Lizzo’s Watch Out For The Big Grrrls is a new original series on Amazon Prime, and it centers on Lizzo’s search for confident, powerful women to join her world of music videos and concert tours.

Mary Lucia joins Jill Riley this week to talk about Watch Out For The Big Grrrls. Listen to their conversation in the audio player above, and read a transcript below.

Transcript

Edited for clarity.

Jill Riley: It's the Morning Show, Friday morning, I'm Jill Riley. And on Friday mornings, I am joined by Mary Lucia. Hey, Mary.

Mary Lucia: Hello, Jill.

Jill Riley: All right, Mary, what are we watching this week?

Mary Lucia: We are watching Lizzo’s Watch Out For The Big Grrrls on Amazon Prime, which just I think launched maybe a week ago. But you could binge it all at once. But the premise is Lizzo is looking for backup dancers for her live show and videos and touring, and felt she could not find dancers with the body size and same principles and values that she has held. She just found it really frustrating, and so she did her own search.

Jill Riley: So Lizzo it's just like, she's got new music coming out in April, she's gonna host and do the music segment of Saturday Night Live. She's like in the shapewear designing world. Now, she's got this show. I mean, she is everywhere. And Mary, when I sat down to watch the show, I've made it through about an episode and a half. And what I have noticed so far — so again, I'm only an episode and a half in — but you look at all these kind of contest shows, like you got your America's Next Top Model, you got the pageant shows, you get the cheerleading shows. What I already like about this show is that no one has made any comments like, "You could be great, but we're gonna have to watch your diet." You know, this is like the opposite of any of that. And so far, it feels really supportive. And especially Lizzo. You know, she's not the kind of judge that's talking smack about the people as they're trying to audition. Incredibly encouraging.

Mary Lucia: Very encouraging! In fact, the worst thing she could possibly say is that she wished somebody self-confidence was higher. I mean, it's all about self love, acceptance. And so yes, it's set up like a reality show, but not like the normal where there's weave-snatching and "Don't talk behind my back!"

Jill Riley: Right, "I'm not here to make friends!"

Mary Lucia: Right! No, it's none of that. It's like she's wanting them to work as a group, as a team as a, you know, a sisterhood almost. And it's really interesting to see the backgrounds from which all these different contestants are applying. Some are older, some have dance background, some are just people who are huge fans of Lizzo. And that's pretty cool to see how she handles all of that. But it is basically the most affirming kind of reality show that I think you could possibly watch on TV. This is really just about self love. Empowerment. Let's get a great body image. Let's show the world — let's change the world, the way they view big girls.

Jill Riley: Yeah. And the athleticism!

Mary Lucia: Oh!

Jill Riley: The athleticism of these women is incredibly impressive. Because you're going to be dancing through an entire show. You got to have some stamina. And that doesn't mean that your body has to fit into this certain stereotype of what athleticism looks like, right?

Mary Lucia: Right.

Jill Riley: Now when it comes to Lizzo’s Watch Out For The Big Grrrls, which is streaming now on Amazon Prime, I am totally Team Jayla for anybody watching right now. Jayla is the transgender woman who is just — I mean, the flips and the splits and the the moves are incredible. I'm just blown away.

Mary Lucia: You'd be blown away. Exactly. Last night, I got to tell you in one of the episodes, they did a nude photo shoot because Lizzo does lots of nude photo shoots for Instagram. She has professional photographers and she brought in professional photographers, wanted to make the woman feel as comfortable and as empowered as possible. And it was interesting to see culturally who could do it in a heartbeat. There's one contestant who is Korean American and she said, "If I don't make this dance team, I want to be a teacher in South Korea. If there is one picture of me on the internet naked or even in a bathing suit, I will never find work." So it's very nuanced that way. But it's a really compelling episode.

Jill Riley: Yeah. So the show is really about body positivity. And, you know, it feels supportive at this point. But I just, you know, as the series goes on, I wonder if there won't be some more conflict brought in.

Mary Lucia: There probably will, but it does not seem like the kind of show that is set out to put women against women.

Jill Riley: Yeah. And that's good. And that's really refreshing. Yes. So that's a Lizzo's new show. She's looking for kind of the next crop of big-girl dancers for her live shows and tour. So Mary, thanks for stopping in.

Mary Lucia: Thank you, Jill!

External Link

Lizzo’s Watch Out For The Big Grrrls - Amazon Prime Video