Petition to Boycott Kellogg's for Treatment of Michael Phelps

[Turborama]

Washington Times

"Phelps backlash" - fans defend Phelps after his pot puffing

Yes, he smoked it. But Michael Phelps has not gone to pot just yet.

There's a "Phelps backlash" out there. Fans and sympathizers have issued a cheeky call to boycott Kellogg's, the cereal and snack megamanufacturer that dropped the Olympic swimmer's lucrative endorsement contract after his experience with marijuana became public a week ago.

"Kellogg's has profited for decades on the food tastes of marijuana-using Americans with the munchies. In fact, we believe that most people over the age of 12 would not eat Kellogg's products were they not wicked high," reads a multipart petition written by Lee Stranahan, a Los Angeles writer and filmmaker.

Pop-Tarts, Cheez-Its and other junk-food favorites of marijuana users figure prominently in the drive, along with mentions of the "freaky" lifestyle of John Harvey Kellogg, who founded the company in 1906. Mr. Stranahan's petition was featured Friday at the online Huffington Post and elsewhere.

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/07/fans-defend-phelps-after-his-pot-puffing/">More

To: Kellogg's Corporation

Whereas...

1) Kellogg's is a major manufacturer of cereal and junk food products including but not limited to Frosted Flakes, Pop Tarts, Cheez-Its, Froot Loops, Keebler's Cookies, Rice Krispies, Eggo Frozen Waffles, Famous Amos Cookies and many other products known to be a part of the diet of many marijuana using Americans

2) The Kellogg's has profited for decades on the food tastes of marijuana using Americans with the munchies. In fact, we believe that most people over the age of twelve would not eat Kellogg's products were they not wicked high.

3)That Kellogg's has decided to end their relationship with Olympic Swimmer Michael Phelps after pictures of him surfaced doing exactly what most Kellogg's customers do right before enjoying a bowl of Rice Krispies mixed with Keebler Cookies with an Eggo on top.

4) That this action by Kellogg's, while legal, is totally bogus.

5) That Kellogg's is a big fat hypocrite, just like our parents when they found our stash under our mattress and took it and then later they sat in the living room and listened the Dark Side Of The Moon over and over and danced and laughed and I swear we smelled something.

6) That a quick Wikipedia search shows the founder of Kellogg's - john Harvey Kellogg - was a total frickin' weirdo who believe in putting children's genitals in a cage to keep them from playing with themselves and also believed in yogurt enemas.

7) That seriously, just Google John Harvey Kellogg. Dude was freaky.

8) That the thing about yogurt enemas makes us want to hurl when we look at that box of Kellogg's Yogos we have in the pantry.

9) That Michael Phelps should totally drop YOU dudes for your obsession with bran and fiber and masturbation and butts and stuff. You drop HIM? Dude won eight gold medals and probably didn't stick a single one in his butt or tie it in tourniquet around his naughty bits. Dude was just trying to relax. Seriously Kellogg's, WTF?

Given all these facts and the total disregard for your customer base and that thing with the yogurt, we the undersigned plan to BOYCOTT your products.

And we're serious.

Even though the Pop Tarts thing will be HARD.

Sincerely,


http://www.petitiononline.com/Kellogg/petition.html">The Undersigned

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. I am torn abut this

on the one had he did break the law, and we can argue over all the reasons why this law has to go... doesn't work

But he also broke all kinds of Swimming federation rules

but at the same time this is not like a terrible offense

So no, I will not sign this

that said, pot (and other drugs) should be legalized (and HEAVILY taxed)

[Hoopla Phil]

6. I agree.

The topic of weather pot should or should not be legal is moot. He broke several promises and probably a few laws. He should count himself lucky if this is all the repercussions he faces.

[madokie]

30. The fact remains that sometimes the law is the problem

and this is one of those times. imo

[Historic NY]

2. Aren't they killing off a munchies snack?

[Why Syzygy]

3. Some good comments on the petition..

While you poison children with your sugar (highly addictive drug) filled treats, you take it upon yourselves to pass judgment on someone else's personal habits?!

[hendo]

5. As a sponsor

they are free to do whatever they want.

Notice, Phelps isn't complaining about it. he knows he fscked up.

[Why Syzygy]

12. So, sponsoring someone who is the world champion

swimmer, and having your brand associated with him, gives you the right to dictate personal habits?

Money for control of your life? Is that it? Why should I respect any *athlete* who takes whore money?

[hendo]

15. wtf?

they pay him to be a sponsor for thier product. At the point where they no longer want to pay him they have the right to no longer pay him.

[Tarheel_Dem]

18. I'm sorry, but I'll bet the terms of Phelps' contract will be made public

after all this hoopla, and I'll bet there's a "morals" clause, and I suspect Phelps was in violation of said clause. Michael's just lucky that he wasn't some poor inner city schmuck, without the name recognition, or he'd probably be facing a judge at this point. He may lose a few million, but he'll emerge with his freedom and the ability to make millions in the future.

[ima_sinnic]

22. how could he "face a judge"? you can't prosecute anyone without proof of anything

nobody in the world can prove what was in that pipe or that he was actually "smoking" anything.

The picture shows him with his lips on a plastic tube. That is ALL.

In addition, there are plenty of "photos" of gwbush with a bong or a coke mustache that have been Photoshopped. Real EVIDENCE is needed before someone can "face a judge."

[Tarheel_Dem]

34. You would think so, wouldn't you? It was a party, with plenty of witnesses

to testify as to what was in the bong. Logic isn't your strong suit is it? And yes, I've known poor black kids to face a judge, with a lot less evidence than this. My larger point is that Kellogg's has every right to withdraw it's sponsorship if Phelps was in violation of a "morals" clause in his contract.

[Hepburn]

25. Yes....

...because Phelps chose to work for them and agreed to certain rules.

End of discussion ~~ because it was HIS choice to break those rules. Breaking rules have consequences. I am sure he is bright enough to have known this.

The above being said ~~ fuck drug laws about MJ.

JMHO

[Trajan]

4. I especially like 'Totally Bogus' !

Im sorry, but it is to be expected that Kelloggs and other 'family' oriented sponsors would dump 'pot smokers' and other 'Chemical-users' from their lineups when they misstep like this ....

It has nothing to do with Phelp's freedom to smoke pot, which I absolutely support, but with the known predilection of 'family' sponsors to toss sensational news makers over the gunwales if the news is viewed negatively ...

Phelps had a personal obligation to protect his squeaky clean image if he wanted to maintain his viability as a marketable 'hero' in the advertising world .... He seriously blundered by letting that image be compromised ...

Smoking in an open room full of people is no problem for those who work in malls or restaurants ... But Phelps cannot do that .. for this reason ....

A silly schoolboy mistake, but it will reduce his income ....

We can only hope it might lead to more calls for legalization ..... It is way past time for that ...

[hendo]

7. Phelps isn't trying to fight this

why are you?

He knows he screwed up and is ready and willing to accept the consequences.

[Turborama]

9. I posted it because I thought it was funny. I see the petition as comedy more than anything else...

BTW, I didn't create the petition, I'm just posting it on here from another site...

[1]

8. petitions do not mean shit to kelloggs... you get that, right?

send them 10,000 petitions. so what?

if you want to hurt them, try a boycott. but they don't really work against a corporation the size of kellogg's either. so don't waste your time on that.

i'm just saying. you'd be better off working on overturning the laws against marijuana.

start local... move up from there...

[ThoughtCriminal]

10. No more Sugar Frosted Flake Fried Chicken Batter

I'm drawing the line.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

11. Perhaps Colbert could help Phelps get a contract with Doritos...

and have him on the show to announce it. Wearing ALL of his medals. :P

"Ha!" re the Pop Tarts ... mmm, frosted brown sugar.

[madeline_con]

13. That is so bogus. No one dances to Dark Side of the Moon.

:eyes:

[Turborama]

21. LOL, good point. Unless you can call air guitar solos dancing...?

:hippie:

[ColbertWatcher]

14. Awesome! Totally awesome!

[elocs]

16. Does anyone have a comprehensive list of everything we are supposed to be boycotting?

It's getting to the point where a list of what we were not boycotting would be shorter. Phelps knew what he was doing and he know the potential consequences of what happens in the real world. When he took Kelloggs' money was he honest with them and said he smoked dope? I'm pretty sure not and I'm pretty sure he knew full well he wouldn't get a dime from them if he told them he did. I can't say I feel sorry for him at all because he knew full well what the expectations were of him before he took anyone's endorsement money. What doesn't he get about choices and consequences?

[izquierdista]

17. Replace Kellogg's with White Castle

In addition to Harold and Kumar, maybe White Castle can have Phelps as a celebrity spokesman.

[lamp_shade]

19. Stupid petition. Phelps screwed up. Kellogg's is right.

I love Mike. Until marijuana is legalized (hopefully in my lifetime), you just can't do that.

[silverojo]

20. Screw Phelps.

We gave him the benefit of the doubt when he got busted for driving drunk, and said he'd learned and would never do it again.

Now, he's caught with a bong, and witnesses at the scene claim he was pretty wasted when he arrived. Meaning, he drove under the influence yet again.

He's been given more than enough time to get his act together, and simply refuses to.

So fuck him.

[Thickasabrick]

23. I would think there are a lot more important issues to boycott companies

over than this one.

[peacefreak]

24. Dude

I wish I'd seen this before I bought my Dulche deLeche Pop Tarts yesterday.

[Ghost in the Machine]

26. That's it... no more Pop-Tarts for me when I'm stoned...

...well, okay.. I'll *still* eat some.. but they'll be store brand, not Kelloggs

[Fornax]

33. Stoned

Dude, that's the only time I can eat Pop Tarts, Guess I'll have to switch to Toaster Strudel.. say is that Kellogs too.

[Donnachaidh]

27. the language of the petition alone seems to be a joke

Was someone channeling Tommy Chong - or do they really BELIEVE Kellog's will take this seriously? You DON'T make a good point with this petition, err -- DUDE.

[Turborama]

28. I think it's meant to be taken with a pinch of salt and a sense of humor...

;)

At least, that's the way I took it.

If someone doesn't want to sign it, they don't have to click on the link.

[Tsiyu]

29. I think its hilarious

and it's about time we started revealing the secrets of our "Captains of Industry." The thing about the yogos is hilarious given the founding kellogg's proclivities.

"OOhhh Phelps can't be human! He has to be perfect or my little AMerican puritanical panties are going to get in a wad. OoooooH!!!! Better go crack open a PBR to calm myself! Better call my doc and order some more xanax!!! Bad, bad Michael!!!"

I can't afford Kellogg's shit food and won't be buying it when I can.

[Donnachaidh]

31. so basically what you're saying is this was written to crack people up

And you really don't give a shit about Phelps losing his sponsorship. I'm sure Phelps really appreciates the *help* Dude. :shrug:

[Turborama]

32. I don't know, I didn't write it (see post #9)

Have I said anything about how I feel about him losing his sponsorship? I was talking about the petition itself, earlier.

If you do want to know my opinion, I think he's becoming a bit of a folk hero and he'll be fine in the long term.