The Heart Attack Grill was a concept created by a former nutritionist, Jon Basso. It must have been terribly frustrating to this former nutritionist to know you can’t force people to want to eat well. They certainly don’t want to hear what you have to say concerning the bad foods one places in one’s body. He sort of took the adage “well, if you can’t beat ‘em, join em!” and so he has.
And thus, Jon has gone all the way over to the other dark side. The side of fat, grease, calories, heart attacks, obesity, sloth, plaque and morbid humor. If the restaurant concept was created in 2008, it certainly hasn’t “taken off.” To date, from what this Examiner has researched, one restaurant was found to be in existence, the one based in Las Vegas. It began in Chandler, Arizona but that one was closed down. Another one was started in Dallas, Texas but closed a few 6 months later for lack of rent.
Now, recently a woman who ordered the Quadruple Bypass burger had to be taken to the emergency room directly from the restaurant. Patrons are still waiting for the final verdict. Was it another heart attack? With her lifestyle of smoking, drinking and indulging in “heart attack faire,” it’s only a matter of time. In February, another man was also taken to the emergency room. He did experience a heart attack that time.
Perhaps, the one in Arizona closed in morbid guilt from their spokesperson, Blair Rivers, dying of pneumonia at age 29. No, he didn’t exactly die in the restaurant of a heart attack, but at 575 pounds, he faced a myriad of other problems all related to obesity. His fat put weight on his lungs contributing to his death as pneumonia already puts stress on the lungs. He probably needed to have a tracheostomy to help support his breathing. Now, what doctor would be able to perform an emergency tracheostomy on a very obese patient that has no neck? An extremely talented one, and that particular one may not have been available when he was needed.
Back to the concept of the Heart Attack Grill. The Heart Attack Grill serves extremely fattening high calorie plaque induced burgers, fries and shakes to their customers. They make no bones about their product inducing a heart attack. Of course, it was a “morbid joke” and the owner probably didn’t count on the number of people which might drop dead or experience a heart attack in his restaurant. Nevertheless, he has invited “negative attention” with his focus on “in your face” advertisements; daring the customer to walk into his restaurant, have a problem and not be able to do a darn thing about it because YOU WERE WARNED, now weren’t you?
Isn’t this the same way cigarette companies operate? All those warnings on cigarettes basically state the same thing. Check out this article on cigarette smoking and then watch the video concerning the new warnings on cigarettes, then ask yourself, isn’t this the same thing? The companies are warning the customer that if you eat this or smoke that, THIS is what will happen to you. But many customers stick their noses and thumbs up at the person “warning” them. “I have free will,” they might say. “I have the right to die if I want to,” they might say.
And you do!
Nevertheless, this man, Jon, deserves some kind of morbid award for bringing this very touchy subject out in the open. Americans don’t mind killing themselves as long as they remain in ignorance of that fact. And DON’T tell them they are killing themselves. Please let me stick my head in the sand and let it remain there. No, Americans behave on the principle,
“Do as I say, not as I do.”
“I will do as I darn well please especially if I’m only harming myself.”
Does anyone have the “right” to demand more responsible treatment of the customer if the customer doesn’t demand it of himself? This leaves the customer pondering many issues, thanks to Jon.
Officials for the Physician Committee for Responsible Medicine sent a letter to Jon asking him to close down his restaurant in Nevada and also to declare “moral bankruptcy.” More ironic morbid humor to ponder.
On Wikimedia, two pictures of the Heart Attack Grill faire have this warning on them.
This media file has been nominated for deletion since 16 April/ January 2012. To discuss it, please visit the nomination page.
Jon’s been getting a lot of flack, but no lawsuits thus far. Americans don’t like it when you rub what they do in their own faces.
Weigh in Lafayette. Has anyone noticed the restaurants closing in Lafayette, Louisiana? Ryan’s closed years ago. In fact, there aren’t many buffet style restaurants left in Lafayette, Louisiana. This is a very good thing because who needs all that temptation anyway? Additionally, in Lafayette, Hooters is still open but the Tilted Kilt who tried to piggyback onto Hooter’s fame, closed down.
In summary, many of us have much to learn about healthy eating and healthy lifestyles. Cajun country will probably remain quiet ’cause who are we to talk with all of our gravies, sauces and fried meats? This Examiner thinks that Heart Attack Grill will close down. The guilt the Heart Attack Grill instills doesn’t do any good for feel good American consciences. And even if the patrons who are eating aren’t feeling any guilt, someone around them will be.
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