Alton Brown sells out to agribusiness in Cargill video

[Robin Garr]

It looks like Alton Brown. host of Food Networ's Good Eats, has sold out. According to this long piece about the salt industry's efforts to bolster its reputation against attacks for America's and the world's high-sodium diet, AB has produced a propaganda video piece for agribusiness giant Cargill.

This really troubles me, because I love AB and have come to rely on him for the straight scoop on matters food. How can I trust him if he'll take a stand for agribusiness bucks?

The Hard Sell on Salt

Want the primary source? Here's the video:

Alton Brown in Cargill's "Salt 101"

I haven't watched it yet but here's the video in question:

http://www.Salt101.com


See also:

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases ... 71602.html

Bothers me not in the least. I'm all for anything that keeps the public health nannies away from my food. I'm perfectly able to regulate my own sodium intake if I choose to do so, and don't need or want anyone to do it for me.

I'm probably one of only 3 or 4 "Foodies" in the world who thinks Alton Brown is a jackass. Anything he can do to screw up his "rep" is OK by me.

[Robin Garr]

Bothers me not in the least. I'm all for anything that keeps the public health nannies away from my food. I'm perfectly able to regulate my own sodium intake if I choose to do so, and don't need or want anyone to do it for me.

I'm no fan of the nannies, Clay. You guys have all seen me rant about that here before. But that's not exactly the point I'm making. Way I see it, Alton Brown has established "Good Eats" as a program where he tells it as it is. Seeing him producing an infomercial for pay from a major agribusiness company bothers me even if I agreed with what he was saying.

I don't want the public-health nannies making my decisions, no. But the multinational corporations? Maybe even less so.

Funny...I like AB just fine but really considered him "sold" from day #1. I really never considered him any type of crusader for truth....just a bright food guy.

I got a squicky feeling even when he started doing commercials for Welch's, extolling all the antioxidant values of grape juice. The salt video is far more troubling. I've never exactly thought of AB as a crusader for truth, as Mark said - he's no Michael Pollan - but his show has always maintained at least the appearance of some degree of scientific objectivity. When he lends that same "I'm going to tell you what's really going on" delivery to commercial interests, I can't help but mistrust him a little bit in general.

What next .... Dave Ramsey shilling for a used car place ?

I'm probably one of only 3 or 4 "Foodies" in the world who thinks Alton Brown is a jackass. Anything he can do to screw up his "rep" is OK by me.

Funny, yet again! Although I disagree.

I'm with Robin on this one, to an extent. I'm willing to ignore his commercial interests somewhat, because I am a free-market guy. I just kinda overlook the ads and pay attention to the substance. Like Tiger Woods- does the fact that he peddles Nike change his acumen on the course? No. Does AB's peddling of agribis change his position as America's Food Scientist? Wait... it almost helps it, in the strangest of ways. Very similar to the POV I expressed on Ed's thread about organic and agribis finding a common ground.

Hmm... I think I'm getting a headache from furrowing my brow- in the expression that we all do when we think too hard. lol

Oh! Btw, Thanks, Erin for bringing us back on topic. I owe you one!

America's food scientist? I think you might be confusing AB with Harold McGee;-)

[Robin Garr]

America's food scientist? I think you might be confusing AB with Harold McGee;-)

I've often thought of AB as "McGee Lite."

America's food scientist? I think you might be confusing AB with Harold McGee;-)

Hehe.. good point and well taken.

What next .... Dave Ramsey shilling for a used car place ?

Actually, he does. He runs commercials for dealerships (admittedly not JUST used car places) in certain cities. Including Louisville. And I dont make the distinction between dealerships and used car places because Dave isnt pushing anyone into new cars.

America's food scientist?

While I find him entertaining, Ive never thought of him that way. Maybe because I assume he makes as many mistakes in ALL his episodes as he did in his homebrewing episode.

[Robin Garr]

Maybe because I assume he makes as many mistakes in ALL his episodes as he did in his homebrewing episode.

The homebrewing episode was a laugher, but I gave him a bit of a pass because it wasn't really about food. (Yeah, I know, "beer is food," but still.) In my fairly expert opinion, I'd say more than half of his shows are right on, but yeah, he does some things I wouldn't do and says some things I wonder about. "Good Eats" is one of the last remaining shows I'll watch on Food Network, but this may say more about the decline of the network than the quality of Good Eats.