# "Help. the clown forcefed me Big Macs!" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 21, 2002, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-clown-forcefed-me-big-macs/137964 "2002-11-21T16:37:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Monster104](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Monster104](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monster104)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-clown-forcefed-me-big-macs/137964/41 "2002-11-21T23:03:12Z")
You know, I eat fast food several times a week. On the order of 7-10 meals a week. I’m 6’3", 185 pounds. According to the logic in this lawsuit, I should be fat. I’m not. Hell, I was fat when I DIDN’T eat fast food that often. Does this mean fast food made me LOSE weight? Further, does this mean I can sue the fast food companies for making me thin so I couldn’t sue them for making me fat? One word for fat fast food kids: EXERCISE. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2002, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-clown-forcefed-me-big-macs/137964/42 "2002-11-21T23:16:09Z")
Well they’ll get plenty of exercise arranging their new stacks of hundred dollar bills. Grrrrrr ---
**Author:** ![Beagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Beagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beagle)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-clown-forcefed-me-big-macs/137964/43 "2002-11-22T00:00:57Z")
> [@](#): > > World Eater: Big macs are not addictive. Food is essential to human existence. That is worse than addictive. The door WAS opened long ago. Guns = legal, non-defective product. Tobacco = legal, non-defective product. Big Macs = legal, non-defective product. > [@](#): > > World Eater: Can someone play devils advocate here? Why didn’t the judge throw this out in 2 seconds? Precedent. The notion of individual responsibility for open, obvious, well-known risks is seemingly gone. Do I think there is a legitimate cause of action or a question of fact for the jury? No. I’m assuming that it will be based on McDonalds advertising to children. [sarcasm] Parents cannot be expected to educate their children about advertising, or eating properly. They must do what their children demand. [/s] > [@](#): > > Annie-Xmas: So who says you have to have a cheesburger, fries and shake. Dammit, there is no choice! Stop making sense. We need to slap some litigiousness into you. Anyone want to wager that the obese kids only exercise is video games? Those video game companies are flush with cash, eh? Sue them next. If one hates a particular position that means that half the lawyers on the case are correct. Furthermore, there are no bad cases without bad clients. Lawyers don’t make this stuff up, ordinary folks do it. Finally, there is no recovery unless a bad jury (usually) or judge plays along. Lawyers get blamed for everything. Tabouli and Hummus contain the unsaturated fats. ---
**Author:** ![DreadCthulhu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DreadCthulhu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DreadCthulhu)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-clown-forcefed-me-big-macs/137964/44 "2002-11-22T00:32:25Z")
You know, I wonder how long it will be before auto companies are sued over drunk drivers causing accidents. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-clown-forcefed-me-big-macs/137964/45 "2002-11-22T00:39:06Z")
Whats next, someone choking on a hotdog and sueing Oscar Meyer? I bet the alcohol companies are shitting their pants. Is there no end in sight? These insane lawsuits are becoming the norm instead of the execption. I’m asking again, where will we be 20 years, 50 years from now? ---
**Author:** ![Daikona](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8baadc/32.png) [@Daikona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Daikona)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-clown-forcefed-me-big-macs/137964/46 "2002-11-22T00:45:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Suspenderzzz \* > \*\*Why is it that the poorest people are frueqently also the fattest? Another one of those uniquely American phenomena, I guess. \*\* Well, ramen costs about 10 cents a package and has 400 calories. So for 50 cents you have your daily 2000. Calories don’t necessarily cost a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Avumede](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/avumede/32/7235_2.png) [@Avumede](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avumede)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-clown-forcefed-me-big-macs/137964/47 "2002-11-22T01:49:10Z")
McDonalds does claim that their products are part of healthy diet. Remember the McDonalds France that recommended that obese kids only eat there once a week? The McDonalds head office disagreed with that quite reasonable assessment. Like the cigarette companies, they are not being quite honest with us. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-clown-forcefed-me-big-macs/137964/48 "2002-11-22T01:52:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Avumede \* > \*\*Like the cigarette companies, they are not being quite honest with us. \*\* Like duping us into thinking a triple Big Mac is the zenith of a healthy responsable diet? ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-clown-forcefed-me-big-macs/137964/49 "2002-11-22T01:54:15Z")
I’m so busy salivating of their healthy assortment of food I forgot how to spell. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-clown-forcefed-me-big-macs/137964/50 "2002-11-22T05:30:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by World Eater \* > \*\* > Christ on a quarter pounder! \*\* Oh great, now I’m really hungry. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-clown-forcefed-me-big-macs/137964/51 "2002-11-22T05:37:53Z")
Hell, I knew Mickey D’s food was bad for you back when I was a kid in the 70’s, when we didn’t know nuthin’. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-clown-forcefed-me-big-macs/137964/52 "2002-11-22T13:11:09Z")
Only in America can you be awarded millions of dollars for being stupid. “Oh, I didn’t know cigarettes were dangerous, even though the warnings are all over the packs.” “Oh, I didn’t know if I spilled the coffee in my lap it would burn me.” “Oh, I didn’t know eating Big Macs four times a week would make me fat.” ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-clown-forcefed-me-big-macs/137964/53 "2002-11-22T13:24:11Z")
> [@](#): > > If you set a precedent that lawyers can lose their license to practice because they’ve brought a case that one particular court found to be frivilous, you send a chilling effect throughout the entire legal community. And this would be a bad thing? Ambulance chasing lawyers are WAY overdue for a gigantic cooler full of iced gatorade being dumped on their overblown egoes. One of the things I look forward to in the Republican controlled House, Senate and Presidency is TORT REFORM. Anyone who ever eats at McDonald’s should join a class-action suit against the bozo who filed this claim for making the price of our beloved Big Macs go up. You know, the Big Macs that I don’t eat anymore because they’ll make me FAT?? ---
**Author:** ![CthulhuSpawn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/898d66/32.png) [@CthulhuSpawn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CthulhuSpawn)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-clown-forcefed-me-big-macs/137964/54 "2002-11-22T13:44:00Z")
These kids didn’t wake up one morning suddenly several hundred pounds overweight. Where were these squalling mothers while their little darlings were packing on those pounds, huh? Damn, you’d think when they hit 50 or so pounds over their normal weight a concerned and responsible parent would notice something amiss and make plans to reverse the trend. Oh wait, I said responsible. Apparently people are no longer supposed to be responsible for themselves or their children. My bad. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-clown-forcefed-me-big-macs/137964/55 "2002-11-22T14:19:37Z")
I think its in our genetic coding. Fire = hot Beer = yummy Bic Mac = make you fat slob if you eat 3,456 of them a day. Throw me in the back of a pickup truck, and let me dangle a BM right out of reach. I’ll have those tubby kids back in fightiing shape in no time. ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-clown-forcefed-me-big-macs/137964/56 "2002-11-22T14:22:59Z")
What, no one’s here proclaiming the lawyers as clever entrepreneurs? No one’s in here defending them, saying, “Hey, if they can get millions of dollars from a corporation that can’t defend itself better, more power to em!” After the SaveKaryn thread I thought we had all agreed to admire people who take no responsibility for their own actions and use their own misdeeds to profit from others! Come on, people, which script are we on here? ---
**Author:** ![Robb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Robb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robb)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-clown-forcefed-me-big-macs/137964/57 "2002-11-22T15:14:07Z")
> [@](#): > > _originally posted by World Eater_ > Can someone play devils advocate here? Why didn’t the judge throw this out in 2 seconds? The simple answer is that it isn’t the judge’s job to do that yet. First, the case has to be filed. Second, the complaint and summons must be served on the defendants. Third, one or all of the defendants will need to bring various motions that will allow the judge to decide whether to pithc the case in whole or in part. > [@](#): > > _originally posted by PunditLisa_ > One of the things I look forward to in the Republican controlled House, Senate and Presidency is TORT REFORM. But make no mistake, the Republicans will not take steps to limit the number of torts that occur, they will simply remove your ability to seek redress for the injuries that do happen to people. ---
**Author:** ![jeevmon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@jeevmon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeevmon)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-clown-forcefed-me-big-macs/137964/58 "2002-11-22T15:37:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Revtim \* > \*\*I’m curious what they think McD’s should have done differently. Refuse to serve fat kids? Yeah, that would be a good way to avoid a lawsuit… > > Ronald McDonald: “Get the fuck outta here Cartman, you’re over the weight limit!” \*\* No, that would probably provoke some kind of bleating from the fat-acceptance crowd. ---
**Author:** ![jonpluc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/fbc32d/32.png) [@jonpluc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonpluc)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-clown-forcefed-me-big-macs/137964/59 "2002-11-22T16:04:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Robb \* > \*\*The simple answer is that it isn’t the judge’s job to do that yet. First, the case has to be filed. Second, the complaint and summons must be served on the defendants. Third, one or all of the defendants will need to bring various motions that will allow the judge to decide whether to pithc the case in whole or in part. > > But make no mistake, the Republicans will not take steps to limit the number of torts that occur, they will simply remove your ability to seek redress for the injuries that do happen to people. \*\* Robb minor nitpick but am i missing something or does not “simply removing your ability to seek redress for the injuries” by definition limit the number of torts that occur? ---
**Author:** ![Robb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Robb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robb)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2002, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-clown-forcefed-me-big-macs/137964/60 "2002-11-22T16:10:46Z")
**jonpluc** , there could be some defect in my language, but what I mean is that the number of injured people will not be reduced. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-clown-forcefed-me-big-macs/137964.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-the-clown-forcefed-me-big-macs/137964.md?page=4)