Boston Legal has gone after the food marketing industry with the ferocity it reserves for…Scratch that. It does not reserve its ferocity.
David Kelly goes fiercely into every political fight he chooses, from the war in Iraq to indecency to administration crackdowns on protest. That is what I love about his shows.
Last night's episode featured a lawsuit against the makers of popular low-priced snack foods that can be found prominently displayed in Wal-Marts and Kmarts and A-Zmarts across the country. I love them, in fact, particularly the octagonal cakes with the waxy white icing and the peanut butter sticks and the oatmeal cream cookies and the things that look like Ho-Ho's and the Halloween pumpkin-shaped cakes, and the Christmas Tree-shaped cakes and the ones with crispy rice and chocolate and caramel and…but I digress.
The TV brand was Little Reggies Yum-Dums, or Little Billy's Whiz-Bangs or some such thing, but the box made the culprit clear. Actually, the culprit was high-fructose corn syrup, apparently, which if the show is to be believed is some kind of nicotine of the snack world that keeps your mind craving sweets when your stomache has had its fill.
The timing of the show could not have been better, with the FTC/HHS releasing its food marketing study and soft drink manufacturers reportedly agreeing to pull sodas out of schools.
Self-regulation is being touted, and that is good. I am for self-regulation, both on a personal and governmental level, whenever possible. But I am also for David Kelly training a spotlight on the issue.
By John Eggerton
