# Diogenes the Cynic, it's not about the fucking movie! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 24, 2004, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-its-not-about-the-fucking-movie/252042 "2004-06-24T16:42:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-its-not-about-the-fucking-movie/252042/1 "2004-06-24T16:42:40Z")
[link](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=262431&page=1&pp=50) What the fuck is your problem? You been taking lessons from **december**? Like it or not, there are indeed people who believe Spurlock and his movie have been slamming McDonald’s. Whether or not that was Spurlock’s intention doesn’t play into it. Spurlock is also no fool. He’s made over $7million with his movie and is very popular among interviewers. He wants to keep it up and recently referred to McSpies [in his blog](http://blogs.indiewire.com/morganspurlock/archives/000787.html). If that’s not an anti-McDonald’s sentiment, I don’t know what is. ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-its-not-about-the-fucking-movie/252042/2 "2004-06-24T17:18:24Z")
I concur. It’s more about the media’s fallout and how its affecting public perception as opposed to the movie’s content or message. This thread is proof enough of that: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=5000722#post5000722](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=5000722#post5000722) ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-its-not-about-the-fucking-movie/252042/3 "2004-06-24T17:38:44Z")
Just as a matter of interest, John Stossel’s recent Give Me a Break segment featured an interview with this guy. Stossel chewed him up and spat him out. He also interviewed other people doing the McDonald’s diet for themselves with quite different results. Like this guy for instance. [http://www.liquidcalories.com](http://www.liquidcalories.com) ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-its-not-about-the-fucking-movie/252042/4 "2004-06-24T17:55:12Z")
I love John Stossel (figuratively, of course). Is there anywhere that I can download that interview from? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-its-not-about-the-fucking-movie/252042/5 "2004-06-24T18:06:14Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > Stossel chewed him up and spat him out. [As did CNBC’s Maria Bartiromo](http://www.techcentralstation.com/052704G.html). Spurlock needs to stick to softball interviewers like Larry King if he doesn’t want to look like a waffler. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-its-not-about-the-fucking-movie/252042/6 "2004-06-24T19:58:32Z")
One of the greatest moments in television history was John Stossel getting bitchslapped to the ground by a professional wrestler. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-its-not-about-the-fucking-movie/252042/7 "2004-06-24T20:16:12Z")
I have to say.that CNBC ambush is one of the most dishonest, manipulative and deceptive interviews I’ve ever seen. The sniper asking the questions is basically assaulting claims that Sperlock hasn’t made. She’s attacking strawmen. I already knew that Stossel was a right-wing corporate whore with no values or ethics. I’ve never heard of this bitch, Bartiromo but she either hasn’t seen the movie or it went right over her empty fucking head. I’m still waiting for anyone to show how Sperlock has been dishonest. ---
**Author:** ![Duderdude2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-its-not-about-the-fucking-movie/252042/8 "2004-06-24T20:22:44Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I’m still waiting for anyone to show how Sperlock has been dishonest. Much as you always will be :rolleyes: Even if she is “assaulting claims that Sperlock hasn’t made”, Sperlock most certainly didn’t deny them, nor point out what you just did. So either he’s highly incompetent or he agrees with what she portrayed as his opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-its-not-about-the-fucking-movie/252042/9 "2004-06-24T20:28:06Z")
> [@Duderdude2](#): > > I love John Stossel (figuratively, of course). Is there anywhere that I can download that interview from? This isn’t the interview per se, but it’s Stossel’s report on it. [http://abcnews.go.com/sections/2020/GiveMeABreak/gmab\_supersize\_me\_040618-1.html](http://abcnews.go.com/sections/2020/GiveMeABreak/gmab_supersize_me_040618-1.html) > [@Dio](#): > > One of the greatest moments in television history was John Stossel getting bitchslapped to the ground by a professional wrestler. Stossel agrees with you. He told Jon Stewart that it was his most important TV moment. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-its-not-about-the-fucking-movie/252042/10 "2004-06-24T20:34:26Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I’m still waiting for anyone to show how Sperlock has been dishonest. I don’t know whether it’s dishonest per se since I haven’t seen his movie, and don’t care to, but he admitted to Stossel that he increased his caloric intake to more than 5,000 per day and ceased all exercise except for absolutely necessary activity like going through the drive-through. If he represented his diet as evidence that eating exclusively at McDonalds will harm you, then he was dishonest. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/13edae/32.png) [@Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Cheatem_Undhow)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-its-not-about-the-fucking-movie/252042/11 "2004-06-24T20:43:31Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I’ve never heard of this bitch, Bartiromo but she either hasn’t seen the movie or it went right over her empty fucking head. Please do not speak ill of the Goddess Maria, patron saint of bull markets and full, luscious lips, ever, ever again. That is all. ---
**Author:** ![holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e95f7d/32.png) [@holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/holmes)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-its-not-about-the-fucking-movie/252042/12 "2004-06-24T20:47:03Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > I don’t know whether it’s dishonest per se since I haven’t seen his movie, and don’t care to, but he admitted to Stossel that he increased his caloric intake to more than 5,000 per day and ceased all exercise except for absolutely necessary activity like going through the drive-through. If he represented his diet as evidence that eating exclusively at McDonalds will harm you, then he was dishonest. The guy said he was trying to recreate what the average person does. The average person doesn’t excerise as much he did before the movie, so he reduced his activity. How is that being dishonest, when the WHOLE FREAKING PURPOSE is to show the effects of lousy food and no excerise on the average person? He did not and has not said that eating EXCLUSIVELY at McDonalds did this…I don’t know why you guys keep repeating this. His MAIN meals were at McDonalds and as he said most people will also have something else doing the day…most likely other crap. Secondly did he say, he **intentionally** increased his caloric intake or that his caloric intake increased as a **result** of his lifestyle? I don’t get why so many of you who haven’t seen the film, have such a hard-on for this guy. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-its-not-about-the-fucking-movie/252042/13 "2004-06-24T20:49:36Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I’m still waiting for anyone to show how Sperlock has been dishonest. FTR: I don’t think he is or has been dishonest per se, more like he’s pandering. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-its-not-about-the-fucking-movie/252042/14 "2004-06-24T20:53:30Z")
> [@holmes](#): > > The guy said he was trying to recreate what the average person does. The average person doesn’t excerise as much he did before the movie, so he reduced his activity. I doubt the average person eats McDonald’s three times a day. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-its-not-about-the-fucking-movie/252042/15 "2004-06-24T20:54:37Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > I don’t know whether it’s dishonest per se since I haven’t seen his movie, and don’t care to, but he admitted to Stossel that he increased his caloric intake to more than 5,000 per day and ceased all exercise except for absolutely necessary activity like going through the drive-through. Both of those things are explicitly spelled out in the movie. The lack of exercise was a deliberate parameter for his experiment which called for him not to exercise more than the average American. He carries a pedometer around in the film so that he does not go over the limit. Lack of exercising causing bad health is one of his primary points in the movie. The average American _doesn’t exercise_. He was also quite clear about how many calories he was ingesting. The film was about _choices_, not about McDonalds. > [@](#): > > If he represented his diet as evidence that eating exclusively at McDonalds will harm you, then he was dishonest. He does not say anywhere in the film that eating exclusively at McDonalds will necessarily harm you. In fact, he shows another guy in the film who claims to have virtually lived off Big Macs for years. The Big Mac guy is skinny and healthy. He doesn’t eat the fries. The message of the movie is not “McDonalds is bad.” The message is “This is what happens when you eat crap and don’t exercise.” The choice for McDonalds as the source of the crap is purely symbolic. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-its-not-about-the-fucking-movie/252042/16 "2004-06-24T21:04:36Z")
> [@Jeff Olsen](#): > > I doubt the average person eats McDonald’s three times a day. They eat _crap_ three times a day. The source of the crap doesn’t matter and isn’t Sperlock’s point. I don’t know why you guys keep fixating on McDonalds. The movie is not about McDonalds. How many times do you have to be told that? ---
**Author:** ![holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e95f7d/32.png) [@holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/holmes)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-its-not-about-the-fucking-movie/252042/17 "2004-06-24T21:07:02Z")
> [@Jeff Olsen](#): > > I doubt the average person eats McDonald’s three times a day. For Christ’s Sake, McDonald’s is a metaphor…Let me ask you straight out. Do you believe the average American eats healthy? Does the average American take enough excerise? Does the average American eat too much? For the last week I’ve been under a horrible deadline and needed to be in the office at 6 am. to 10 or even Midnight…breakfast MickyD’s…lunch MickyD’s, Wendy’s, Pizza…dinner whatever was open locally. Was it McDonalds 3 meals a day? No, but the amount of calories, sodium, addictives etc…was most likely comparable and by the end of the week; I felt I like crap. That doesn’t count the cheese doodles, honey buns, candy, soda, coffee during the day. This morning I woke up craving a cheeseburger…honest. Sorry but the message of the movie is right on target. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-its-not-about-the-fucking-movie/252042/18 "2004-06-24T21:09:17Z")
BTW: the Washington City Paper ran a great article titled [Hiding in Plain Sight](https://secure.washingtoncitypaper.com/cgi-bin/Archive/abridged2.bat?path=q:%5CDocRoot/1997/970418/YandH18&search=hiding%20in%20plain%20sight&SearchString=hiding+in+plain+sight&AuthorLastName=&IssueDate=mm%2Fdd%2Fyyyy&SelectYear=All&next.x=0&next.y=0). In it, Brett Anderson wrote about the health problems of local children who can’t really afford to eat more than just junk food three times a day. Unfortunately articles from this far back are no longer free to view. On preview: > [@](#): > > The film was about _choices_, not about McDonalds. Again, this is lost on some people and what Spurlock’s critics are addressing. > [@](#): > > They eat _crap_ three times a day. Okay, have it your way. I doubt the average person eats _fast food_ three times a day. Better? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-its-not-about-the-fucking-movie/252042/19 "2004-06-24T21:10:56Z")
> [@Duderdude2](#): > > Much as you always will be :rolleyes: > > Even if she is “assaulting claims that Sperlock hasn’t made”, Sperlock most certainly didn’t deny them, nor point out what you just did. So either he’s highly incompetent or he agrees with what she portrayed as his opinion. Why should he have denied anything? She said nothing that contradicted anything in his film. It’s like she thought she was scoring points by getting him to admit that the Pope takes communion. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2004, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-its-not-about-the-fucking-movie/252042/20 "2004-06-24T21:12:47Z")
> [@holmes](#): > > For the last week I’ve been under a horrible deadline and needed to be in the office at 6 am. to 10 or even Midnight…breakfast MickyD’s…lunch MickyD’s, Wendy’s, Pizza…dinner whatever was open locally. Well, that’s one. Where are the other 99 million? 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diogenes-the-cynic-its-not-about-the-fucking-movie/252042.md?page=2)