Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution!?
Posted by little2ant on Mar 08, 2010 · Member since Aug 2004 · 3055 posts
I just started seeing commercials for this. I don't even know who he is, but he's going into school cafeterias and revamping the menus.
I have high hopes, but then I also have a feeling he might be like, "let's BAKE this chicken, not FRY it!"...or "cheese pizza for everyone!". Or, "McDonald's is OK if you only have it ONCE per week!"
It starts March 26. I need to do more research, I guess, but looks promising! I think it might be a series?
I found this website:
I watched the first episode of his new show on Hulu. Honestly, I find the whole intervention-ist mindset Jamie Oliver has kind of frustrating. I know he has the best of intentions, but he has a tendency to oversimplify the system that drives the "epidemic" he is so voraciously attacking. Not to mention the fact that I think he's inadvertently shaming the individuals (cafeteria workers, single moms with overweight children, etc) who are really just pawns in the whole game. Now I remember why I avoid reality TV... well, more like television in general. I don't think I'll be watching future episodes.
For anyone interested, you can stream the first two episodes for free on Hulu:
http://www.hulu.com/jamie-olivers-food-revolution
I have been observing JO's career for several years now on the British media scene. The shaming is not "inadvertent" by any means. It's calculated. I think they're hoping someone will tear up and make things exciting; and if they don't, JO gets all "siincere" and does it for them. In closeup.
As I said, bottom line is about selling his latest cookbook--and of course getting his face on TV. any day now he'll come out with a diet plan.
Thank you HH and NS for the video posts! I watched them all :)
I have been observing JO's career for several years now on the British media scene. The shaming is not "inadvertent" by any means. It's calculated. I think they're hoping someone will tear up and make things exciting; and if they don't, JO gets all "siincere" and does it for them. In closeup.
As I said, bottom line is about selling his latest cookbook--and of course getting his face on TV. any day now he'll come out with a diet plan.
Good to know, Yabbit. That makes me feel less like the endlessly cynical commentator on emerging societal trends (I can't help it... I question everything!). Unfortunately, there are a lot of desperate people in the US eager to buy into appealing superhero schemes that promise to rescue the country from our obesity "epidemic". What better way to rally the crowds in America than create your own reality TV show?
We complain here all the time about the crap people have in their shopping baskets. People don't do things for free and selling books seems pretty innocuous for the good he can do. If he can help some people make healthier food choices, let him sell some books. If it's motivated by self interest, so what?
I agree HH... If he helps improve the crap they feed to school children that would be a huge step in the right direction... Children develop food habits early and if they are fed crap they will probably continue to crave the same crap when they're older... Good food habits need to start young! If he makes some money in the process oh well, he's sending a good message in that we need to know what we are eating... enough with all the processed foods and crazy ingredients... let's get back to the basics
I have been observing JO's career for several years now on the British media scene. The shaming is not "inadvertent" by any means. It's calculated. I think they're hoping someone will tear up and make things exciting; and if they don't, JO gets all "siincere" and does it for them. In closeup.
As I said, bottom line is about selling his latest cookbook--and of course getting his face on TV. any day now he'll come out with a diet plan.
Good to know, Yabbit. That makes me feel less like the endlessly cynical commentator on emerging societal trends (I can't help it... I question everything!). Unfortunately, there are a lot of desperate people in the US eager to buy into appealing superhero schemes that promise to rescue the country from our obesity "epidemic". What better way to rally the crowds in America than create your own reality TV show?
"This presentation is brought to you with limited commercial interruptions by Tostitos."
-streamed from the ABC website
duh ???
I have been observing JO's career for several years now on the British media scene. The shaming is not "inadvertent" by any means. It's calculated. I think they're hoping someone will tear up and make things exciting; and if they don't, JO gets all "siincere" and does it for them. In closeup.
As I said, bottom line is about selling his latest cookbook--and of course getting his face on TV. any day now he'll come out with a diet plan.
Good to know, Yabbit. That makes me feel less like the endlessly cynical commentator on emerging societal trends (I can't help it... I question everything!). Unfortunately, there are a lot of desperate people in the US eager to buy into appealing superhero schemes that promise to rescue the country from our obesity "epidemic". What better way to rally the crowds in America than create your own reality TV show?
Yeah, the British "tabloid press" can run rings around the US version thereof...and that's saying something. Now, with "reality" (yeah right) TV, we have "tabloid TV" too.
We complain here all the time about the crap people have in their shopping baskets. People don't do things for free and selling books seems pretty innocuous for the good he can do. If he can help some people make healthier food choices, let him sell some books. If it's motivated by self interest, so what?
I don't take issue with Jamie Oliver being motivated by self-interest at all. In fact, I think it's inevitable-- just by nature of him being human! What I'm turned off by is his sort of conceited, domineering approach to leaping into communities he knows very little about and admonishing the people their for their unhealthy lifestyles. I'm not saying these people don't have their problems, but I don't think Oliver completely understands the roots of the underlying system that brought them into being. It kind of seems like the symptom vs. disease analogy... It's like Jamie is giving a kid some pepto bismol for his tummy ache without understanding what caused the stomach issue to begin with. Heck... the kid might be from a poor village where the drinking water is contaminated, and you're gonna give him pepto bismol?! Go after the companies dumping polluntants into the village stream! I don't know. I don't make any judgments about Jamie Oliver personally, but his actions on this show strike me as a bit short-sighted.
I would agree if he was a sociologist or nutritionist. He's kind of a nutritionist because he's a chef, but if he was talking about root causes and things he'd be completely out of his element. He's discussing the issue in terms of what he knows about, which is cooking. I've read in a couple of places that it matters what kids eat. After they're done with their teenage junk food years, they return to the comfort foods of childhood. It's important that the comfort food is green beans rather than a cheeseburger.
Also:
he's making kids smarter
I believe that. My mom taught elementary school and the kids who ate healthier had better attention spans and scored better on tests. She spent her own money to buy them healthy recess snacks. The PTA funded less healthy snacks that she wouldn't let in her classroom because she could tell the difference in classroom performance.
I would agree if he was a sociologist or nutritionist. He's kind of a nutritionist because he's a chef, but if he was talking about root causes and things he'd be completely out of his element. He's discussing the issue in terms of what he knows about, which is cooking. I've read in a couple of places that it matters what kids eat. After they're done with their teenage junk food years, they return to the comfort foods of childhood. It's important that the comfort food is green beans rather than a cheeseburger.
Fair enough, fair enough. :)
You are what you eat. That's not news.
At least VegWebbers aren't HFCS and transfats.
I don't want to start a new thread and it's in the same theme.
--> Burgers go way of booze as US general Stanley McChrystal bans junk food
i wish i could get over the lisp.
Yeah, he's a leeeetle too old to be pushing the "boyish gaptoothed grin, touseled hair, lithpy teen" thing. And I wish to goodness he'd either grow a beard or learn to shave. He looks like he's been sleeping in his clothes for three days and just woke up.
I think what he's doing is great, and just what America needs. I don't see how insulting his personal style is necessary... And just how old do you think he is? Doesn't look very old to me.
I don't want to start a new thread and it's in the same theme.
--> Burgers go way of booze as US general Stanley McChrystal bans junk food
Interesting article. Thanks for sharing, HH. After watching The Hurt Locker, I was reallly disturbed by the depiction of alcohol consumption by the soldiers in that movie. I started thinking... man, sending alcohol to men and women in such stressful and often traumatic situations seems like you're almost ASKING for substance abuse. I'm not a fan of big government or regulations, but at the same time... No wonder so many troops come back with substance abuse problems. If you think of food as another "addictive" substance that can be used to numb psychological pain... wow. What are the implications? I don't have any answers, but there's defiinitely a lot to think about.
i wish i could get over the lisp.
Yeah, he's a leeeetle too old to be pushing the "boyish gaptoothed grin, touseled hair, lithpy teen" thing. And I wish to goodness he'd either grow a beard or learn to shave. He looks like he's been sleeping in his clothes for three days and just woke up.
I think what he's doing is great, and just what America needs. I don't see how insulting his personal style is necessary... And just how old do you think he is? Doesn't look very old to me.
I am expressing an opinion, and I think looking like you got out of bed to do a tv show doesn't add to your credibility. I have seen JO on British television for many years, and I happen to know he's around 40. That's why I say, pushing the "teenage look" is getting a little old. For those who've never seen him, it's new. But for those who know his career...it's getting tired.
*consults wikipedia*
He's 34 (born 27 May 1975). His face looks older and his hair looks younger.
Uh-huh. We all believe Wikipedia. Honey, he's older than that. He's been on TV since the late 80's and he wasn't 10 then. Or 14, either.
But whatever.
Just in passing, GuitarChick, are you at all aware of the irony of making your first post on VW to criticise me for criticising someone on the media? :-D :-D
If y'all think he's hottt, then enjoy. I notice the UK contingent haven't touched this thread...smart idea.
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