Lately, I have been simultaneously enthralled and disgusted by Man vs. Food with Adam Richman. In particular, it has led me to question why I subscribed to cable television recently. Until two weeks ago, it was steadfastly easy to ignore the distracting buzz of reality tv shows, rabid advertising, and what I perceived to be a degradation of American innovation and purpose. Now, don’t get me wrong, the show is entertaining. Yet, it feeds into the gluttonous image of our society, showcasing the most outrageous food eating contests in the nation, and providing insight into the gross portions presented to restaurant patrons in a bid to gain popularity and novel fame.
Man vs. Food features the idea of an average man (albeit one who has a graduate degree in drama from a top-notch institution of higher learning aka Yale) who displays his gourmand passions through tackling eating competitions in nationwide eateries and food establishments. Unlike competitive eating, Adam is not sized against the appetites of fellow competitors with a habit to consume a large amount, and down it fast; he competes solely against the clock and rules of the restaurant he visits. So, while one can admire the man’s ability to put away food, and salivate over some of the spreads (while slightly gagging from the thought of eating that much), one also has to question what makes the public so interested, anyway. As a country, we have poor eating habits and even worse body images (see: The Biggest Loser and note the double meaning of that title – the one who can lose the most weight, but also one who is perceived by others as being a loser, worthless of our respect based on their body mass and BMI). Our obsession with being thin and beautiful leads us down paths of eating disorders, temporary diets, depression, bariatric surgery, and a variety of ailments, psychological and physical, in between. There are some who can settle into a routine, a healthy eating mindset and exercise regimen, but there is an equal population, if not greater, who want fast results with as little work as possible – immediate gratification.
Mankind has long been plagued by the concept of gluttony. One of the seven deadly sins, being gluttonous was not necessarily viewed as being bad for the body, but was primarily harmful for one’s soul. For instance, Ruben painted voluptuous women and having a plump figure was taken to be healthy in a multitude of cultures, ensuring survival during famine and food shortages. Dante spoke of gluttons in his Inferno, placing them in the Sixth Canto. In this circle, Dante writes of gluttons being mercilessly rained upon, while Cerberus, a monster, grabs of the earth, throwing handfuls down their ravenous mouths. In life, these sinners partook of food in excess, and in death, they suffer from being eternally fed dirt, rocks, etc. and in miserable conditions. It is incredible that there are still millions, if not billions, of people starving while developed countries, lands of plenty, struggle with their citizens eating too much. It is, perhaps, even more incredible to think that such countries, where the government may pay subsidies to farmers to halt crop planting and harvesting, still have those within their physical boundaries who go without.
Still, we are fascinated by food – our instincts drive us to obsess with it, really. We devote many hours to the purchasing, preparation of, and consumption of food. We watch many hours of cooking shows, swapping recipes, and gathering for events with the assumption that feasting and satisfaction with life walk together. I hope that Man vs. Food continues on – it certainly holds entertainment value for me, but I hope that the Travel Channel recognizes its responsibility then to also promote proper eating habits in its viewers. Many websites mention that Adam Richman exercises and limits his food intake off-camera, yet no attention is given to the balance that he practices in his daily life to host a show founded on gluttony. In this century, it is almost criminal to not address the issue.
Regardless, enjoy your barbecues during this July 4th weekend. Be safe and merry, but pause and consult your stomach before eating that extra hot dog or burger with all the fixings.
I think Reubens just painted middle aged German women. That’s what they look like. Their ancient ancestors were once adapted to the ice age and have a low surface area relative to mass in order to contain heat. Everyone naturally gains a bit of body fat through age 40 – 55 and then loses muscle after that. Hot climate women, like Italians, have long faces, oval heads, long arms and legs, small bones relative to finger length and short narrow torsos which gives them a less fat look but it is misleading. They eat less because their lean weight is lower. Their body fat percent is about the same relative to age.