Entertainment
Classic Underdog Comedy On Disney+ Is The Positivity We All Need Now
By Robert Scucci
| Published
When it comes to movies about body positivity and loving who you are, 1995’s Heavyweights sits on the top of the feel-good mountain for not only its vicious and borderline insensitive sense of humor, but for its teachable moments about getting out of your comfort zone with a positive attitude. Comedy at the expense of a bunch of overweight adolescents isn’t easy to execute with tact, and I’ll always have an appreciation for crude humor at the expense of others, but there’s a catch – you can’t just be crude for the sake of being crude, or mean for the sake of being mean.
Heavyweights is a perfect example of how tasteless jokes, especially when directed toward children, won’t come off as politically incorrect, even when its principal characters are the butt of too many fat jokes to count, because its humor never comes off as punching down.
From Camp Hope To Perkis Power
No kid who’s metabolically challenged ever wants to find out that their parents are sending them to fat camp, and Heavyweights begins with a gut punch to Gerry Garner (Aaron Schwartz) when he finds out he’s going to be shipped out to Camp Hope, a summer-long weight loss program, against his will. But it’s not all bad because Camp Hope is led by the warm and welcoming Harvey (Jerry Stiller) and Alice Bushkin (Anne Meara), has a great diet plan in place, and a number of attractions like go-kart racing and “the Blob” (a large inflatable water platform) that will make any kid go nuts for the sake of fun without realizing that they’re actually exercising.
Just as Gerry finds friends in Josh (Shaun Weiss), Roy (Kenan Thompson), and a whole bunk full of other horizontally challenged kids his age, the Bushkins break the news that they have to file for bankruptcy, and that Camp Hope has been purchased by fitness influencer Tony Perkis Jr. (Ben Stiller), who wants to spend the summer filming a weight-loss infomercial for his “Perkis Power” program, and rebrands the camp as such.
Heavyweights Wouldn’t Work Without Its Antagonist
Ben Stiller fires on all cylinders in Heavyweights as Tony Perkis Jr. with his brutal diet and fitness program, as well as his mean-spirited attitude towards overweight children, even though he claims that he used to be overweight himself. His first order of business is raiding the cabins for hidden junk-food stashes that actually make you want to root for him for a second because he’s not wrong about the lack of self-control that has become the modus operandi of Camp Hope over the past 18 years under the guidance of counselor Pat Finley (Tom McGowan). Think about it – these kid’s parents are spending a lot of money with the hope that their children will adopt healthy habits that will benefit them for the rest of their lives, and they’re treating it like a long vacation full of forbidden junk food without ever making any progress.
However, Tony Perkis Jr., who would be one of those fitness influencers on Instagram selling snake oil in the form of supplements that don’t work while fat-shaming anybody who comes across his feed if he existed in 2025, is such a jerk that you realize he doesn’t care about these kids improving their health at all, and will stop at nothing to make their summer as miserable as possible so he can sell his infomercial.
He also removes the motors from the go-karts and pops The Blob, squashing any notion of fun that the kids were looking forward to.
Though you’ve seen Ben Stiller play very similar character archetypes in films like Dodgeball, Tony Perkis Jr.’s over-the-top attitude and proclamation that he “eats success for breakfast, with skim milk” drives the point home that he’s a psychotic opportunist with no redeeming qualities, and a tremendous proof of concept for the kind of bully you see Stiller portray later in his career. Similar to Al Bundy from Married … with Children, Tony is unlikeable by design, which allows the humor in Heavyweights to land because at the end of the day, he’s the joke.
If you need a prime example of how much of a cringe-inducing loser Tony is, I’ll point you to the assembly scene when he runs from the stage with both arms outstretched to receive high-fives from the audience, who are so unenthused by his presentation that they all leave him hanging.
Lessons Are Learned After Everything Falls Apart
Heavyweights does teach a valuable lesson by the time it concludes, and it’s that even though the weight-loss camp was taken over by a tyrant whose unconventional methods are the stuff of nightmares, his presence leads to the catalyst that’s needed for each and every kid and counselor who’s trying to get rid of him. Learning that there are better ways to approach health and fitness, they also realize how the old way Camp Hope operated wasn’t doing anybody any favors either, and you have to thank Tony Perkis Jr. for being the extreme countermeasure that proves this point.
At the end of the day, Heavyweights is an effective feel-good comedy because not only is there a common goal to restore status quo at Camp Hope, everybody also learns that they need to change how they do things on a fundamental level, and still have fun in the process while being proud of who they are and setting goals for who they want to be.
As of this writing, you can stream Heavyweights on Disney+.
Entertainment
BookCon 2026: Authors Rachel Reid, Stephanie Archer talk hockey romance and how it could change the sport for the better
With the fervor of Heated Rivalry, there’s a fierce desire among book readers for even more hockey. On Sunday, April 19, at BookCon, the “You Had Me at Hockey: A Look at One of Sports Romance’s Hottest Genres”, authors Rachel Reid (Heated Rivalry, Game Changer), Emily Rath (Pucking Around), Ngozi Ukazu (Check Please), Stephanie Archer (The Wild Card), and Kate Cochrane (Wake Up, Nat & Darcy) were joined by moderator and fellow author Bal Khabra (Collide) to discuss the rise and continued success of hockey romance.
Khabra kicked off the panel, asking just how hockey became so popular. Ukazu joked that it was as if the genre “escaped containment,” like when the Omegaverse went mainstream, while Reid described the mystery around hockey, saying, “what [the players] are doing seems impossible.” Archer also added that the sport itself is exceptionally hard on the body, and the celebrity around players, especially in Canada, is fun to play with.
But there’s more to the genre’s success than the tropes. “It has to be said,” Rath argued, “that the cornerstone of why this is so popular in publishing is racism.” She went on to say that straight, white women’s voices dominated the romance genre for so long, pointing out that hockey is also the whitest sport. Among major league sports, the NHL is the most predominantly white. In 2022, ESPN reported that 83.6% of league players and staff were white, compared to the NFL, where 25-27% of players are white, or the NBA, where white players make up 17.5% of the league.
Mashable Top Stories
Zooming into the genre, the authors also spoke about the writing process. They dove into the deeper aspects of their work, even the smut. Rath said, “I think the least sexy thing you can ever do is write a sex scene.” A similar sentiment came up during Reid’s Saturday panel, where she described using the sex scenes to further the emotional arc. When readers ask authors if they can skip the spice, Archer says of her own books, “No, you can’t skip the sex scenes. You’re missing so much character development if you don’t go on the journey with them.”
The panel turned to the future, too. Many of the authors write BIPOC and queer representation into their novels, in a genre that often centers on whiteness and homophobia. “We’re writing the world as we want it to be,” Rath said.
Reid has found that there is progress toward a future that these authors and their readers want to see, saying that the NHL is interested in working with them. “People on the inside, they really want to work toward change and want to make this happen.”
With the hockey fandom at an all-time high, there’s a whole team behind these authors ready to drive change.
Entertainment
Save on gas (and everything else) with a $15 BJ’s membership
TL;DR: Score a one-year BJ’s membership for $15 (reg. $60) and save up to 20¢/gal. on gas through April 30 — just in time for spring shopping and road trips.
Credit: BJ’s Wholesale Club
The warmer weather tends to sneak up fast, and so do those grocery bills and gas receipts. A one-year membership to BJ’s Wholesale Club is one of those simple upgrades that can make everyday shopping feel a little more manageable.
You can currently grab a Club Card Membership with BJ’s Easy Renewal for just $15 (reg. $60) through April 30, which opens the door to savings across groceries, household essentials, and even your weekend cookout prep.
Mashable Deals
Let’s start with the obvious, though. Gas prices. Members already get everyday savings at BJ’s Gas, but during this promo window, you’ll get an extra 15¢ off per gallon stacked on top of the usual 5¢ discount — bringing your total to 20¢ off per gallon through April 30.
Inside the club, it’s all about stretching your dollar further. BJ’s is known for offering competitive pricing on national brands, plus a wide selection of fresh produce, meats, bakery items, and deli favorites. Whether you’re planning a backyard BBQ, stocking up for a party, or just trying to cut down on weekly grocery runs, buying in bulk can help simplify things.
Mashable Trend Report
There’s also something to be said for convenience. Fewer trips to the store, more options in one place, and access to seasonal items that make spring and summer feel extra special.
Get a one-year Club Card Membership with BJ’s Easy Renewal® for just $15 (reg. $60) and enjoy an extra 15¢ off per gallon at any of the 199 BJ’s gas stations through April 30.
Grabbing this deal? Build your cart to $100+ and score a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2021 free with code GWP4MAC (for Mac) or GWP4WIND (for Windows) through April 19.
Gift with $100+ purchase promo ends April 19, 2026. Exclusions apply. Only one promo code applicable per order. Prices subject to change.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
This $43 bundle quietly upgrades your entire PC experience
TL;DR: This rare Microsoft bundle deal gives you a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows and Windows 11 Pro for only $42.97 (reg. $418.99) through May 17.
$42.97
$418.99
Save $376.02
Looking for an affordable way to make your old PC feel new again? If you don’t have the funds to buy a brand new computer, don’t worry. The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows lifetime license and Windows 11 Pro Bundle is the next best thing, offering your computer a total upgrade for only $42.97 through May 17.
Don’t count out your dusty old PC. This Microsoft bundle is here to give it a total facelift for less than $50. It kicks off with a lifetime license to some of the brand’s most popular tools — Microsoft Office, which you’ll pay for once and enjoy without any subscription fees.
Mashable Deals
You’ll get permanent access to a suite of eight helpful apps with Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows. It includes staples that have been around for decades, like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook. You’ll also get newer favorites like Teams, OneNote, Access, and Publisher.
Once you’ve loaded the apps onto your device, you can upgrade your OS to Windows 11 Pro. It’s an operating system made for modern professionals, with tools that support your workflow. Enjoy a more powerful search experience, improved voice typing, a seamless interface, snap layouts, and much more.
You can rest easy knowing Windows 11 Pro takes your cybersecurity seriously. You’ll have biometric logins, encrypted authentication, and advanced antivirus defenses to keep your data secure.
Mashable Deals
Show your PC some love with the Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows and Windows 11 Pro bundle for only $42.97 (reg. $418.99) now until May 17.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
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