Episode 44: Ryan Seacrest and Jamie Oliver Join Forces
Oprah says that Ryan loves what he does so much that there is not an idle minute in his day, take a look while the cameras try and keep up with him for a few hours. He starts his day hosting, booking and producing his super-popular syndicated radio show. He feels that he was born to be on the air, he likes the circus of being in the center of a whirlwind of activity. Job 2, from the same chair, is hosting AmericanTop 40 with a 2 1/2 minute break to switch jobs. Job 3, one floor up, is as host and executive producer of E News. He has a stash of green apples and raw almonds for snacking. They fill every day, every minute. Job 4, he runs a multimillion production company, Ryan Seacrest Productions, making programs such as Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Jobs 5 and 6 are finding and scouting talent and creating more original shows. Job 7 is hosting the biggest show on TV, American Idol.
The busiest man in Hollywood says that he thrives on being this busy. At first it was challenging, but now he is in a zen rhythm. Until Twitter he had a handle on the rest of his life. He follows Oprah on Twitter. They talk about other people’s mundane Tweet updates. In life, he says that he was always willing to come in early, leave late and work the hardest. He wasn’t the tallest or strongest or smartest. He felt that he could control his time and efficiency, he conditioned himself to have a strong work ethic. His mother Connie, who is in the audience worried that he didn’t get enough sleep. Their house ethos was work hard- Ryan didn’t want to be an attorney like his dad who worked too many hours. They always sat down for dinner to talk about their lives, so they have a great honest relationship which helped him to do what he wanted to do.
American Idol has changed the landscape of television. In Hollywood, people said music would not work on TV, and now it’s everywhere. Oprah asks who is his favorite contestant, and he says that they are like puppies, you can’t choose your favorite. But he greatly enjoyed the success of Carrie Underwood, the crowd go wild, she had never been on an airplane, and now look at the success. His new reality show with Jamie Oliver debuts soon. This is a very exciting movement for them, he sees the things people get excited for with his radio show when the phones light up. They were talking about what Jamie did for school dinners in the UK and moms get really passionate about it, asking questions- why pizza for breakfast? Where are the healthy options? He met with Jamie and knew that this project would be a phenomenal success.
They show a photo of Ryan when he was 11, and he makes the crowd laugh by referring to his athletic physique. His mom packed his lunch and he’d trade it out for more fattening options. He says that he will let someone go on his staff for releasing the photo. He was very aware of his physique and he didn’t like spring because he didn’t want to take off his t-shirt to swim in the pool. When you have that feeling as a kid it stays with you, which is why to this day he schedules working out like a meeting. Really, says Oprah. Yes he sometimes runs before Idol. Oprah says that he always seems in a good mood with balance in his life, where does that come from? He gets up and does what he wanted to do for his whole life everyday. He works on TV in Hollywood and worked for one of his idols. He learned to use his personality as leverage, to be smart not just famous. A wonderful asset, says Oprah. Recently Lisa Ling went to visit some wonderful nuns and one who was here said something that stuck with Oprah- you have to believe in something greater than yourself otherwise you can’t do anything greater than yourself. Oprah asks Ryan what he believes in- karma, what you put out you get back, maybe not today or tomorrow but it comes. Its for real, says Oprah. Ryan will stick around and chef Jamie Oliver will be here.
Ryan Seacrest has used his leverage to produce Food Revolution for ABC. Superstar chef Jamie Oliver started a one-man crusade in England to change the food in elementary schools. After 4 relentless years on the frontline he had success when the British Government spent I billion dollars bringing fresher healthier foods, like fruit and vegetables, to schools. Now Jamie has sets his sights on our shores, bringing Food Revolution the new ABC reality show. The US Center for Disease Control lists Huntington West Virginia as one of the most obese cities in America. That is where Jamie spent 3 months trying to change the way we eat. He’s here to show America that a little effort can make an enormous difference. He is appalled that the kids get pizza for breakfast, chicken nuggets for lunch and that fries count as a vegetable. The school chefs were very resentful of him coming in to change their system which they think works fine.
He is here to start a food revolution. Come on out Jamie. Oprah asks him why there is so much resistance to eating healthier? He says that we are creatures of habit and we don’t want to change unless we have to. He has found himself upsetting alot of people for the last 7 years but he is honest and knows that what he is doing is right. He almost caused a riot by removing the french fries from the school. Oprah says that the statistics are alarming- that this is the first generation of kids that are not expected to live as long as their parents because of childhood obesity. Jamie thinks it is beautiful that after 4 generations of adults making the wrong decisions, it is time to make the right ones. He doesn’t think that he is Superman, but he has hindsight on his side. Four hours of TV back home got a billion dollars from the government, rubbish taken out of the vending machines, fresher local produce and that they are on the beginning of transition of change. Michelle Obama is supported entirely by Jamie, and he hope that in the 6 hours of TV that he has, he will incite change for people to support him to support the First Lady in her job. He says that parents giving junk food to their kids consistently is child abuse. Oprah was shocked that the kids were eating pizza for breakfast. Jamie thinks that it is hard for mums to go out and work and worry about their kids. The nutrition given to kids, for two meals a day, 180 days a year needs to be safe, and he wants parents to get as angry as he is about the matter.
Jamie Oliver spent three months with an uphill battle trying to change the landscape of eating in Huntingdon West Virginia. The local DJ wanted to run him out of town, because they didn’t want to be changed. Jamie thought that there were only miserable bastards like that in the UK. He needed to get the DJ to support what they are doing. Jamie took him on a journey for a day. This is about real people and families, health, life and death he says. They go to a funeral home where they look at an extremely large jumbo casket and talk about the reality of disposing of an obese body. The normal size casket looks diminutive in comparison. The large casket has to be transported in a cargo van, burying is an issue and cremation is ruled out because the body consumes itself, like a giant candle. It is hard to have dignity in this situation, they all agree.
Oprah says that they did some research and discovered that the jumbo caskets are a booming business now in America, the audience didn’t know that. Sales have tripled in the last ten years, They bring one in to the studio. Jamie says that they are made bespoke, they are steel reinforced. Most church doors aren’t big enough, so the coffin has to be tipped on its side to get through the door. They have to be lifted out on a forklift truck – all dignity is gone. Jamie says that he knows that he is a foreigner in this country, but that he is human and can we just say that enough is enough? The audience applaud.
DJ Rod Willis joins the studio by satellite, he found the jumbo casket had a huge impact on him, that was the turning point. When Jamie came to town they were all skeptical but as they learned to trust him things turned around and that was a turning point. The CDC report came out and they were taking steps on their own, they thought that Jamie was trying to exploit them for a few bucks. Oprah says that she has known Jamie for a few years and that he has always been very sincere in his attempts to orchestrate change. The DJ says that Jamie changed him, he went and got a crock pot for the very first time. Rod says that all it takes is putting in some healthy real ingredients- like mashed potatoes- Oprah says that people have forgotten where real foods came from by using packet mixes. Jamie says that we need to re-own our kitchens and change this before it’s too late. The fact that he is on this show and that Oprah did a show on Food Inc and that he is working with Ryan Seacrest means that the time to change is now.
Do you know what your family eats in a week? Jamie showed Stacey, a wife and mother of four and she was horrified. He had all the food that they ate in a week put together in one place. This stuff is going to kill their children early, 10-14 years off their life. Stacy cries and says she feels sad and depressed, this will not help her kids succeed. Seeing the food scares her that she is setting her kids up for failure. She wants them to learn from her. He tells her that she is a good mother and that they will change from this day on. Oprah asks how they are doing. Justin, the 12 year old has lost 20-30 lbs but Jamie says that this is about health, it is not a dieting show. This is not just about obesity, this is about what goes in us. He buried the deep fryer and they did an emotional prayer. Oprah thought it was interesting that all the food was golden brown. All of Stacy’s pizza’s cost 50c each- Jamie says that the whole system needs to change. The buy one get one free culture of supermarkets needs to move from processed foods to fresh local produce. Oprah says that Michelle Obama has just launched her Let’s Move campaign to inspire parents and kids to eat well and be active. Go to www.letsmove.gov for more information.
Jamie is cooking chicken nuggets with Oprah from 6 fresh, not out of a box, ingredients. Lemon, garlic, parsley and breadcrumbs are mixed together in a food processor. Oprah attends to the egg while Jamie slices the chicken. He says that this is about knowing and owning the food that your babies are eating. They put the chicken in flour, then toss it in the seasoning. Jamie got the ingredients for $3.75 and knows the ingredients. The processed ones cost about $5 and have 22 other ingredients. He will make a whole meal for $10 and will take less times than reheating nuggets. He is going to pimp the greens, olive oil, salt pepper and acid- vinegar or lemon or clementines. Use your hands. Taste your food. It is wonderful, nutritious, colorful. Mashed potatoes- 12 minutes, unpeeled, the nutrition is in the skin- go rugged, get used to it , it’s lovely. You can still use a little butter, but olive oil is better for you. Oprah likes truffle oil- Jamie says that can make you feel posh and it’s affordable. Oprah tries the mashed potatoes and likes them, says the greens are fabulous also. It cooks in half the time and costs less than buying processed food. Oprah and Ryan try the chicken which is lovely. Oprah thanks Jamie and Ryan, Food Revolution debuts on March 26th and the recipes from this show are on Oprah.com. While you are there take the No Phone Zone Pledge like the audience members. A life is more important than a phone call. Thanks everyone.
WHAT WE LEARNED TODAY:
Ryan Seacrest is the busiest man in Hollywood.
He has 7 different jobs and gets paid $45 million over 3 years for one of them- hosting American Idol.
Simon Cowell is a sweetheart.
Jamie Oliver and Ryan Seacrest are joining forces to create an American Food Revolution.
The sight of jumbo caskets for burying the morbidly obese motivated some Huntingdon, West Virginia, locals to eat healthier.
A VERY QUICK SUMMARY:
Own what food you put in your body. Use real food and taste your food. It is wonderful, nutritious and colorful.