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My 600-lb Life

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My 600-lb Life is an American reality television series that has aired on the TLC television network since 2012. Each episode follows a year in the life of morbidly obese individuals, who usually begin the episode weighing at least 600 pounds (270 kg), and documents their attempts to reduce their weight to a healthy level. Update episodes, called "Where Are They Now?", feature one or more previous patients, picking up a year or more after their original episodes aired.

My 600-lb Life
Created byJonathan Nowzaradan
StarringYounan Nowzaradan, MD
ComposersBritton Beisenherz, David Hamburger
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons12
No. of episodes145 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Jack Tarantino
  • Cameo Wallace
  • Ron Bowman
  • Jeff Keels
  • Graham Davidson
  • Tom Mireles
  • Jonathan Nowzaradan
Producers
  • Leslie Appleyard
  • Amy Yerrington
  • Dawn Cooper Johnson
Production locationsHouston, Texas
CinematographyTaylor Rudd
Editors
  • Shrader Thomas
  • Jennifer Kovacs
  • Gareth Dawson
  • John Gehrke
  • Knox Hughes
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time
  • 45 minutes (seasons 1-4, excluding advertisements)
  • 85 minutes (season 5-present, excluding advertisements)
Production companyMegalomedia
Original release
NetworkTLC
ReleaseFebruary 1, 2012 (2012-02-01) –
present

Patients are placed under the care of Houston surgeon Younan Nowzaradan (often referred to as "Dr. Now"), who first has them attempt losing weight on their own by following a strict diet, and then depending on the patient's progress may offer gastric bypass surgery or sleeve gastrectomy to further assist in weight loss.[1]

Concept

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This series was originally a five-part miniseries involving four morbidly obese patients. Because of its popularity, new episodes were filmed, including a "Where Are They Now?" retrospective in Season 4 that follows up on previous patients to track their weight-loss journey months or years after bariatric surgery.[2]

In Season 1, patients were filmed over seven years (2004–2011). Beginning with Season 2, patients were filmed for only one year. In Season 8, certain patients' stories were filmed for only six months.

Beginning with Season 5, new episodes were two hours long instead of one hour. This was previously done with "Melissa's Story" (which was in two parts) and "Lupe's Story". Recap episodes titled "Supersized" and "Extended", which include additional facts and footage respectively, also aired during this season.

Subject outcomes

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Seventeen patients have died since appearing on the show.

  • Henry Foots, who was featured in season one of the show, died of an illness unrelated to his weight on May 16, 2013.[3][4]
  • Sean Milliken, who was chronicled on the fourth season of the show and his story is continued in My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now? in seasons three, four and five, died on February 17, 2019, from infection complications. He lost 400 pounds, but regained about 150 pounds after his mother's death. He was 29 years old.[5]
  • James King, a participant in the show's fifth season, died on April 3, 2020, from multiple organ failure due to his obesity at age 49.[6][7]
  • LB Bonner, who was featured on the sixth season of the show, died by suicide on August 2, 2018, at the age of 30.[8]
  • Lisa Fleming, also a sixth season participant, died of an undisclosed illness on August 23, 2018, which was unrelated to her weight, at the age of 50.[9]
  • Rob Buchel, also featured in season six, suffered a fatal heart attack on November 15, 2017, during the filming of the show, while staying in a skilled nursing facility in Houston.[10] Buchel's death was the first during the patient's respective episode. Buchel was 41 years old at the time of his death.
  • Kelly Mason, a participant in the show's seventh season, died on February 15, 2019, from heart failure at the age of 41. Her death was the second in the series to be featured during the patient's respective episode.[11]
  • Coliesa McMillian, featured on the show's eighth season, died on September 22, 2020, after being treated in ICU for two weeks due to acute kidney failure and other complications related to weight loss surgery. She was 41 years old.[12] Her episode has since been removed from viewing platforms.
  • Renee Biran, featured on the show's sixth season, died on May 14, 2021. She was 56 years old.[13]
  • Gina Krasley, featured on the show's eighth season, died on August 1, 2021. She was 30 years old.[14]
  • Ashley Randall, featured on the show's first season, died of sepsis, complications related to sepsis, and pneumonia on October 2, 2021. She was 40 years old.[15][16]
  • Laura Ann Perez, featured on the show’s third season, died on November 17, 2021. She was 48 years old.[17]
  • Destinee LaShaee, the first transgender person on the show who appeared in the show's seventh season, died on February 8, 2022, at the age of 31. Although the cause of death was not revealed, LaShaee and her family had stated she struggled with depression and suicidal ideation.[18][19]
  • Angela Gutierrez, featured on the show's seventh season, died on March 21, 2023. She was 49 years old.[20]
  • Larry Myers Jr., featured on the show's tenth season, died of a heart attack on June 13, 2023, three days after his 49th birthday.[21]
  • Paul MacNeill, featured on the show's tenth season, died in a car crash on his way to work on September 21, 2023, aged 37.[22]
  • Vianey Rodriguez, featured on the show's seventh season with her partner Allen, died due to complications of pneumonia on November 20, 2023, aged 41.[23][24]

Series overview

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Main article: List of My 600-lb Life episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally aired
First airedLast aired
16February 1, 2012 (2012-02-01)March 26, 2012 (2012-03-26)
28January 7, 2014 (2014-01-07)February 25, 2014 (2014-02-25)
310January 7, 2015 (2015-01-07)April 8, 2015 (2015-04-08)
412January 6, 2016 (2016-01-06)May 18, 2016 (2016-05-18)
514January 4, 2017 (2017-01-04)April 16, 2017 (2017-04-16)
616January 3, 2018 (2018-01-03)May 9, 2018 (2018-05-09)
720January 2, 2019 (2019-01-02)May 15, 2019 (2019-05-15)
816January 1, 2020 (2020-01-01)April 15, 2020 (2020-04-15)
913December 30, 2020 (2020-12-30)March 24, 2021 (2021-03-24)
1015November 3, 2021 (2021-11-03)February 9, 2022 (2022-02-09)
118February 1, 2023 (2023-02-01)March 22, 2023 (2023-03-22)
127March 6, 2024 (2024-03-06)April 17, 2024 (2024-04-17)

Spin-offs

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Beginning in January 2015, TLC began airing My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now? The purpose of this spin-off was to update viewers on the weight loss journeys of people featured in previous seasons. As of 2021, seven seasons of the Where Are They Now? follow-ups have aired.

In 2016, a second spin-off, Skin Tight, began airing, showing people who struggle with the excess skin remaining after their weight loss successes. Dr. Nowzaradan appears along with other plastic surgeons.

Failed lawsuits

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In 2018, several news outlets reported that several former patients of Dr. Nowzaradan who appeared on the series, as well as the family of one patient, L.B. Bonner, who died by suicide, had brought suits against the show's production company, Megalomedia, alleging negligence and claiming that the company failed to cover medical costs.[25][26] Plaintiff Destinee LaShaee, the first transgender participant to appear on the show, sued the show after claiming it did not provide the mental health treatments it promised. She died on February 8, 2022, after posting messages on social media "indicative of her depression and possibly suicidal thoughts."[18]

A total of ten lawsuits were filed, which were later consolidated into a single proceeding on May 20, 2020. Megalomedia requested summary judgment, which was denied via the judge not ruling on its motion within the time required under Texas law. Megalomedia then appealed its motion to the appellate court.[27]

On April 14, 2022, all ten of the lawsuits were dismissed by the 13th Appellate Court of Texas.[28][29][30][27]

References

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  1. ^ King, Brittany (May 30, 2017). "My 600-Lb. Life Dr. Nowzaradan on Why It's Difficult for Patients to Keep the Weight Off". People. Retrieved November 18, 2017.
  2. ^ "'My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now?': Have They Kept The Weight Off?". The Huffington Post. March 27, 2012. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
  3. ^ "Henry Foots Obituary". May 19, 2013. Retrieved November 17, 2017 – via Legacy.com.
  4. ^ Calen, Tom (June 26, 2021). "What Really Happened To Henry Foots After My 600-Lb Life?". Looper.com. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  5. ^ "My 600-Lb. Life Star Sean Milliken Is Dead at Age 29". people.com. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  6. ^ "James D. King". Milner & Orr. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  7. ^ "My 600 Lb. Life Star James King Dies at Age 49". Peoplemag. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
  8. ^ "'My 600-Lb Life' Star L.B. Bonner Dead At 30". August 3, 2018. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  9. ^ Hearon, Sarah (August 24, 2018). "'My 600-lb Life' Star Lisa Fleming Dead at 50". US Weekly. Retrieved August 24, 2018.
  10. ^ Bever, Lindsey (March 2, 2018). "A 'My 600-lb Life' participant died while filming his fight to lose weight". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 3, 2018.
  11. ^ "Kelly Mason Becomes Second 'My 600-LB Life' Subject To Die During Show's Filming, Suffering Heart Failure". Inqisitr. March 27, 2019. Retrieved July 18, 2019.
  12. ^ "'MY 600-LB. LIFE' STAR COLIESA MCMILLIAN DEAD AT 41". TMZ. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  13. ^ "Renee Elizabeth Carlock Biran". Retrieved May 20, 2021.
  14. ^ Lawrence, Derek (August 6, 2021). "'My 600-lb Life' alum Gina Krasley dies at 30". EW.com. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  15. ^ "'My 600-lb Life': Ashley Randall Dead at 40". October 3, 2021.
  16. ^ "Ashley Randall Obituary 2021". Young's Daughters Funeral Home & Bereavement Center. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  17. ^ "Obituary Laura Ann Perez". Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  18. ^ a b Ring, Trudy (February 9, 2022). "Destinee Lashaee, 1st Trans Star on 'My 600-lb Life,' Has Died". www.advocate.com. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  19. ^ "Matthew Brock Ventress". Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  20. ^ "Angela Gutierrez Obituary (1973 - 2023) - Legacy Remembers". Legacy.com. Retrieved March 25, 2023.
  21. ^ Larry Myers Jr. of 'My 600-Lb. Life' Dead at 49
  22. ^ ‘My 600-Lb. Life’ Paul MacNeill Dead At 37
  23. ^ TLC’s ‘My 600-Lb. Life’ Season 7: Vianey Rodriguez Dead
  24. ^ [1]
  25. ^ "Three More 'My 600 Lb Life' Cast Members File Lawsuits Against Show's Production Company; Their Lawyer Says They "Intend to End This Show"". The Ashley's Reality Roundup. February 27, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  26. ^ Delott, Simon (February 28, 2020). "My 600-lb Life Sued by FOUR Former Stars: End This Show, NOW!". The Hollywood Gossip. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  27. ^ a b "Megalomedia, Inc.v. Maja Radnovic, Jeanne Covey, Barbara J. Fallaw, Dorothy 'Dottie' Perkins, Annjeanette Whaley, Alicia Kirgan, and Matthew Ventress aka Dentinee Lashaee". search.txcourts.gov. Texas Judicial Branch. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  28. ^ Pesquera, Adolfo. "Ex-Subjects of My 600-Lb Life Lose Big in Negligence Lawsuit". Texas Lawyer. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  29. ^ "Texas Panel Tosses Claims Against 'My 600-lb Life' Producer - Law360". www.law360.com. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  30. ^ "Megalomedia, Inc. v. Radnovic, No. 13-20-00341-CV | Casetext Search + Citator". casetext.com. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
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