by Soso Whaley
June 23, 2005

CNN - PAULA ZAHN NOW

Aired June 23, 2005 - 20:00   ET

[…]

ZAHN: Well, fast food takes an awful lot of abuse from the food police lately. And given some of the menu choices it's a pretty easy target. Many chains have started adding salads and other healthy items in an effort to win over those who are worried about your waistlines and to try to fend off some criticism along the way.

But now it seems that someone has set out to prove that burgers and fries may not be that bad after all. Here's Jeanne Moos.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Call it the Big Mac counter attack.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What would happen if I ate at McDonald's for 30 days straight?

MOOS: Yes, but didn't this guy already do that?

MORGAN SPURLOCK, FILMMAKER: "Super Size Me."

MOOS: Morgan Spurlock gorged himself on nothing but McDonald's, got fatter and sick, and made an Oscar-nominated documentary.

SPURLOCK: See, now's the time of meal when you getting the Mcstomachache.

MOOS: He vomited on camera, but his documentary made Soso Whaley sick.

SOSO WHALEY: Spurlock made it look like he almost died while he was eating there.

MOOS: So this New Hampshire animal trainer...

WHALEY: Just like a kid.

MOOS: Made a film of her own, 30 day McDonald's, binge in which she lost weight?

WHALEY: That's right, I lost weight.

MOOS: Whaley lost ten pounds while Spurlock gained 24 1/2.

SPURLOCK: It just keeps getting bigger.

MOOS: His cholesterol jumped 65 points. Hers dropped 40.

WHALEY: I love bacon!

SPURLOCK: Oh, I love Big Macs.

MOOS: Well, no wonder Whaley and Spurlock got opposite results. He ate about 5,000 calories a day, while she ate 2,000 or less. He stuffed, she dieted.

(on camera): So his meal might be a double quarter pounder with cheese, large fries, large soda for a total of over 1,500 calories, while her typical meal might be double cheese burger, fruit and yogurt parfait, and a diet coke for a total of 620 calories.

Now I have to eat them both. Super size me!

(voice-over): Downside me could have been the title, though she chose "Me and Mickey D." Her point is, blame yourself not McDonald's for overeating. She considers Spurlock's film misinformation.

WHALEY: It's not what you don't know that hurts you. It's what you know that isn't so.

MOOS: Spurlock wouldn't comment on her film. She says McDonald's in no way supported her documentary. It's her very first film. And, boy, does it look it. Though there are flashes of humor, like the killer pizza. And the Mark Twain quote, "eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside." Now, that's a Mcnugget of wisdom.

SPURLOCK: Boy, that's miserable.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZAHN: Yes, we're hungry. Thank you, Jeanne Moos.

It's always nice when she reminds us of the whole issue of personal responsibility and accountability. What a revolutionary concept.

And we wanted to thank you all for dropping by this evening. Prime time continues. Larry King joins us at the top of the hour. His guest, jurors in the Michael Jackson case.

And tomorrow night, we will introduce you to a new side of Lindsay Lohan as we wrap up the week. Thanks again for dropping by tonight. We will be back same time, same place for TGIF. Have a good night everybody.

END

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