so mad that people made her feel that way.”
Are you familiar with this episode? Or can you think of another show and/or episode that probably wouldn’t be able to air today? Let us know in the comments.