Mike & Molly Go Round Two with Marie Claire

A month ago, a Marie Claire blogger expressed disgust over watching the plump Mike & Molly stars, Billy Gardell and Melissa McCarthy, getting physical. It was gratifying to see scores of readers rise to the actors' defense. It was also gratifying when the whole incident blew over, and people could stop discussing weight issues and go back to watching (or not watching) the show based on the quality of its writing and acting.

But sadly, it's not as "over" as we thought. Gardell recently told EW.com that on Monday's episode (CBS, 9:30 p.m. ET), his character Mike will nod at the controversy during a Thanksgiving dinner toast. So, here we go again.

On the one hand, Mike & Molly's writers have every right to respond to the blogger's insensitive comments. "It's a very eloquently put thing that I get to say… that kind of says everything we feel," says Gardell. This implies that the reference will be gracious and even-handed, and certainly not a shot across the bow. The incident shed light on the deep well of resentment felt by overweight people towards judgmental skinnies, but it's doubtful that Mike & Molly would want to wade into that fray. This is a comedy we're talking about.

But then, why must they bring it up at all? Mark Roberts, the show's creator, already expressed his disappointment congenially in an interview with EW.com back in October: "I'm hurt for my two friends who had to read horrible things that some woman said about them."

Later in the interview, the writer asked if a future episode would feature Molly cancelling her subscription to Marie Claire. "No, I wouldn’t give it that much importance, and I certainly wouldn’t give that magazine that much attention," Roberts replied.

Not dignifying the slurs with a response seems like the smartest tack. I wish Roberts would have followed through in this conviction. Instead, he's stirring the whole mess up again.

Do you think that Mike & Molly should have left the Marie Claire controversy alone? Chime in below!

Emmy Rossum Erica Leerhsen Erika Christensen Estella Warren Esther Cañadas