Oprah Buys Everyone Free KFC, Chickens Everywhere Cry Fowl

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by Michael dEstries May 5, 2009
Categories: Animals, Film/TV
Tags: .

kfc, oprah

Remember that special Oprah had last year addressing the “dark side” of chicken factory farming? The same one that helped earn her PETA’s 2008 “Person of the Year” Award? Yea, well, we don’t see a repeat performance anytime soon.

On Oprah today, the host announced that she was hooking up with Kentucky Fried Chicken to give away a free two-piece Kentucky Grilled Chicken meal to every family in America. Obviously, this is going to come as a shock to PETA — who is in the middle of a renewed campaign urging KFC to change the way its suppliers treat their chickens. Famous folks like Pamela Anderson, Sir Paul McCartney, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, The Rev. Al Sharpton, and countless others have signed on to boycott KFC.

Some will argue that this is a free meal — and in a time of economic hell, any food is good food. It just bothers me that with everything Oprah has done to bring attention to the plight of chickens and animals in factory farms, that she would approach a chain like KFC to give people a free meal. Why not give something relatively healthy like a free salad instead? Spout off below.


Categories: Animals, Film/TV
Tags: .

About Michael dEstries

Michael has been blogging since 2005 on issues such as sustainability, renewable energy, philanthropy, and healthy living. He regularly contributes to a slew of publications, as well as consulting with companies looking to make an impact using the web and social media. He lives in Ithaca, NY with his family on an apple farm.

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  • Julie

    There are also studies to suggest that FIT THIN people happen to be RICH people and FAT or OBESE people tend to be poor. Did you check the price of vegetables and fruit in your local supermarket lately?

    Education is nice, empowerment is better. I agree about KFC, it is horrific but the people I think Oprah is trying to reach with this offer couldn’t care less about chickens, vegetables or whatever. The fact is there are many poor people in USA right NOW who are having a hard job putting enough food of any kind in their kids bellies.

    Clear enough for y’all??

  • Jordan McLaren

    My god, Oprah is meretricious!? Who would have known!?

    Please…

  • leslie

    This disgusts me. Oprah will do anything for publicity! i can not stand her!! And it’s absolutely right that KFC is not healthy (not to mention inhumane to their chickens!)
    It’s true (what has been said so far)- “one KFC meal is not going to do anything.” May i also add that people who are lower on the SES scale typically can not eat healthy meals because it costs more- so why the heck wouldn’t she buy a healthy meal for the ‘people in trouble’ who would benefit from a free meal!?!?! Someone mentioned subway! That’s an excellent idea.

    In conclusion this is ridiculously hypocritical of her, but what else is new- she’s trying to look like mother fucking theresa, and getting her fat face in the public eye AS MUCH AS SHE POSSIBLY CAN! Isn’t it enough she has a show, a magazine, book clubs, etc. etc. She has to start doing ridiculous charity work by buying junk food for people?!
    Here’s a tip to Oprah: MAYBE you could start donating to a soup kitchen or homeless shelter……

  • AWESOME

    This is awesome… FREE FOOD :)

  • http://www.ecorazzi.com Michael Andre d’Estries

    @Jordan: You win for “Word of the Day”.

  • jamie lynn

    i’ve never been a fan of oprah. just the way she has managed to zombify a nation of women has frightened me away from her. i understand she does do a lot of philanthropic things for african children and such, but i rightly fear that her endorsement of KFC will lead her followers to believe that is a sound dietary decision, which, vegetarian or not, i think we can all agree is NOT the case.

  • Wildo

    See, this is a good idea, but why on earth would you use that much money to buy fast food? Imagine if they used that money to buy millions of bags of Ramen Noodles.

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  • Joey

    This is just sad. Of all the food chains Oprah could have worked with, she chose KFC? Sure a free meal is nice, but how about providing American families with a free bag of groceries from Whole Foods instead? Even working with Subway would have been a healthier choice. KFC is one of the worst fast food chains around. Free veggie burgers from Burger King would have been another option even. Ugh, she’s a hypocrite.

  • Brian

    WAAAAA! WAAAAA! WAAAAAA! WAAAA! WAAAAAA! WAAAAA! WAAA! WAAA!

  • Robert

    Man, I just went through some of these comments and it’s really ridiculous what some have to say. Personally, my opinion of Oprah is not up to par, I do not like her. But, for goodness sakes, the lady is giving everyone, who takes, a free KFC dinner. How can you be so negative about that? And she should give away free salad instead??? Cmon people, for the people that really would appreciate this do you honestly think they are worried about their free food being a salad? Regardless of how much I dislike the woman, I give her great props for this and everything else she’s done for the needy. People with that kind of money don’t always believe in helping the less fortunate.

  • GW

    She is just another celeb w/the brain-power of a AAA battery. Eat chicken and look like fat fuck Oprah – LOL!

  • Shelly

    I’m so disappointed! Oprah has struggled for so long with her weight because of her (admitted) weakness to fatty foods – now she goes and promotes one of the unhealthiest fast food chains in existence (not to mention cruel)? This is really not cool…
    Steve – You must be new. Why don’t you take a look at who fronts the website you posted? http://sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Center_for_Consumer_Freedom Contributions from: Tyson Foods, Perdue Farms, National Steak and Poultry, just to name a few….

  • Mike Hunter

    MMM I love chicken. And if it’s cheaper to torture them before killing them; enabling KFC and oprah to give me free chicken meals then more power to them! The more brutal the torture the better!

  • NZvego

    It would seem humans are actually supposed to be herbivores…

  • mitchell

    a couple of things i’d like to share:

    i’m sure oprah isnt paying full price to kfc for these meals.
    i’m sure she picked kfc because they are EVERYWHERE and although not the most nutritious, they are not the least either. all you retards keep saying why doesnt she do it through whole foods or chipotle? are you serious? i’ve never even seen either. on the other hand i drive by probably 4 kfcs on the way to class.
    when is peta going to start caring about the ethical treatment of mosquitoes, horseflies, cockroaches, and spiders? last time i checked they were animals too… or do we only pick and choose the animals whose lives we should respect? but then, who has the right to decide what animals? oh yeah peta has been holier than god to some for the last three decades.
    america is the country people came to so they could escape being forced to do things they didnt want to do. i thought just about anything was ok as long as it didnt infringe on another person’s rights.
    get your own life and quit worrying so much about how other people live theirs

    the i think maybe i’m gonna print my coupons out and get fat with oprah now.

  • Ashley

    This is the first Ashley(hi, second Ashley!) Erin, I agree with you that being overweight is generally unhealthy, and that it needs to be addressed, but calling people fat asses is just so disrespectful. You have no idea why they might be fat, and insults are not a motivator, particularly not for emotional overeaters. I’m an overweight vegan, and if someone spoke to me the way you’re speaking about people, I would be devestated, and it would make my weight worse, not better.

  • http://www.jmpelley.org John Pelley

    I bet the beef producers are angry. Maybe they will take Oprah to court again

  • jay

    oh i duno, maybe because she wants to feed people, and most people dont eat salads. sorry health nuts, i eat salad, but most people, sorry to say, dont.

  • Tubz

    Oprah sucks.

  • Ashley From Mass

    Hey first Ashley! I’m going to alter my name :D
    Oh man, I can relate. Not to long ago I was a mess with a personal issues and gained 5 pounds just from eating too much cereal. Some people on the otherhand have so much pressure so it’s an everyday battle.
    It’s something people couldn’t understand unless they go through it.

  • truecharlatan

    I didn’t bother to read the other comments; all I have to say is, an omnivore’s gotta eat

  • rockt

    some of you people need to get a life. Do you think your grandmother cared when she cut the head off a chicken and let it run around the yard? Sorry, the bottom line is, it fed your sorry ass family! As for the free chicken, it is grilled and seems very healthy! I haven’t tried it yet but heard it is very good. i would hate to be a vegitarian, how many times have people gotten sick because some animal pissed on there lettuce in the field?

    rockt

  • Robin

    Oprah had done plenty of good, but this is ridiculous. First of all she isn’t buying the free chicken, she is simply endorsing it. She always insinuates she is paying for these “gifts”. She is a hypocrite. That aside, she should have read the ingredients in every KFC item, fried , grilled or otherwise. Huge amounts of chemicals, sodium and MSG. Even the grilled chicken has MSG. KFC promotes no MSG, when in fact it is innerly everything right down to the baked beans. MSG causes neurological disorders.
    KFC is horrible food and a part of the SAD (Standard America Diet) that is responsible for all of the very fat Americans

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPlxcj8o9dg calico

    “it is grilled and seems very healthy! I haven’t tried it yet but heard it is very good.”

    It is a MSG and hydrongenated-fat meal. The focal point are pieces of typical KFC chicken. KFC is probably one of the most criticized for the poor quality meat, the factory farming, etc. A sick animal can’t give you healthy meat.

    Here is one good video I found that explains more about the “seasonings” KFC is using in this supposedly healthy meal:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPlxcj8o9dg

  • http://yahoo.com Diana

    Oprah stood behind President Obama…enough said

  • http://RawfoodsRetreat.com erin Rawfoods Retreat

    Ashley and Ashley,

    First and foremost I’m glad you two were able to meet through these posts. Ashley 1 or 2 (from Mass) my apologies – I will not use the fat word in this thread again. I also struggled with weight at one time in my life but didn’t listen until someone said look, get off your &$@ ass (and really it was probably 15 lbs, but I think had I not gotten off my @#( ass that I might have slowly gotten bigger. Who knows. Granted the boot camp mentality doesn’t work for all. I sure wish I knew something that did to help the overweight people I work with. Glad to hear you’re vegan too. Very cool.

    E :)

  • Kiss

    In my opinion, though I completely disagree with KFC’s treatment of animals, a chicken meal will be slightly more filling to a needy family than a salad. Plus, the grilled chicken is pretty healthy in comparison to most fast food faire. Any idea how many calories are in some salads? Yeah… might want to check your facts first.

    If Oprah is giving a free meal to every family, why not accept it, rather than criticize?

    A lot of you who are complaining should try to see this from the perspective of a family who may actually SHARE this meal. Ingrates.

  • Sherri

    Whether or not you like Oprah, whether or not you’ll eat the damn chicken,…..whatever. At least she is someone who is able to give, and is doing so.
    So Oprah, even though i don’t watch your show (i prefer Ellen, she’s funny), and even though i really don’t care for chicken, and i won’t be taking advantage of the coupon, on behalf of all americans who will, I thank you:)

  • NZvego

    I don’t even know where to begin with rockts comment…
    First of all, we are not our grandmothers. You’re grandmother must of been slightly sadistic if she got her kicks from watching a helpless chicken run around with its head cut off. Second of all, this is not about the eating of chicken, it’s about how they are treated when they are alive. Last of all, anyone with half a brain washes their veges before eating them. You can not compare something like ‘pissing on veges’ with the amount of zoonotic disease humans obtain through the consumption of meat. Ever heard of BSE(mad cow disease)? Not to mention the complications of poor hygiene and storage of meat.

  • http://www.theecosista.com www.theecosista.com

    I don’t like it. I don’t like it one bit. I mean I get it. It’s “grilled” not “fried”. There’s a recession-a meal is a meal and Oprah wants to encourage people to eat healthier and blah, blah, blah. But couldn’t she have endorsed the veggie burger from Burger King?

  • NZvego

    Yum! Burgerking veggie burgers are so good. Do they advertise them in the US? Ours are just a salad burger with onion rings and it’s not even on the menu… Do you have an actual veggie burger?

  • Jeff Braun

    Vegan’s are sick people. Bring on the waterboarding for chickens.

  • Cherie

    NZvego in England BK do a spicy bean burger and it is delicious. Ask the manager of your local BK to to start stocking it. They may surprise you and say yes, ask them to trial it and if they see there is a demand for it, they may add it to the menu permanently. Keeping my fingers crossed for you

  • Macy

    I think that if you don’t want the chicken that Oprah is offering don’t get it. Passing out a coupon to the homeless is genius. I thank Oprah for what she did. If you would have researched the meal is not unhealthy it is a coupon for free baked chicken… 2 sides… both could have been coleslaw for health buffs. Oprah is not a b*tch… if she is to you she is… Ms. Rich A** B*tch.

  • Whoever…

    It’s extremely ‘dangerous’ to deify a person. Not everyone who seems to be a ‘saint’ is one! Nor every good deed is in fact a selfless act – sometimes these kinds of actions benefit much more those who do it than those they are targeting…
    KFC is going to profit so much more from this than you could ever possibly imagine! And not one single American family will be better off after this!

    Although I don’t know Oprah’s life, and therefore am not going to criticise her, I know that she had (and still has) problems with her weight. From what I gather she is a very strong and resilient person – consequently if she really wanted to address her overweight issue she would have already adopted a vegetarian/vegan diet.

    Veg*ans who have a varied diet aren’t, generally speaking, overweight. If that happens it’s either because their diet is not being well carried out or because they have health problems…

    Having addressed that, I just want to say that the problem here is that this publicity stunt isn’t going to solve the financial problem of any American whatsoever! If they really wanted to help needed families, they would select those who were in serious trouble and help them solve their problems.

    Instead they are giving free meals indiscriminately! How can that help anyone at all?

    Not everything that shines is gold people!!

    And as always, animals are the ones who are going to get screwed by this…

    Unfortunately (from what I read in many of the comments above) people are so zombified that they are easily manipulated and controlled – thus accepting everything they are presented without even questioning it!!!

  • Kelsey

    This is disgusting. KFC “food” will put people one step closer to needing a hospital visit and will cause the torture and deaths of thousands of chickens by one of the most unethical fast-food chains in existence. I expected more of Oprah.

  • Ashley From Mass

    NZvego, they have veggies burgers in the BK’s in America but they don’t advertise it on tv.
    People who are allergic to milk and eggs or are vegan should avoid it. But besides that it’s good and provided by Morning Star.
    I hear KFC in Canada has faux chick’n snackers. Lucky Canucks.

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  • silly

    Diana “Oprah stood behind President Obama…enough said”

    What are you upset that she is financially able to do this? Why does it matter what she does as long as she is not hurting anyone. Please grow up!! For everyone that ever killed an animal what makes you better???

  • Victoria

    WHy can’t everyone just stop trying to get all worked up about something she DIDN’T do? Obviously she could done something else of her genoristy specificaly for you? Wow. Be appreciative and thankful that she’s even giving food in a time like this. Wow, I can’t belive you guys could be such selfish, self centered pathetic little snobs. -.-

  • http://cs Cynthia

    You people are a trip.Who elses wilt all the money opry has is trying to give you anything? Either take the free chicken or go buy your own salad or vegiburger or what ever !!

  • Charles

    Oprah in the past boycotted chicken…
    Since this coupon at KFC is worthless, I say it is time for America to boycott Oprah and let her start paying her way.

  • Bill

    This is nothing more than her masonic ties to another masonic owed biz with a bait and switch tactic , I read that she was going into biz with them , not sure but I do know that offering something free and when you get there , saying oh we dont have it here buy this , any sale above 0 is income for KFC.
    I was there today , didnt know anything about this oprah chicken deal , they were giving rain checks for a chicken leg breast and wing , also some dumb ass manager said they would UPS it to you if you wanted it sooner .I lololololo , this world is finished LOLOLOLO

  • NZvego

    Lol @ victoria.
    Oh please please tell me how caring about the welfare of chickens makes us “selfish, self centered pathetic little snobs”.

  • SOLWAKER

    WAIT!!!
    HOLD ON EVERYONE!
    DID ANYONE EVER GUESS THAT OPRAH IS NOT ACTUALLY PAYING FOR ALL THIS FREE CHICKEN! IT IS COMING OUT OF THE POCKET OF THE FRANCHISE OWNERS EVERY TIME THEY HONOR ONE OF HER COUPONS. MANY OF THESE ARE FAMILY OPERATIONS OR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. ITS NOT ALL CORPORATE! OPRAH NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND REIMBURSE THE FRANCHISES WHOM SHE IS SEVERELY HURTING WITH THIS STUNT…

  • Heidi

    Erin Raw foods retreat says on May 6th, 2009 at 12:31 am

    Oprah looks like an oversized fat Chicken. I have lost all respect for her. These people don’t need an unhealthy meal and guess what? One meal isn’t going to save their fat asses (only going to hurt it)

    A slim person can be a horrible person, a fat person can be a wonderful person. People who make insults that write off a person based on their size can be mistaken for shallow or childish people.

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  • David E. Brown

    It is a sad day for Oprah, she shows her real colors and will do anything to make a buck, it seems. Doesn’t she have enough money. The rest of us are unemployed and hungry. Only the rich are eating these days. Those who exploit, eat. Obviously she has a serious health problem, eating meat will only make her even more sick. When will she learn. I thought she was a teacher of Eckhart Tolle, a peta advocate and compassionate soul. Disappointing. I have lost all faith in her. It is a sad day for Peta and the environmental movement. Planet earth in peril. When we all come to our senses, eating from the burial grounds of the dead. Unsanitary, unconscious, mean spirited, two faced way of being. What happened to the human spirit?

  • JACKIE

    I can’t believe that Oprah gave away these free coupons. I submitted my own email on her site expressing my disappointment (as if she will read it.)

    If only someone would publicize her hypocrisy instead of reward her like she is doing everyone a damn favor by feeding them poisoned and brutally tortured chicken, but oh wait, we ARE in an economic crisis so ‘a free meal is a free meal.’

    All hail Oprah Winfrey, you hypocritical bitch. While KFC pumps out MORE AND MORE CHICKEN, supplying the demand to all of the broke ignorant assholes out there who eat meat from helpless animals who were tortured just to feed you a free meal, more and more chickens are being brutally tortured to pay the price, and more and more chickens are RAISED SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF BEING KILLED.

    That’s right everyone. Live in your little bubble. “Ignorance is bliss.” It must be nice to be the kind of person who is not bothered by the fact that the majority of our human population is so arrogant that we don’t care how many living, breathing creatures we kill just for our own satisfaction.

    Give me a break. I am so tired of KFC being in business and getting away with their unethical practices. It makes me sick. Wake up people. There are other options. I have been a vegetarian for 9 years. STILL ALIVE.

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