The documentary about a 30-day McDonald's diet made $22 million, earned an Oscar nomination and put Spurlock on the map. He later retreated from Hollywood after admitting to sexual misconduct.
His insinuation that McDonald’s caused liver damage in his documentary was pretty questionable especially when it came out that he’d failed to mention his severe alcoholism.
I’d say he single handedly killed the supersize option at McDonald’s. Though I don’t think this was the point of his documentary, I still think it’s a massive accomplishment by a single person.
Well it’s debatable just how much influence it had, officially McDonald’s says that the documentary had no effect on their decision.
Buttttt they took it off the menu and started highlighting their healthy options just 6 weeks after it’s release, which is a pretty standard corporate timeline to react to something sooo yea
Admitting a negative documentary impacted your decision making just invites more to be made. Obviously it was the reason. Obviously they’ll never say that.
Would have to say very much so and ended the trend of bigger and bigger food and beverage options. I remember there being a coffee chain that was competing with Starbucks at the time that introduced a full 44oz frappucino-type drink, and convenience stores starting to introduce 52oz sodas. Seemed like the sky was the limit back then but all those super-sized options disappeared within about a year after Super Size Me.
His TV show had the absolute worst argument in favor of raising minimum wage that I have ever seen, which really pissed me off because he could have made a legitimate argument. But no, he challenged he and his girlfriend to live on the equivalent of minimum wage at the time for 30 days. His girlfriend insisted they continue their organic vegan lifestyle, so they blew through their food budget, and then one of them got a not especially serious cold and they went to the ER over it.
If you’re going to live like you’re on minimum wage, show how hard it is just to survive on that. Don’t do that first world middle class problems bullshit.
His show had an episode with a mom trying to drink like her college daughter. The mom starts going out most nights, eating like shit and feeling bad during the day. The part that has stayed with me for almost 20 years is how the mom was definitely having a good time towards the middle of the month. When I first saw it I was a little younger than the daughter and now I am a little younger than the mom was at filming. When I question if I should start drinking more again, I think of that lady and say “Maybe.”
By blowing through the budget they showed that choosing to eat healthy food is not an option on minimum wage. Surviving is too low a bar to get the point across.
If you’re trying to show that to a general audience, don’t insist you eat a diet that most of them wouldn’t eat whether or not it was affordable. All it makes you look like is someone who grew up in privilege and doesn’t understand poverty or the need to make sacrifices because of it.
His documentaries, especially his TV show, were a bit on the questionable side, but I’m sorry he died so young.
Wonder if McDonald’s gave him cancer?
His insinuation that McDonald’s caused liver damage in his documentary was pretty questionable especially when it came out that he’d failed to mention his severe alcoholism.
have you seen “supersize me - with whisky”? it’s hilarious. highly recommend.
Most likely it was alcohol. It’s known to cause some types of cancer.
I will never forgive this guy for at the very least being a major contributing factor in having the supersize fries taken off the menu >:(
I’d say he single handedly killed the supersize option at McDonald’s. Though I don’t think this was the point of his documentary, I still think it’s a massive accomplishment by a single person.
Well it’s debatable just how much influence it had, officially McDonald’s says that the documentary had no effect on their decision.
Buttttt they took it off the menu and started highlighting their healthy options just 6 weeks after it’s release, which is a pretty standard corporate timeline to react to something sooo yea
Admitting a negative documentary impacted your decision making just invites more to be made. Obviously it was the reason. Obviously they’ll never say that.
Well not necessarily, they could have spun it into a positive “We’re a company who listens blah blah blah”
Yes, and then they would get 1000x more blah blah blah. That was the point of the comment you replied to.
Would have to say very much so and ended the trend of bigger and bigger food and beverage options. I remember there being a coffee chain that was competing with Starbucks at the time that introduced a full 44oz frappucino-type drink, and convenience stores starting to introduce 52oz sodas. Seemed like the sky was the limit back then but all those super-sized options disappeared within about a year after Super Size Me.
We used that size to share, sad times indeed.
There are plenty of calories to share with several people in a large fry.
His TV show had the absolute worst argument in favor of raising minimum wage that I have ever seen, which really pissed me off because he could have made a legitimate argument. But no, he challenged he and his girlfriend to live on the equivalent of minimum wage at the time for 30 days. His girlfriend insisted they continue their organic vegan lifestyle, so they blew through their food budget, and then one of them got a not especially serious cold and they went to the ER over it.
If you’re going to live like you’re on minimum wage, show how hard it is just to survive on that. Don’t do that first world middle class problems bullshit.
His show had an episode with a mom trying to drink like her college daughter. The mom starts going out most nights, eating like shit and feeling bad during the day. The part that has stayed with me for almost 20 years is how the mom was definitely having a good time towards the middle of the month. When I first saw it I was a little younger than the daughter and now I am a little younger than the mom was at filming. When I question if I should start drinking more again, I think of that lady and say “Maybe.”
FWIW “Nickle and Dimed” was far better then Spurlock’s schlock.
Organic is always more expensive, but vegan can be done dirt cheap
Agreed, but she insisted on organic.
By blowing through the budget they showed that choosing to eat healthy food is not an option on minimum wage. Surviving is too low a bar to get the point across.
If you’re trying to show that to a general audience, don’t insist you eat a diet that most of them wouldn’t eat whether or not it was affordable. All it makes you look like is someone who grew up in privilege and doesn’t understand poverty or the need to make sacrifices because of it.