NBC's successful drama series "This Is Us" is being hounded by controversies. Milo Ventimiglia's push-up routine scene with his TV son Randall, which aired in a previous episode, was apparently a stolen idea. Chrissy Metz's weight loss declaration is also earning criticisms.
In the Nov. 29 episode of "This Is Us," viewers witnessed a touching scene with Jack (Ventimiglia) carrying his young boy Randall on his back as he did push ups. It was supposed to represent a father's dedication and strong bond with his son. But Jason Wilson, who runs The Cave of Adullam Transformational Training Academy in Detroit, posted on Facebook that the show stole his school's sacred ritual, which had gone viral on the internet before.
He accused the show of being "disrespectful and dishonorable" as no one from "This Is Us" asked permission to use this ritual in the plot. "Tears began to swell my eyes as I watched 'the dojo' scene of the actors portraying what is ever sacred in our academy," he writes on his account. NBC and "This Is Us" creator Dan Fogelman have yet to address Wilson's statement.
Meanwhile, after declaring that she's contractually obligated to lose weight on "This Is Us," Chrissy Metz issued a clarification that weight loss isn't in her contract. The actress retracted her earlier statements and told People that she was only pitched about the direction of her character's story.
Still, Chrissy Metz plans to be committed to her weight loss. On the show, her character, Kate, has opted to get a gastric bypass surgery. But Cosmopolitan cites that the "This Is Us" storyline might be suggesting this is a quick fix to weight loss, when it's not. The best way to lose weight is still through proper diet and exercise, which the media outlet hopes will be the message of Kate's storyline.
"This Is Us" will air its Christmas episode this Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 9:00 p.m. on NBC. The show will be on a break for the holidays and will return in January on the same time schedule.
