WATCH: Jonathan Safran Foer On Colbert

18
by Michael dEstries February 9, 2010
Categories: Animals, Film/TV, Print
Tags: , .

colbert_vegetarian

“Eating Animals” author Jonathan Safran Foer braved The Colbert Report last night and enlightened Stephen on the issues surrounding factory farming. As expected, Colbert put up a good fight — and even started eating a plate of bacon near the end of the interview. “Oh, you can really taste the suffering,” he cracked. Check out the video below:

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.

View all posts by Michael dEstries →
  • m4rk0

    So what was the take away from that? “Don’t cut out meat but here’s a list of reasons why it’s terrible for you.”

  • missa

    the take away is foer’s broad reach; his book is accessible to both vegans and meat eaters. once you can educate someone about eating LESS meat, it is easier for them to take in more information and begin living a conscious lifestyle. not everyone can go veg overnight.

    • http://vegan--japan.blogspot.com/ herwin

      absolutely right ! i am veggie for about 15 years now and vegan for ten, read many books through the years but still this book impressed the hell out of me. He did a great job writing this book, exposing the cruelties and advocating a meatfree lyfestyle.

  • http://ifamarketing.com/our-services/ IFA Marketing services

    Hey Slick, the problem is that any word phrase that ends up getting used for the developmentally disabled among us is going to turn into an insult. It dosen’t matter how many times you change it, it’s going to happen again and again until people no longer feel the need to belittle each other, and good luck with that. If you doubt it look at the word “special”, it became an insult faster than anything else I’ve ever seen.

  • http://vegansanctuary.blogspot.com/ Philip

    That was one of the worst interviews I’ve ever seen on Colbert. Colbert made him into a man without a point. This guy wrote an entire book on the horrors of what happens to animals when they are turned into food and clothing and he still is not vegan. he doesn’t even advocate veganism.
    JSF was a spineless veggie apologist. I’m sorry if this sounds cruel but he is a nerdy and extremely inarticulate speaker. Ok, so he may write beautiful words…he’s a talented artist… but he can’t back up his poetic lines with anything substantial he may be attempting to say to a world of meat eaters.
    Seriously, if anyone believes this guy is creating vegans by making claims that we should eat less meat and that he would eat a hot dog from his grandmothers day but not eat one made today…are as delusional as someone who thinks Jesus is talking to them when the wind blows.
    JSF is a disaster for animals, the cause of living vegan and for both advocates.

    • Edward

      I agree. He’s a disgrace, as is Colbert.

    • Donegal Vegan

      Completely agree!!!

    • Dana

      I don’t eat meat, yet I am disturbed by the exclusivity of the vegan and vegetarian movements. I do believe that the welfare of animals can be improved if people will just eat less/organic meat. It is a pipe dream to believe that the world can be convinced NOW to completely eliminate meat, so why not be encouraging toward people who are giving less/organic meat a try? This book is probably aimed directly at me, but I won’t be reading it after watching this interview because the guy cannot be for real if he didn’t stand up against the bacon joke. That made me so mad!!!!

  • Dana

    JSF probably didn’t know the whole interview was building toward the dreaded bacon joke. Anyone who doesn’t eat meat has heard that joke ad nauseam. It’s just not funny, yet JSF laughed and allowed Colbert to mock him during the entire interview. I don’t get it. If he doesn’t even stand up for the words he wrote, how credible are they?

    • Edward

      He is a fraud and a coward. Also, I can’t believe people watch this show. What a bunch of moronic tools that surround us.

  • georgina0912

    Gosh, that wasn’t even funny. Colbert did not even allow Safran-Foer to finish his sentences and mocked him the entire interview. Looked promising but i think people who left after the taping of Colbert’s show left with bacon in their minds and probably stopped by a supermarket on their way home to buy some and eat it. Terrible.

  • Chastity

    For those who set up low standards (“we can’t scare people away”, “it needs to be accessible”, “don’t say ‘vegan’!”, “we need to take baby steps”, etc etc etc) don’t get it. For those of you who say such are clearly not thinking of the nonhuman victims as the individuals they are and once were. You’re thinking of them as the end product.

    Philip, you said it well. JSF is not a voice who nonhuman animals need. Colbert is a fool who thinks highly of his (lack of) comedic talent. Enough with the excuses, everyone. Nonhuman animals don’t need the wishy washy to speak for them.

    • Edward

      Thank you. I couldn’t agree more.

  • Bob

    I usually enjoy Colbert, but that was offensive. He completely undermined Foer’s purpose for being there, and he made himself look ridiculous while doing it.

  • DonegalVeg

    To Phillip & Chastity, I completely agree. I also found the book to be a complete disappointed. I doubt anyone would go vegetarian or vegan after reading it…they would simply buy into happy meat, which is a joke and completely disregards the lives of non-humans as individuals. Welfarists help no one, not even the animals. They only take the movement 5 steps back.

  • Diane

    I think he handled the interview greatly. Colbert was hoping for a PETA reaction a OMG OMG OMG that would make SF look crazy and obsessive, which would make everyone who is a vegetarian or a vegan look insane as well. It’s better to keep your cool, you seem more sane and people are more likely to listen to your opinions.

    Sure it would have been great for SF to have been able to talk more about his opinions and what he actually wrote, but really… do you REALLY think Colbert gives a crap? and chances are if he doesn’t he probably doesn’t think a majority of his fans do, and he’s probably right. If anything he was hoping for a blow up which would show up on news sites and what not and be a good laugh for him and anyone who isn’t a vegetarian/vegan.

    • Dana

      Assuming OMG-crazy-obsessive blow up is the only option for a reaction. How about an intelligent, thoughtful response? Keeping your cool is not keeping silent, let’s hope.

  • http://www.deborahblood.com Debi Blood

    Meat-eaters in America tend to view vegans and vegetarians as a bunch of cranks and kooks. Although he seemed to put up a rather punchless defense for the animals, at least JSF didn’t say or do anything to perpetuate that myth.

    Once exposed to the horror of the factory farming industry, laughing off the suffering of millions of sentient beings is the only way most meat eaters can deal with their choice to consume slabs of dead animal.

« PREVIOUS POST
NEXT POST »