Oprah and her staff go vegan for a week...

Well I really can't not say anything about this segment on Oprah because it is about a topic that is very important to me. I was so curious to see how "Miss Queen of the Television" was going to handle this topic, especially after she was sued awhile back for talking bad about the meat industry on her show. I had a feeling she was going to broach this subject carefully as to not offend anyone.

I go back and forth with Oprah. Most of the time I am a little disturbed about how much influence she has over her viewers. It brings new meaning to the old saying, "If Oprah jumped off the bridge, would you?" I worry what that answer would be for a lot of people, ha. However, I must admit that I was pretty excited when I heard that her entire staff was going vegan for a week and that she was going to be doing an entire segment on veganism. Yeah I know, I get annoyed when she endorses other things, but then get all excited when she supports something I believe in. Don't judge. Anyways, I had to DVR the episode since I was working and just now had the chance to watch it.


I have mixed feelings about this segment. On one hand, I am always thrilled when the public gets the opportunity to see some reality/facts about factory farming and I love when people gain insight to the benefits of a vegetarian diet (both ethical and health benefits). Anything that makes people realize the positive effects a veggie diet has on their own health, the environment and the treatment of the animals is a step in the right direction and I am encouraged when I see these issues brought in to the limelight. However, I don't think the true reality of factory farming and the treatment of the animals was accurately portrayed here. The one slaughterhouse they went to kept saying how their animals were slaughtered humanely and did not suffer, ever. After all the research/reading I have done on this, I'm not entirely sure I believe this for one second. Even if this one farm does take measures to ensure their animals are slaughtered humanely and do not ever, ever suffer, all that says to me is 1 out of how many? [Oprah did say that of all the slaughterhouses they contacted, only 1 let them visit. Umm hello...I wonder why?!] It bothered me that viewers were getting the wrong info and walked away with the view that, "Oh it's ok, if that slaughterhouse kills the animals humanely, then surely most of the others do too." NOT TRUE. Oh my gosh, that part where Lisa Ling said, "Look at the cow. He is looking you right in the eye." Then the factory worker says, "Yes, he is a curious animal." Yes, he is curious sir. All animals are curious. That's because they all think, and feel, and have a personality, just like you and me. They also failed to mention anything about the growth hormones, chemicals, steroids and other junk they LIKELY use to fatten their animals up...all of which ends up in your own body. I just don't think it was entirely truthful or forthcoming.


All in all I was excited and encouraged that Oprah spotlighted this issue and hopefully brought some awareness and maybe even encouraged some viewers to try a veggie diet. I have said this before and I'll say it again, as much as these issues upset me and make me so beyond angry, I really try to not get so extreme about it because that's the kind of stuff that deters people from even considering a lifestyle change. All I can do is make the decisions in my life that I feel are ethical and try to educate people along the way. Taking that in to account, I am definitely happy that some people may have gained a new perspective. I was just a little disappointed that she seemed to teeter on that double edge sword so as to not offend either side. And I definitely think the whole idea of eating meat was trivialized in the sense that they didn't show the whole dirty truth. If you are going to do a show on how you and your entire staff went vegan for a week then don't worry about offending the meat eaters or industry!


I'm curious what y'all thought?? Didn't see it? Click here to watch some of the episode and read about how the challenge went.