Ronald McDonald made you a fatty? Sue his red ass!

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

One thing I always liked about the tobacco companies is that they kept the lifestyle nazis from invading other people's bad habits. It looks like that has come to an end...

 

From Fox News: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,58652,00.html

 

NEW YORK — Want a class-action lawsuit with that burger?

 

A New York City lawyer has filed suit against the four big fast-food corporations, saying their fatty foods are responsible for his client’s obesity and related health problems.

 

Samuel Hirsch filed his lawsuit Wednesday at a New York state court in the Bronx, alleging that McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s and KFC Corporation are irresponsible and deceptive in the posting of their nutritional information, that they need to offer healthier options on their menus, and that they create a de facto addiction in their consumers, particularly the poor and children.

 

"You don't need nicotine or an illegal drug to create an addiction, you're creating a craving," Hirsch said. "I think we'll find that the fast-food industry has not been totally up front with the consumers."

 

The suit does not specify the amount of damages Hirsch and his client are seeking.

 

Industry officials lambasted the legal action.

 

"It's senseless, baseless and ridiculous," National Restaurant Association spokeswoman Katharine Kim said. "There are choices in restaurants and people can make these choices, and there's a little personal responsibility as well."

 

KFC spokeswoman Amy Sherwood said her company couldn't comment on the lawsuit because it hadn't yet been served, but dismissed the idea that the fried-chicken chain ought to be held responsible for anyone's health problems.

 

"Eating sensibly combined with exercise is the best solution for a healthy lifestyle," she said. "KFC offers a variety of menu offerings for those who want a more healthy choice."

 

Walter Olson, a Manhattan Institute fellow specializing in legal-system issues, called the suit a blatant attempt to cash in on the recent publicity over obesity and the tobacco settlements. He also said it disregarded the idea that people are responsible for their own actions.

 

"Most people are aware if eating double cheeseburgers, it's not the same as celery," he said. "We all have appetites, but people have no trouble walking down the street and buying a different kind of food. They’re not somehow forced to keep going back and keep supersizing. Overeating is a bad habit and is one of the pitfalls of human nature."

 

So far, there's only a single complainant named in the suit, but Hirsch said at least two other clients would be filing soon in what he aims to make into a class-action lawsuit. All were regular fast-food consumers who suffer from ailments ranging from obesity to diabetes.

 

The lead plaintiff, 56-year-old maintenance supervisor Caesar Barber, ate at fast-food restaurants four or five times a week and blames his fatty diet for his obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol and the two heart attacks he has suffered.

 

"I trace it all back to the high fat, grease and salt, all back to McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King – there was no fast food I didn't eat, and I ate it more often than not because I was single, it was quick and I’m not a very good cook," Barber said in an interview with Foxnews.com.

 

"It was a necessity, and I think it was killing me, my doctor said it was killing me, and I don't want to die."

 

Frances Winn, a 57-year-old retired nurse, said her habit of eating at fast-food restaurants at least twice a week since 1975, caused her to go from a size 6 to a size 18, and inflicted her with hypertension, high cholesterol and a hyperthyroid problem.

 

Israel Bradley, 59, said his ritual of eating a pound of french fries a week gave him high blood pressure, diabetes, made him obese and forces him to walk with a cane. In 1993, he passed out and had to be rushed to the emergency room because of the medical problems caused by his diet.

 

"I got addicted to it," he said.

 

Winn and Bradley would both file New York state suits soon, Hirsch said.

 

The aim of the legal action is to force the fast-food industry to "offer a larger variety to the consumers, including non-meat vegetarian, less grams of fat, and a reduction of size" of their meals, along with federal legislation that would require warning labels on fast food similar to those on tobacco products, Hirsch said.

 

"Hopefully it will change the eating habits of the American public," he said.

 

In December, then Surgeon General David Satcher declared obesity America's soon-to-be number one killer, and urged for there to be a healthier range of food available to consumers.

[Guest Bosstones Fan]

Good lord.

 

This is so far beyond absurd that I have absolutely no idea what to say.

[Guest Phr33k]

I could describe these people in 25,000 words, all of which would be "moron".

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

I wonder if burger wrappers will have to come with a warning label in the near future saying something like "Excessive consumption of *insert product name* can cause you to get fat and die"

[Guest Nezbyte]

My fucking god.

 

Oh, KKK - that song is AWESOME.

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

Guess I could ad lib and say something like

 

"The FDA took my whopper away

they took it away, away from me"

 

On second thought, I better not..

[Guest Nevermortal]

Ringing Ringing Ringing up the FBI

[Guest jimmy no nose]

I wish fast food made me fat so I could sue someone. I eat it constantly and for some reason I can't gain any weight.

[Guest Youth N Asia]

Isn't it nice knowing you live in a society where you can sue anyone for anything.

 

"You don't need nicotine or an illegal drug to create an addiction, you're creating a craving," Hirsch said. "I think we'll find that the fast-food industry has not been totally up front with the consumers."

 

Fuck this asshole...fat people are fat cause they eat too much and don't work out...and that's their fault and no one elses.

 

How do I know..cause I'm a little heavy myself.

 

Are we going to have to sign a waiver every time we go to BK now just so they can't get sued by touchy fat bastards with no will power.

[Guest starvenger]

On the flipside, we'll probably see Jarrod Fogle a helluva lot more.

 

I hope the judge throws the case out, but this being America, there'll probably be a settlement.

[Guest Invader3k]

Hopefully this case will be thrown out and the fattie will be fined for wasting the court's time (that is happening more and more now if I'm not mistaken...).

 

And they're complaining there are not enough healthy options at fast food restaurants? WTF? First of all, if you want to eat healthy, you probably shouldn't be going to a fast food restaurant, period...especially if you're morbidly obese and have had two heart attacks. Secondly, I think all the named restaurants do offer salads and other things that don't have fried red meat in them.

 

I'm sick of people not taking responsibilty for their own self induced problems. The tobacco lawsuits I can understand because the companies lied to people for years about the effects of smoking, but McDonalds has never told people to make up their entire diets out of quarter pounders or lied about the fat content of a Big Mac.

[Guest Shaved Bear]

Samuel Hirsch filed his lawsuit Wednesday at a New York state court in the Bronx, alleging that McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s and KFC Corporation are irresponsible and deceptive in the posting of their nutritional information, that they need to offer healthier options on their menus, and that they create a de facto addiction in their consumers, particularly the poor and children.

 

Wendy's has salads, this guy better get laughed out of court as if he asked to be in GQ

meet the obese headjanitor who sued the fast-foods in this issue

[Guest DrEvil]

"You don't need nicotine or an illegal drug to create an addiction, you're creating a craving," Hirsch said. "I think we'll find that the fast-food industry has not been totally up front with the consumers."

 

Well I actually use that little brain thingy that God put in my head so I stop eating before I explode and also make a point of getting off the couch at least once a year, so I can't get in on this lawsuit claiming obesity, but I am poor. I think I'll hop on this lawsuit claiming that the addiction factor made me spend all my money at McD's. Hey, it makes just as much sense as the current lawsuit.

 

 

We really need some posts in favour of the lawsuit, it'd be good for the laugh.

[Guest starvenger]

>

 

 

Well I actually use that little brain thingy that God put in my head so I stop eating before I explode and also make a point of getting off the couch at least once a year, so I can't get in on this lawsuit claiming obesity, but I am poor. I think I'll hop on this lawsuit claiming that the addiction factor made me spend all my money at McD's. Hey, it makes just as much sense as the current lawsuit.

 

Well, KFC does put an addictive chemical in their food to make you crave for it nightly, you know

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(that was a reference to "So I Married An Axe Murderer" for those who didn't know)

[Guest Sandman9000]

KFC puts an addictive chemical, eh? Too bad it backfires with me.

 

A pound of fries a week? Honestly, they say fast food is cheap, but these people are probably dropping seven or eight bucks at a time, so it's gotta add up.

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

"I hope the judge throws the case out, but this being America, there'll probably be a settlement."

 

I hope this doesn't make it to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals (sp?)

[Guest MillenniumMan831]

This is something Kramer would sue for and have Jackie Chiles represent him. The settlement would probably be Jason Alexander offering Kramer FREE low-fat KFC parfaits for the next 70-125 years.

[Guest Intimacy Goblin]

The judge who agrees to hear this case should be smashed repeadedly with a piece of heavy mining equipment.

The warning label they should put on all fast food should be "A sudden (or constant) lack of personal responsibility could result in the eating of this unhealthy (but quickly delivered and satisfying) foodstuff, which may result in weight gain (mild) or heart attack (severe). If you don't want to experience the consequences, make a decision you can fully testify was made entirely by you in a sober, un-influenced by all those evil corporate nazis out there state of mind to NOT EAT THE FUCKING BURGER!!"

 

That might be to long for a cheeseburger wrapper.