." Morgan Spurlock on Instagram: "Someone has started a GoFundMe for our brave chicken farmers from Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! Directed by Morgan Spurlock. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Its about numbers for the industry," Jonathan Buttram said. Super Size Me 2 Review: Beware That Healthy Chicken, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/05/movies/super-size-me-2-holy-chicken-review.html, Morgan Spurlock and his brood in Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!. Like Michael Moore, Morgan Spurlock has a particular shtick that drives some people crazy. 'Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!' Review - The Hollywood Reporter "There has been this massive shift and people say to me, 'So has the food gotten healthier?' "Right now, our best bet is for people to go and support 'Holy Chicken' because if it gets off and gets up and running we're looking at a nationwide chain," said his son, Zack Buttram. He warns consumers may have to pay a little bit more to support independent farmers and chains that pay a living wage. As a result of a proposition by Hardees to make an advertisement using his credibility and authenticity showcasing the supposed "healthiness" of its menu, he decided it was . The film keeps a brisk pace from beginning to end, with only a slight lull as Spurlock detours into a series of interviews concerning a . Assisting Spurlock is farmer Jonathan Buttram, who rents a building to Morganic Farms and, along with his son, helps tend to the chickens. He says its humbling to see the information exposed. leaves locals concerned. Hes bailed out by the largest independent hatchery, who supplies him with over 2,000 broilers, the most popular chickens on Earth., These chickens are bred to grow faster and bigger than their feathers will cover them at some points in their development. Morgan Spurlock takes a second bite of the fast food world But I think the goal of Holy Chicken is how do you start to at least level the playing field? His poorly paid staff members wear T-shirts that read "Part-time all the time." We got dozens of nos. They barely flinch at the most awful parts of the process, and yet this consumer response is supposed to be the films thesis. In 2004, when Spurlock, then an unknown filmmaker, released Super Size Me in which he went on a McDonalds only diet for one month he had no idea the ramifications it would cause in the fast-food industry. ", A strong possibility for the future of the film is on a digital platform, Powers said. My son's been blackballed and my wife, they stopped placement of her contract. The movie could still be sitting on a shelf and the farmers deserve this more than anyone. Its the last place anyone would expect to see the arch enemy of fast food. Buttram provided Spurlock with the chickens for his Holy Chicken . I did not know that, replied the guy. Humans devour more than 50 billion chickens each year. Its a full career reboot after he decided to be transparent about his history of sexual misconduct. Since the movies original filming more than three years ago, a lot has changed: The chicken industry launched its transparency campaign Chicken Check In to answer questions about chicken production; - NCCs animal welfare guidelines were updated and certified by an independent audit certification organization; - All quick service restaurants now post calories on their menus; and. how Big Chicken punishes a farmer who rents him a "grow out" house to start his enterprise, what maladies hit chickens forced to grow to many times the size they used to grow in a fraction of the time. Its not a solution to the problem, but it could be part of one. I was lucky enough to seeHoly Chicken! Alabama chicken farmer Jonathan Buttram is one of many who missed out on some much-needed publicity for their plight by the demise of Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! As Super Size Me 2 highlights, in one instance Tyson used a tournament system in which the company gave farmers a certain amount of chickens per year, and then paid by the performance of those chickens (i.e., size of the bird, and the amount produced). With "Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! Jonathan Buttram, a farmer featured in the film, argues the whole chicken business needs to be dismantled, including the way farmers and slaughterhouse workers are treated. . explores the chicken industry as Spurlock opens his own chicken farm and fast food restaurant. But nutritionally not much has changed. His latest stunt is an unfortunate and one-sided hit piece on an industry that provides Americans with the healthiest, most sustainable, affordable, and responsibly raised protein in the market. He made me laugh several times, in fact. Though Super Size Me 2 wouldnt have been able to speed up the wheels of justice, many involved in the suit believe at the very least Super Size Me 2 would have put a huge spotlight on the issue. 'Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!' review: Morgan Spurlock's sequel will If he and Holy Chicken can liberate even a small portion of poultry farmers from the Chicken Mafias grip, Spurlock says, that will disrupt the status quo. "I am part of the problem," he wrote. Theres an interesting, if too short scene where he asks for clarification from the USDA about some of these words. We hope that for the sake of the brave farmers and their families, this film can still find a distributor.. Learn more about contributing; Edit page. In Super Size Me 2, Spurlock shows its popularity with incredible clarity as he navigates not just the growing process of the chickens, but also the marketing muscle behind making the chicken sandwich so popular. Despite his skeptical view of the industry with two films, Spurlock thinks fast food can be both ethical and affordable, pointing to companies like Warby Parker and Toms as examples of firms that do well financially and also do good. Her placement of her chickens when I spoke out in Ohio.. With his new chicken documentary, is Morgan Spurlock part of the The filmmaker and farmer discuss the new . They taste good. That news ladys investigative report and shocked reaction was far more revealing (and more hilarious) than Spurlocks reaction to his similarly posed experiment. It's one of the things I'm continuing to try and move forward as best you can.. Some of this material is interesting, but most of us know that while chicken is seen as nutritious, fried chicken is another animal entirely. This is not about Morgan Spurlock, this is about the industry and us farmers and how were being treated.. . Driver charged in crash that injured CTV reporter in Ont. But it's also one of those moments as a manic depressive, you don't think about the results of your actions in those moments. super size me 2: holy chicken worksheet answers The movie is at its most engaging when examining the near-monopolies controlling chicken farmers in the United States. How do I start to make myself better? The people that I hurtI worked with. The understanding of how food is produced, especially in these factory farms that the movie shows, I wanted the public to know about that because when the public knows about something and they see a wrong they try to right it, said J. Dudley Butler of Butler Farm & Ranch Law Group, lead attorney in the Morris case. In the movie, Morris paints a grim picture of the farmers who are millions of dollars in debt due to the tournament system. Various smalltown US newspapers reported either side of Christmas that he and others have filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Agriculture aimed at preventing them from removing what little protection they have against Big Chicken. Butler said he learned about it from another farmer hes representing. It would seem Spurlock stands to benefit, too. Jonathan Buttram, a farmer featured in the film, argues the whole chicken business needs to be dismantled, including the way farmers and slaughterhouse workers are treated. Such a suit would surely have the support of more consumers had Holy Chicken survived the backlash against Spurlock. (Photo by Ben Hider/Invision/AP, File). Days later, YouTube announced it would not release " Super Size Me 2 " and Spurlock stepped down as head of his production company, Warrior Poets. Morgan Spurlock on Instagram: "Someone has started a GoFundMe for our During the process Spurlock fashioned his body into a toxic biohazard. Charles Morris, Tori Morris, and director Morgan Spurlock attend the "Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!" Morgan Spurlock teamed up with Jonathan Buttram, a chicken farmer in Alabama, to learn about the modern poultry industry. With the end credits rolling on the big screen behind him, Morgan Spurlock took the stage after the world premiere of Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! during the Toronto International Film Festival last September, and flashed his patented wide smile as he took in the loud applause from the audience. Morris, along with Jonathan Buttram, are both big parts in Super Size Me 2. Buttram, who declined to comment for this story, was the only farmer Spurlock could find who agreed to grow chickens for Holy Chicken! We invite anyone interested in seeing first-hand the real story of broiler chickens to watch NCCs360 video series. The Original Grilled Crispy Chicken Sandwich TM (Regular or Spicy) Crunchy Greens ; L'il Cluckers Chicken Tenders ; The Holy Salad; Guests at the pop up will include Jonathan and Zack Buttram, two Alabama chicken farmers who appear in the film and who are currently blackballed by BIG CHICKEN from raising birds for any company. Skip to primary content. Morgan Spurlock rose to international fame in Super Size Me (2004) when he used himself as a research subject to chow down for breakfast, lunch and dinner on "supersize portions" at McDonalds in a marathon of calorically indulgent eating. But that hasnt stopped Morris from single-handedly trying to get the movie out to the public. Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! When most of the US market is dominated by five poultry companies. Morris is in Super Size Me 2, and is also part of a lawsuit in Kentucky against Tyson. "There was some time back in 2008 or 2009 where I was thinking about trying to unionize a McDonald's or a fast food restaurant, which would've been awesome. On Demand opening on September 13th. His sandwiches are wrapped in paper that says: "Better for you -- sounds great, means nothing." Find Tickets. This popularity has led to huge profits for the poultry industry, but the farmers who are growing the chickens arent getting much of the rewards. Spurlock said it has been a long journey of making amends. By Marty Irby and Jonathan Buttram - - Wednesday, April 5, 2023 OPINION: In 2023, consumption of chicken in the United States has hit an all-time high, outpacing that of beef or pork. A news investigation discovered that Newark Bay was so contaminated that anything swimming in it was carcinogenic. One of them was cop who was threatening to commit suicide and murder. "At the end of the day I do want to give you spinach, but I want it to taste like cotton candy and the more cotton candy-flavoured spinach I can give you the more you're going to eat.". Morgan Spurlock's "Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!" has languished for nearly two years, having been shelved after the director's disclosure of "past indiscretions." Yet the sequel to . Questionable life choices. The documentarys main target is the multibillion-dollar chicken industrys big five megacompanies the Chicken Mafia, as Buttram calls them. But I am also part of the solution.. The news is that hes opening his own fast food restaurant. 'Super Size Me 2' Review: Beware That 'Healthy Chicken' The search leads him to a San Francisco firm called CCD Innovation. Holy Chicken tells its' customers how it is: In addition to the large, nutritious helpings of the deep crisped honesty, the Holy Chicken Pop-Upwill also be serving: Guests at the pop up will include Jonathan and Zack Buttram, two Alabama chicken farmers who appear in the film and who are currently blackballed by BIG CHICKEN from raising birds for any company. Finally, Spurlock found Jonathan Buttram last summer, an Alabama chicken farmer who for the last decade has been trying to get the public to understand what Big Chicken has done to farmers . According to numerous sources, Spurlock has reclaimed the rights to Super Size Me 2 from YouTube but people close to the movie say there are no current plans on how (or if) it will ever be released. USDA commodity checkoff programs put swamp politics ahead of farmers "We're at an amazing moment in history from a consumer standpoint where consumers are starting to have more and more power," he said. The movie didnt just show the directors health begin to deteriorate before our eyes thanks to his new diet, but also the crafty ways the fast-food industry makes some patrons eat its food to a level that causes obesity. The ultimate success of the chicken company depends on the farmer. #MeToo: The most surprising casualty? America's chicken farmers Before the festival ended, Spurlock scored a deal with YouTube Red, reported to be around $3.5 million, that included not just a streaming deal but also a theatrical release. It can also work as a feature-length advertisement for his franchisable business, nudging audiences to eat his chicken. Its complex so there's no bite size way to describe it, Muraskin said of the plight of the chicken farmers. More to explore. Spurlock said theres a dark side to big chicken, referring to the nations top chicken producers. Spurlock is optimistic. Spurlock has gone from being an avid Big Mac consumer in "Super Size Me" to serving his own chicken sandwiches in "Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!" chicken sandwich "chain." He also brought a Holy Chicken ! In the U.S, the overwhelming majority of chickens are factory farmed and bred to be twice the size of those grown in the 1950's. 2. If eliminated, as the National Chicken Council want in the interest of saving "consumers hundreds of millions of dollars", the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration rules' absence would mean farmers could not sue the companies for any "mistreatment". All I can do is have faith that every day I can continue to be the best person I can and translate that to the work I believe in, which is telling stories that make a difference.. Now, 15 years later, Morgan Spurlock is trying his hand at chicken with a new movie called Super Size Me 2 -Holy Chicken. It was it was almost like a soul purge that happened. The film calls the industry Big Chicken and they control the distribution of live product for farms. Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken! After all, when it comes to fast food, chicken is the latest rage. Farmer Jonathan Buttram serves as Spurlock's window into the chicken industry in the documentary. But the real meat of the movie are the sections about chicken farming, which see Spurlock hiring third-generation Alabama chicken farmer Jonathan Buttram to help him raise a flock of big-breasted . Buttram is the heart of "Super Size Me 2," a guy locked into a contract with Big Chicken who'll pay the price for helping the filmmakers. And I say, 'Well, the marketing sure has,"' he said. 'Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!' is an excellent and necessary expose on the Big Chicken industry - it's a showcase of how unnatural the whole value chain of the chicken industry is, how the chickens are treated unnaturally to make them grow fast, the unfair treatment of the farmers and the clever use of marketing tricks to give a false . Buttram Farms in Alabama raised the chicken served at the restaurant. Morris said he has never received a response from YouTube. Now I'm at the point of my journey where I'm reaching out to the people and starting to make amends. I am part of the problem, he wrote then. I take calls, as matter of fact, two calls in the last couple of weeks of farmers, [saying] I'm at the end of my rope. That means suicide. There's also frustration from some who feel that the people who risked everything to go on camera for Spurlock have now been abandoned. The Hollywood Reporter: 'Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!': Film Review Because [Tyson] controls all of the factors that go into influencing how much chicken gets produced and the health of the chickens and the ability of the chickens, Tyson manipulates it and influences how much the growers get paid in a way that is anti-competitive and against the law, claims David Muraskin, a lawyer for the public interest law firm Public Justice, which is one of the firms representing farmer Charles Morris. He discovers that offering his chickens a few inches of walled-off space outside means they are now officially "free-range.". As to how Spurlock's office got this confidential letter, one chicken farmer forwarded the letter to Spurlock's office, claiming to be in dire financial straits, and encouraged Spurlock to buy his farm specifically, and hence, this farmer, Jonathan Buttram, who becomes a big part of the documentary. Holy Chicken raises its own poultry and pays every employee at least $15 an hour. after boat sinks. We should be able to admit we were wrong.". Despite sexual misconduct confession, Morgan Spurlock's - CTVNews 15 years later, Morgan Spurlock is trying his hand at chicken with a new movie called Super Size Me 2 -Holy Chicken. Sign up for notifications from Insider! ", "The biggest thing that was most surprising is how badly farmers get treated," said Spurlock. And we live in a time now when people crave that level of honesty and information..