Things Everyone Gets Completely Wrong About My 600-Lb Life

There is a serious public infatuation with TLC's hit show "My 600-lb Life," which has aired for 10 seasons. There's something about watching people who strive to get healthy, turn their life around, and be their best possible selves that automatically hooks you. That's not to say the intense drama of the show doesn't reel you in as well! It's safe to say that this reality show has changed so many lives for the better, regardless of some of the negative press.

The face of "My 600-lb Life," Dr. Younan Nowzaradan, has sometimes faced scrutiny for his sternness with the patients — often referred to as his "tough love." He told People, "It's a daily challenge to work with some patients that can be self-destructive. My job is not to get aggravated, but to find a way to motivate them to work hard to get to their goals. There are times where I think it's necessary for some tough love and I have to be stern with them, so I show some of my concern and frustration."

A majority of the patients are able to keep the weight off post-show and surgery, not just because of the physical help they receive but the emotional help as well. They are able to get to the root of the cause: why they compulsively eat and how they can mitigate this as a coping mechanism for whatever trauma they've faced. Still, there are some things about the series that people get wrong.

Steven James Assanti was easily one of the most entertaining patients to watch on the beloved TLC show — albeit obscene, rude, and sometimes even dangerous. Cue the infamous hospital scene, where he threw a total temper tantrum for the most trivial hospital grievances. Many speculated that Assanti's bizarre and temperamental behavior was only for the cameras. According to TV Show Ace, they detail (in a now-deleted TikTok) that many fans became concerned for him after a "cameo" surfaced where Assanti appeared to be slurring and did not seem to be "mentally present," as the website suggests.

Additionally, Assanti appeared to be missing many teeth, and his hair seemed patchy and missing in strange places — overall, just very unhealthy. Assanti has deleted and reinstated his Instagram a few times; as of 2021 he's back and posting very odd and concerning selfies. One of the most particularly disturbing Instagram photos was one captioned, "Fav pic of myself." Many fans commented things like, "Seriously? Do you see a Psychiatrist?" We hope Steven is taking his fans advice seriously and talking to someone to absolve any lingering issues.

Assanti's Instagram bio also states he is now married to "the love of his life" and has a stepdaughter.

When a patient is as heavy as 600 pounds, cleaning their home or apartment is virtually impossible — they have to rely on others. Viewers thought perhaps the messy living situations were designed for shock value. A lengthy thread on Reddit proved this theory wrong! A user posted and asked documentary filmmakers or cameramen about the most "messed up behind-the-scenes experience" they ever had. A camera operator for TLC did not hold back and replied with the following:

"Probably the worst was on My 600 Lb. Life. One family was moving out of their apartment, and we were shooting the move. They were very very unsanitary. Instead of cleaning up their dog s*** in the small 2 bedroom apartment, they would put plants on top of it. We had to use a menthol oil on our upper lips to withstand the stench. The grandma was sleeping on a bed in of the bedrooms. When they went to remove the bed and flipped it over, thousands of bugs scattered out of the bed all over the room. The 80-something year old woman was sleeping on a bed that was infested with roaches and god knows what other bugs. It was the most disgusting thing I've ever seen."

It seems that the messy homes are real. The patients and their family are at risk in such unhealthy environments, and although TLC could probably offer a cleaning service before filming, it wouldn't be as good for ratings.

Many have speculated that patients are making a killing off appearing on "My 600-lb Life." That couldn't be further from the truth. According to TV Over Mind, patients are only paid a flat rate of $1,500, labeled as an "appearance fee." Some viewers have wondered if they are paid royalties, like actors, if the show airs more than once (as it usually does). The answer is no; however, it was disclosed that they reportedly receive a $2,500 moving stipend from the network to enable them to move closer to surgery and Dr. Now's office.

According to the same website, their medical expenses for seeing Dr. Now is covered for up to a year — not a bad deal! InTouch Weekly reported that they thought taxpayers were the ones actually footing the bill for the patients' weight loss surgery, but that's not the case. Per the contract, TLC foots the bill for the gastric bypass surgeries if the patient qualifies — these surgeries cost between $20,000-$30,000, per The List. No wonder the appearance fee is so modest! They do not, however, pay for any skin surgery that might be preferred or required. It's also been reported that the patients are paid another small fee of $1,500 to appear on any "Where are they Now" specials — the costs don't stop after surgery, so bringing in that money is necessary!

Not all patients walk away from the show with a positive experience. Patient Dottie Perkins became the latest cast member to sue TLC's production company, Megalomedia. Perkins surprised many with this specific lawsuit, claiming that the show's producers fabricated her weight loss to make it look like she was gaining weight and failing the program, when that wasn't the case at all! Perkins was in fact losing weight. While other lawsuits claimed that the company forced the patients to eat junk on camera or not pay for the entirety of the medical bills, Perkins' lawsuit was the first that claimed weight fabrication. Media outlet Starcasm reported that her lawsuit alleged, "Defendants falsely portrayed that Plaintiff was gaining weight when she was actually losing weight. Ultimately, this resulted in her being admitted to a hospital so her diet could be monitored."

Additionally, patient Amber Rachdi took to Facebook to document her time on the show, which she described as "crummy," writing in part, "They exert a certain kind of pressure and lack a human touch sometimes. They assumed we would be difficult and were rather forceful with their demands? It didn't feel good, respectful or mutually beneficial working with the production." She ended her rant by stating the experience wasn't something she'd want to repeat.