UPPER WEST SIDE — Get ready for some big laughs.
A new comedy show is set to debut on the Upper West Side, poking fun at America's insatiable appetite for new diets and weight-loss tricks.
"The Diet Show," opening Jan. 5 at Stage 72, is co-written by funnyman Gilbert Gottfried and stars a slew of former reality TV stars from NBC's "The Biggest Loser," as well as comedians and a plus-size model.
"It’s a pisser,” said Sean Pomper, the show's director, who has also struggled with weight-loss. "The last time I put on my Speedo, it disappeared. I still haven’t found it."
The show's outsize gags include a Spanx strip show and centers around monologues from 12 cast members that are both funny and poignant, according to Pomper.
"Whenever you’re on a diet, you feel like you’re alone," he said, "but when you go to the show you realize you’re not alone."
Pomper said the reality stars from past seasons were eager to participate.
"'The Biggest Loser' tells the story of their life and shows the story of their losing weight, but what happens after that? And that’s what they wanted to tell," he said.
Mark Pinhasovich once weighed 450 pounds and said getting to exercise for 6 to 8 hours a day, six days a week for three months while on Season 10 of "The Biggest Loser" was a luxury. But then, he had to return to real life.
"We’re being real. Real people," he said. "There’s no more lights and cameras. It’s us being extremely raw and real and telling people [about our experiences]."
Pinhasovich appreciates the new level of honesty the show brought out in friends, family members and even strangers when it comes to his health.
"I think people are more honest after the show," he said. "I wish someone would have [been that honest] when I was face first in a pizza pie when I was 450 pounds."
Tara Costa, a cast member from Season 7 of "The Biggest Loser," is also brutally honest in the show. She said she realized she had an addiction to food when she was picking donuts out of her trash can, and she also details the long list of diets she's tried and failed.
Ultimately, though, Costa said she wants these stories to be empowering.
"You come to the show and you laugh a little bit, but you walk away feeling that people do struggle, but I can do something," she said. "You want the audience to have a little more oomph in their step."
Tickets, priced at $44, can be purchased online at www.BroadwaysGoingOnADiet.com.
