Jamie Oliver's American Food Revolution

[XitUp]

I always think he's a bit of a prick, but I can't help but like him when he's preaching to fat people.

Apart from one horrendously cringe worthy quote he came off really well in this, imo.

[150bhp]

The American dj at the start was an arrogant tard.

[Frankeh]

I watched the whole series on monday when I was off work ill.
I thought it was a really good series.

My only complaint would be Jamies cringe worth slang. He calls everyone 'Brother' and I swear I heard him do ali g impressions a few times.

[susanq]

Why do the children have breakfast at school? Let alone pizza FFS. I also agree with the previous post, 'brother' makes him sound like a dick.

[sleep envy]

such a shame, I was hoping to see him drizzle olive oil over the breakfast pizza

[FasterFreddy]

MMmmmmmmm...breakfast pizza.....

[Frankeh]

susanq said:

I also agree with the previous post, 'brother' makes him sound like a dick.

It gets so much worse with coming episodes. So much worse.

[Frankeh]

I also don't like that Jamie has to do a little bit of "Head speaking" in between scenes. They cut to just a view of his head and shoulders and he explains what's happening against the backdrop of a kitchen or something. All heavily scripted and it shows.
It's silly and very Americanised.

[FasterFreddy]

Frankeh said:

I also don't like that Jamie has to do a little bit of "Head speaking" in between scenes. They cut to just a view of his head and shoulders and he explains what's happening against the backdrop of a kitchen or something. All heavily scripted and it shows.
It's silly and very Americanised.

Every US 'factual' series seems to be shot and edited this way these days. It's almost as bad as the 'shakey camera' technique which blighted TV dramas for so long but has thankfully died out mostly now.

[Muzzer]

You can tell it's been 'Americanised' in every way.

The editing, the feel good factor, the emphasis that he's a family man, the idiot DJ, the aggressive dinner ladies, the tears, the fat family that wanted to change (£5 says they'll be contemplating digging that fryer up again so they can have breakfast donuts with chocolate icing)

It didn't stop me enjoying the show, it's just disappointing that they didn't have the balls to stick with the more 'real' UK format.

The ignorance over there is stunning though. They see encouragement to eat healthily as an infringment of their human right to eat what they like, that DJ being a perfect example. Bet he's back in an episode or two saying how Jamie's "changed him" by the way...

Breakfast pizza? Even I was shocked. But it's got bread in it!

[susanq]

If the children weren't getting pizza or chicken nuggets at school, they were being given them at home. The dinner ladies genuinely didn't see the problem with the crap they were feeding the children.
On our last visit to Florida a couple of years ago, my hubby and me attempted to do self catering on a few occasions. It was virtually impossible to find anything that didn't contain corn syrup, even the bread had it in. Apparently this is one of the reasons some of the American population have weight issues.

[XitUp]

Yup. the big farming industry is incredibly powerful. The subsidies for hfcs are huge.

Was this show made for America, that would explain it's style?

[-crookedtail-]

Was the two bread portions thing really how it is? I found it crazy that even in America they would be against chicken and rice but all for pizza as it contained the two precious portions of bread, just insane!

[Frankeh]

XitUp said:

Was this show made for America, that would explain it's style?

Yes it was.

[Balmoral Green]

He's a good bloke though surely? Despite the banter and the speaking style. I really don't understand why he gets so slagged off and is really hated and resented by so many. He's into his cars, he's a family bloke, like the crack, and food & drink, seems genuine enough, heart on his sleeve. What's not to like?

[Frankeh]

Do people not like him? I think he's great usually, but on this show he was using odd slang and he sounded less genuine than he did on the UK version. I think the producers probably had the whole series planned out before they even picked a town..

[jbudgie]

Thought it was great---although why he should be saving fat merkins when they obviously don't want to be helped is another matter.

[Frankeh]

I'd like to remind you that parents were putting chips through the school gates in the UK version of the show..

[Roo]

Got round to watching this last night and thought it was a very interesting programme.

On all the occasions we've been to the US by the end of the trip you're craving healthy food. We even ordered a side salad in one place in San Francisco and it had one piece of cucumber in it. They really don't get the problem with what they eat, but it's so cheap there's no real incentive to do anything else.

Oh, and that DJ. What a cock.

[KB_S1]

I have an American friend who lives in Nassau.
He was telling me that when he goes back to the US he is shocked at how difficult it is to buy 'real' food.