Jamie’s got balls.
(The show premiered last night. You can watch it here on Hulu.)
For this case, however, I think it’s a little bit of both. I don’t think Jamie’s an ass, but I do think he is trying to help, and I also think he knows better than them. Of course these people don’t know what’s good for them. That’s not me or Jamie being an ass, that’s just a fact. As he says at the beginning of the episode (when he is being interviewed by the radio dj), he is there because of a statistic, not because he thinks poorly of them or is there to poke fun. That statistic (that Huntington West Virginia is one of the unhealthiest cities in the country) proves one simple, cold, hard, fact… that the people there would rather satisfy their taste-buds and continue poor habits than live vibrant, long lives.
I loved that he told the mother of that family that she is killing her kids. No, it’s not because I like to see people cry, it’s because he was blunt, and so right. It drew a strong emotion out of her, which I think is sometimes necessary for people to truly realize what they are doing. In a way, to wake them up.
Something else I loved? The look that surly lunch lady gave him when he called her a lunch lady. I can’t believe she shook her head when he told the kitchen staff of the elementary school that he was on their side. Yeah, he’s just there to eff with them and have a laugh…
It’s too bad people’s ego’s are too big to see what’s hanging off their bodies staring them in the face.
Pizza for breakfast? Pink milk? Seriously?
What do you think about this show? Will these hard-heads realize he is really there to help, and can they be helped?
I love the show because it is what a lot of American’s need to hear, but unfortunately like so many of us have tried, you can’t tell anyone how to be or what they are doing wrong … no criticism allowed so people will just remain to be glutenous and overweight. I bet this show doesn’t last long, although I truly hope it does!
You’re alive! ;-P
I’m tempted to watch this, but I don’t know if I will. I’ve watched the preview, and I agree with you that he has good intentions and genuinely wants to help these people. But the entire thing just feels…maybe sanctimonious isn’t the word I want, but it’s the only one I can think of right now. I can just see an ending where everyone comes around and they’re all, “Oh, thank you Jamie, for showing us the light,” and I’m sitting there rolling my eyes so had they’re in danger of falling out.
Maybe I’m just too cynical.
I just not had time to watch this show… and I’m just horrified. Pizza for breakfast SERIOUSLY??? He’s up against a whole lot.. because people do not like to be criticized … especially not by a guy with a British accent :p I really do think that the “lunch ladies” have a good point though…. the REAL change has to happen at a higher level. Clearly he’s up against a beast considering the resistance at this lower level.. I can only imagine the kind of resistance he will get from higher up (for instance changing the nutritional requirements, because its ridiculous that he had to serve brown rice AND bread??!! Seriously???!!). Hopefully this show will last and will actually have an influence because what’s going on with school lunches is just sad and absolutely horrific!!
The radio talk show guy was the worst! I’m just embarrassed for these people. Good Luck Jamie!
[...] but actually suggesting/targeting something specific like school lunch programs, like those that serve pizza for freaking breakfast. “We cannot wait until our young adults reach enlistment age to do something about it,” [...]
Hi I want to make a comment about why I think *some* people are fat.
My desire to comment arises from a photo and the post under it by Dr. Colin Rose’s on his blog Panacea or Hygeia. Dr. Rose requires that one register to post. I can’t be bothered.
You can go there, and see what I am commenting to. Dr. Rose thinks this young woman will be a mark for the cholesterol drug shills.
I think the possibility exists she already has been a mark for the cholesterol lowering drug shills.
Statins CAUSE obesity. Statins CAUSE pancreatitis. Statins CAUSE diabetes. Where has Rose been? Even the least informed statin researcher knows that.
Please don’t state the obvious; that people were obese before statins. That didn’t slow Dr. Rose down one whit in his desire to flay this woman. But in doing so, we know now that he is just one of the many doctors who use one issue, to exercise their bigotry. And in doing so, expose their ignorance.