Access Blogs
Drama Inside 'The Biggest Loser' Finale
These contestants lives have not only been changed drastically by this show but quite possibly their lives have been saved. Most notably Curtis Bray who came to the "The Biggest Loser" ranch at a whopping 381pounds. He had lost his health insurance for himself and his family and would not qualify unless he weighed a maximum of 238 pounds. After losing 150 pounds with the help of the show, his current weight right now is 231!
I've never been more excited to attend a TV taping. I've only ever met the contestants once (before they started the show) but even barely knowing them last night I felt like a proud sister watching her siblings. It was such an incredible feeling sitting in the audience. It really truly was not about the money for these people. What mattered was the number on the scale and what they were able to accomplish. Unlike the backstabbing and conniving that goes on in shows like "The Bachelor", "Survivor" or "Big Brother", when a contestant is eliminated there are genuine tears and remorse from their competition because they have sent home a friend, confidant and motivator.
The second I walked into the taping, my boyfriend and I did a lap around the studio and wound up running right smack into Ali, Mark and Roger backstage. I actually had a moment of star struckness. Ok, make that reality star struckness. Standing there in his jeans and black jacket, Roger was a hottie all of a sudden! Both he and Mark are barely recognizable as the men I met in October. Ali looked absolutely incredible in a tight fitting black dress. If you saw this girl walking down the street you would never know she used to be 234 pounds. She looked like a world-class gymnast with these crazy muscular arms. I knew right then she was going to win this thing.
There was no question that everyone in the audience (with the exception of maybe Kelly, Mark and Rogers families) wanted Ali to win this thing. She worked so hard, looked so amazing and she deserved this moment. As they went too commercial the audience was on there feet cheering for her until they returned. When Alison Sweeney told her she needed to lose 105 pounds to beat Roger, the whole audience knew she had done it. The scale proved it and confetti came raining down and she had her moment. Minutes after her win she put it all in perspective to me,
"This journey has challenged me like no other journey. It was the toughest, hardest, most rewarding journey of my life. I feel beautiful but I feel beautiful because I feel strong and confident. I mean that's what beauty is!"
Her mom Bette Sue was watching proudly with tears streaming down her face. Fortunately, Bette Sue had made it back in time to watch her daughter win. She had a really scary moment which audiences at home never saw. While the short taped segment about her journey at the show was running, Bette Sue approached the scale and tripped and fell face first into the staircase. It sounded and looked awful. Alison, the producers and other contestants rushed over to pick her up and make sure she was ok. It seemed like she was. She did her weigh in and no one at home ever knew the drama. She was then taken backstage which I figured was a precaution to be checked out by a medic. Turns out it was as rough as it looked. Poor Bette Sue had a black eye and a major cut on her face and even had to have a butterfly stitch. She told me she would not have missed her daughters win for anything in the world.
As for that 250,000 prize Ali says she is going to pay off all her debt with it. Next up she wants to travel the country and inspire people to do what she did.
As for Roger he told me he was sad to lose the money but of course he still feels like a winner. I asked if he knew there was such a hottie underneath all that fat. He said he didn't but his wife loves it and has told him,
"It’s like she's sleeping with a stranger!"
Meanwhile, Kelly may have earned herself a guest spot on "Desperate Housewives." I noticed while I was waiting for her to finish up an interview she was holding a card from one of the Executive Producers of the show. When I asked her about it she told me that the EP was a fan of this show.
"I told them I am for hire. I am not a Desperate Housewife yet but I could be one!"
A little cameo maybe? On a sad note though Kelly's ex-husband Paul (her partner on the show) has taken very ill. He could not attend the show last night because he has been in the hospital battling a severe infection, which could possibly take his life. Kelly made a plea for everyone to please keep him in his or her prayers. I'm sure seeing her shining moment last night put a huge smile on his face. Let's hope he battles back from this.
If you are looking for a place to become a Biggest Loser but drop the pounds without the TV cameras check out my blog about Fitness Ridge Resort right here. Fitness Ridge
Hi Laura,
Do you happen to know how I can get tickets to The Biggest Loser Finale taping? My friend and I really want to go, but we aren't having any luck finding out how. Thanks.
Unfortunately Tiffany the Biggest Loser Finale is not open to the public. Its generally for friends and family of the contestants plus contest winners. Sorry.
So how can they be giving these tickets away? jessicagottlieb gave two tickets away today and so was milk. Are they selling 2009 finale tickets
Is there any other way to get tickets other than being family or contest winner. I am an absolute fan, and I would love to take my friend and her mother for her bat mitzvah! Did anything change about getting tickets for 2009?