A SICK new electronic game has
skinny Hollywood celebrities bingeing on food then
throwing up all over each other.
Eating disorder groups have attacked Bulimic
Blowdown, saying it is "highly distasteful".
The American-designed e-mail game has already found
its way onto Scottish computer screens.
Despite its sick content, it is one of the hottest
e-mails now being circulated on the computers of
well-known firms.
Caricature characters such as "Regurgi Kate Moss",
"Ally McBile", based on a Calista Flockhart lookalike,
and Friends favourite Courtney Cox all feature in the
game. All three have denied suffering from bulimia.
The setting for the game is a spoof High Noon-style
gunfight in which the stars gorge themselves on food.
The major players then put their fingers down their
throats and attempt to throw up over their rivals to win
the game, which is produced by Virginia-based Zooass.
The company has caused controversy before with
computer games such as Big- Busted Bimbo Breakout and
Porno Invasion.
Eating disorder organisations say Bulimic Blowdown
trivialises a potentially life-threatening condition.
One well-publicised bulimia sufferer was Scots
child-star Lena Zavaroni, who recently lost her long
battle against the illness.
Last night a spokesman for the Eating Disorder
Association said: "I'm appalled. It is trivialising an
important problem for young people.
"This is potentially a life-threatening disorder.
People can die from this and certainly we would condemn
this game completely."
Alison Crouch, who has battled against the condition
for almost a year now, was horrified when the e-mail
game flashed up on her terminal.
Alison, 21, of Edinburgh said: "I couldn't believe it
when it arrived on my screen. A lot of people thought it
was hilarious - but it is only when you have suffered
from this that you realise just how awful it is.
Rona Porteous, spokeswoman for an Edinburgh-based
support group, said: "Children might think there's a fun
aspect to this disorder, or think 'great, if you eat too
much you just throw up'."
