Boycott Kellogg's!
Someone needs to spank Kellogg's on its sugar-frosted hiney. And If I bought Kellogg’s products I would join the call to boycott them. How does a company devoted to setting little kids on the path to Type 2 diabetes get all sanctimonious about Michael Phelps and a bong hit? His behavior is inconsistent with its image, the company says. Huh? How can that be? Tony the Tiger is generally the first pusher of addictive substances in a child's life. That's the American way.
Take Frosted Flakes. The company recommends a 3/4-cup serving, but come on that's like eating a handful of sugary air. A real bowl is about two to three times that amount. That means kids can start the day with up to 36 grams of sugar, or about 9 teaspoons per bowl. Multiply that morning after morning.
Then there are Crack-its, or rather, Cheez-its. I don't care what the serving portion is, can anyone stop at anything under half a box? Anyway, the larger point is this: He's a 23-year-old young man who got caught doing what 23-year-old young men do. Phelps has apologized. He can still be president. And most of his other sponsors, like Speedo, seem to be sticking with him.
Why is Kellogg's hyperventilating over this? Frankly, I think the company is shooting itself in its frosted foot. It will never find a better pitch man. The message was streamlined and simple: eat this food and you too will have to swim 17 hours a day.
Anyway, over on Huffingont Post, Lee Stranahan takes a different tack. He argues that Kellogg's is alienating its most devoted adult client base, the stoner crowd. Here are snippets from his petition calling for boycott:
1) Kellogg's is a major manufacturer of cereal and junk food products including but not limited to Frosted Flakes, Pop Tarts, Cheez-Its, Froot Loops, Keebler's Cookies, Rice Krispies, Eggo Frozen Waffles, Famous Amos Cookies and many other products known to be a part of the diet of many marijuana using Americans
2) Kellogg's has profited for decades on the food tastes of marijuana using Americans with the munchies. In fact, we believe that most people over the age of twelve would not eat Kellogg's products were they not wicked high.
3)That Kellogg's has decided to end their relationship with Olympic Swimmer Michael Phelps after pictures of him surfaced doing exactly what most Kellogg's customers do right before enjoying a bowl of Rice Krispies mixed with Keebler Cookies with an Eggo on top.
The rest is pretty funny and worth a read.
Photo courtesy of the Associated Press.
Presidents, congressmen, senators, etc have used Cannabis. The people of this country have been fed a lie and for one hundred years now ignorance and fear have kept that lie alive. WAKE UP. Cannabis use does not make a person a criminal or demon. Responsible adults should not be persecuted for using it. BTW, the term marijuana was used to deceive congress when cannabis was first criminalized at the federal level. Why? Because everyone knew cannabis was widely used and extremely useful as a medicine and fiber (hemp). No one knew anything about "marijuana" even though it was the same plant. What will you do to help end this madness??
Posted by: Scott Russ | February 11, 2009 at 07:34 AM
Its about time. I already started to boycott kellogg and don't forget Subway. They dropped him as well. It was ok when he was just drinking and driving, but taking a hit from a bong is unexcuseable is a bunch of bull. Marijuana is way less harmful than alcohol. The taboo of marijuana is getting old and so are the people who still think it still should be banned. Legalize it.
Posted by: Eric L. Carter | February 10, 2009 at 09:16 PM
Kelloggs should dump the diver, or be guilty of dumpster diving. So Michael can swim -- he makes perpetually bad decisions about the company he keeps (pot heads...DUI...I'm just saying...) I support Kellogg's decision now that it has been made. Don't worry though, Michael will still know what time it is thanks to the Omega and Speedo sponsorhips -- time for another HIT -- and I'm sure Michael will get by (and high) with a little help from his friends at those companies. I think I stop buying Speedo now...can't afford Omega yet...but now I won't have to aspire to it.
Posted by: JohnUSA | February 10, 2009 at 04:58 PM
Agree, boycott Kellogs. I don't smoke, and I am a conservative Christian, and I believe boycotting Kellogs would send a sign to the government and other businesses that most people don't care, and have better things to worry about, like violent crime. Let's see if Chris Brown loses any money over this last incident.
Posted by: SC | February 09, 2009 at 01:34 PM
http://boycott-kelloggs.com/ - sign the online petition and show your support!
Posted by: the northlondonhippy | February 09, 2009 at 10:04 AM
Medical Marijuana passed in Battle Creek and a number of Kellogg employees voted in favor of it..
Fire Tony the Tiger!
Re-hire Mike!
Posted by: Richard... | February 09, 2009 at 08:58 AM
I am a Canadian and when I was 24 I was arrested for possession of pot and I'm 60 now.
I've probably been to the United States over 20 times since this happened, and without any problems.
I was going accross the border last month and I got dinged and sent back home.
Now I am red flagged and am in the process of applying for a waiver.
I can enter anyother country with my past charge except for the U.S.A.
The waiver is $545.00 u.s. and if i'm granted one, I might have to renew it every year or every 5 years.
I really enjoy visiting the United States and I will greatly miss going there.
I can understand homeland security, but I guess I don't think that my crime, especially the length of time that has passed should disalow me from visiting the United States.
Hopefully,in the future, the law on this will relax a bit.
I feel sorry for Michael.
Posted by: pat | February 08, 2009 at 09:19 PM
send this letter to media@hotline.kelloggs.com
Hi, my name is _____ and I'm a frequent consumer of Kellogg's products.
Nearly one out of two Americans has used marijuana. This includes tens of thousands of prominent, highly successful Americans — including our current President. Michael Phelps should not be stigmatized nor condemned for private behavior that he, and millions of others, engage in.
The majority of the public, as well as those in the media, are standing behind Michael Phelps and so am I. I will no longer be purchasing Kellogg's brand products until your company reverses its decision and reinstates Michael Phelps as your spokesperson.
Posted by: Tara | February 08, 2009 at 04:22 PM
Kellogg let these contaminated products out for human consumption without checking to see if they where safe. They must have been too busy chastising Phelps for his wicked ways.
Screw Kellogg!!
Lets put these bastards out of business.
see the huge list of recalled kellogg items at: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/peanutbutterrecall/
Posted by: Cory | February 08, 2009 at 04:13 PM
BOYCOTT KELLOGG!
Posted by: JIM MOORE | February 08, 2009 at 12:19 PM
BOYCOTT KELLOGG!
Posted by: JIM MOORE | February 08, 2009 at 12:19 PM
Maybe the auto industry is running this place. He smokes pot! WOW! Oh My God! Big F@#king deal! All my Kellogs products are now in the trash. 2 Trillion dollars a year prosecuting people for smoking pot. Kind Of hard to stop mother nature from growing one of her products.
Posted by: Joe | February 08, 2009 at 12:06 PM
BOYCOTT!
Posted by: sissy_sue | February 07, 2009 at 09:44 PM
Don't you have to take a drug test to work at the LAT?
And Kellogg's connection to diabetes isn't exactly a fact, scientifically speaking. Boycott if you want to (but since Richardson claims to not buy the products, this is a pretty feeble threat) but if Kellogg kept the guy, then why not keep athletes who drive drunk oops!), hold dog-fights or molest children? After all, lots of people do these illegal things, too, and they might eat corn flakes.
And speaking of flakes.......
Posted by: Rachel | February 07, 2009 at 07:44 PM
Yes I posted under my wifes name so? I love her name =) She's my Princess Diana and yes we support the Boycott of the Kelloggs junk food maker.
Posted by: Diana | February 07, 2009 at 06:57 PM
Chicagopearl you are a complete idiot. Average American? Are you kidding me? What’s that? What cubbyhole do you live in? Obesity? Cigarettes? Alcohol? Man made painkillers and all the other BS drugs being handed out like candy to Americans? What’s your fix porn? What is it Chicagoperal? I am a 56-year-old Male and have put three children threw college and own my own business. I do not smoke marijuana, but have tried it, and I know plenty of adults in there 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and on and on that smoke it still today on a regular basis. Your very ignorant and probably do not have a social life in America. I mean Cigarettes are ok Chicagoperal? What about the rest I mentioned at the beginning those are okay? You are very shallow pal! I understand it’s illegal (only for the last 75 years) and I have now problem with our government legalizing it because the facts are it would help this nation like you wouldn’t believe. It’s not even about just smoking the crap it can be utilized for many other needs. Go educate yourself about marijuana before you run your mouth about it (Besides it illegal).
Posted by: Diana | February 07, 2009 at 06:40 PM
Dam it Michael. If only you would have had a bottle of Absolut Vodka in your hand. You may have killed someone when you got behind the wheel, but at least you would have chosen a socially acceptable drug.
Posted by: Mary | February 07, 2009 at 05:27 PM
There are MUCH better reasons to boycott Kelloggs than Michael Phelps. This is just good timing.
You can join the boycott without admitting support for Michael's mistake which as far is we know was getting a photo taken with a suspicious object. Join the boycott because Kelloggs is pushing substances known to kill -- TRANS FATS and HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP.
Kelloggs is doing Michael a favor. Hopefully, Michael will join the boycott. Look what he's accomplished on THAT diet. Can you imagine what he might be capable of if he consumed 12,000 cal/day of QUALITY FUEL-- that is truly a scary thought. Michael, please join the movement against trans fats and high fructose corn syrup. You could save millions from diabetes and heart disease. Athens -- SIX golds; Beijing -- 8 GOLDS; London -- 10 GOLDS!
Posted by: Hart | February 07, 2009 at 05:13 PM
These guys need to have their ass handed to them
Someone started a blog with up to date info on the progress of the protest
http://thekelloggboycott.com
Posted by: DCdubbs | February 07, 2009 at 02:29 PM
ChicagoPearl I gotta disagree with you - it's not about giving him a second chance. There are plenty of average Americans who realize that alcohol is far worse than marijuana and that the only hazard of pot smoking is what the government and the media will do to you if you get caught.
Posted by: Pete | February 07, 2009 at 01:32 PM
BOYCOTT!!
Posted by: Jackie | February 07, 2009 at 02:59 AM
We don't know for a fact that it was indeed just pot or only pot that Phelps was smoking. Or is there some corroberation other than the word of an admitted pothead drunk?
And Peter at 7:38 - Please try to grow up. You have absolutely no idea if or how many Kellogg's employees engage in that behavior. And for your information, the relationship between the Kellogg's Company and Phelps was a business relationship - not a friendship. But if you want to be "friends" with poor little Mikey Phelps, then feel free to send him some of your own money.
Posted by: curare | February 06, 2009 at 10:08 PM
I wrote Keebler/cheezit a kellogg company 3 years ago and gave the argument that we all know is correct now, that transfat kills tens of thousands of folks every year, and begged them to eliminate it from cheezits, a guilty pleasure. One of their email marketing stooges wrote back paraphrasing, we can't insure the same great taste, bla, bla, bla. Theese people care only about money. The melemine milk debacle in China? Hundreds of babies killed Thousands sickened? Kelloggs just did it legaly and knowingly. They don't care if you live or die, so make up your own mind.
Posted by: p.mod | February 06, 2009 at 09:15 PM
Kellogg's is using Michael Phelps to divert attention away from the recent news that it has products involved in the Peanut Corp. Of America salmonella recall. Makes 'em look like a responsible company. After, of course, shipping thousands of crackers with a toxic ingredient to schools, nursing homes, hospitals, supermarkets, military, etc.
Really. They think we forgot.
Their list is here. In a teeny tiny font, no less. http://kelloggs.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=232
Posted by: kravitz | February 06, 2009 at 08:20 PM
Absolutely boycott Kellogg:
a) Tens of millions of CURRENT Kellogg customers have smoked marijuana or do so.
b) Pot is hardly worth firing someone about, especially when your own products aren't very healthy.
c) Friends stand by their friends. Kellogg does not.
Posted by: Peter | February 06, 2009 at 07:38 PM