Oliver!

Possibly Feeling Left Out, Jamie Oliver Launches a Stop Pink Slime Website

“But I was here first!” Photo: Lord Jim via Flickr

Over the past few weeks, we’ve cheered on while watching McDonald’s, Taco Bell, the nation’s school system, and today, grocery giant Safeway, all reject the disgusting and prominent meat filler made from unwanted scraps called “pink slime.” This is dynamite news for anyone who has been afraid to eat a burger since their first glimpse of Food Inc. Still, there’s one person who might be feeling a little bit left out of the victory lap here: Jamie Oliver. Yesterday, the celeb chef, most famous for his televised march on U.S. obesity, launched a new website called Stoppinkslime.org that seeks to be the central headquarters for all citizens opposed to the product, even if does sort of feel like the second wave of slime scorn is now drawing to a close.

Oliver launched the site on Tuesday, along with a press release that attempts to put America back in its proper place, reminding us all that it is Jamie who is supposed to be leading this whole food revolution. Hammering the point home, the announcement begins: “As you probably know, Jamie Oliver was one of the first people to talk about pink slime when he did a demonstration of its production … ” Yep, he’s totally trying to remind us that he was here first.

The website itself is simple and to the point. Oliver provides video of Diane Sawyer’s exposé on the product’s dominance at our supermarkets, and also links to the USDA’s Twitter feed so opponents can voice their disgust directly. Oliver also turns attentions to a Change.org petition gathering 300,000 signatures to tell the USDA to stop using pink slime in school food.

Oliver’s determination and celebrity could only help to aid this important battle against gross, potentially harmful Frankenmeat. Still, with more than 244,000 signatures already on the petition, following the recent announcement that schools have the right to reject the slime if they choose, Oliver might need to pick up the pace a little if he’s to jump back on this particular pink-slime-at-schools bandwagon.

Possibly Feeling Left Out, Jamie Oliver Launches a Stop Pink Slime Website