Six weeks ago I tried to enter a comment on fitness/health/beauty PR guy Pierce Mattie's blog. The comments function froze me out, telling me my comments were "disallowed for objectionable comment." His blog still gives you that message for any comment posted, which doesn't allow for much of a conversation.
I wrote about the experience, giving Pierce crap for attacking Tobey Maguire over his weight, but not being willing to receive critical comments on his blog (it turned out the posting was by someone else in his office, so I looked like a dork).
Well, Pierce finally dropped by my crib and we're having an online chat.
His comment, left tonight:
Hi Eric, I was just up late surfing the net and found this blog post. Sure I am involved in my blog, I am just not the only writer on it. I read all of the posts on this page. You seem very defensive about fitness in general. Nothing is good when it is at an obsessive level. And that includes writing on your blog! Were you tortured in gym class as a child? Is the Canadian bacon getting the best of you? Are your pants just a little too tight? Is your wife looking at other men for attention? Our diet obsessed team can send up a six pack of slim fast if you like. Seriously though, when I learned that you took my company logo pic of the megaphone man and posted it as me after blowing it up I wasn’t upset, just dumbfounded by own stupidity. Did you ever read my bio online or think of googling "pierce mattie" to see any material on my life or the way I look? No! It really made me think, is your whole blog like this? Nothing but false crap that you find and post? Please don't reply to this, I won't read it. I just hope you take your chip off your shoulders.
Posted by: Pierce Mattie | June 7, 2005 09:25 PM
Before I could get my flame retardant vest on and compose a reply, I got another posting from the healthy lifestyle guru:
Eric, I did a little fat ass research and found out why you are so defensive about getting fat, you tortured soul.
Are you aware that in your home town more than two of every three adults are overweight? I have put the article from CTV News below. I have an idea. I think you should go on a mission to help your home town loose weight. And turn your entire website blog into a “Let’s make Canada healthy campaign” You can do this Eric. I can help you.
St. Catharines, Ont. has been ranked Canada's fattest city with a whopping 57.3 per cent of its residents overweight, according to an analysis by Statistics Canada commissioned by CTV and The Globe and Mail.
The southern Ontario city ranked just ahead of Regina at 56.5 per cent while Saint John, N.B. ranked 56.4 per cent and Windsor, Ont. came in at 52.8 per cent.
Rounding out the top 10 fattest cities were:5. London, Ont.: 53.6 per cent
6. Charlottetown: 52.7
7. Saskatoon: 51.9
8. Winnipeg: 51.8
9. Fredericton: 51.8
10. St. John's, N.S.: 51.4
Nationwide, more than half of Canadians -- 47.9 per cent -- are considered overweight according to the Body-Mass Index (BMI). A BMI of 25 or more is considered overweight. The study found 15 per cent of Canadians are obese, with a BMI of more than 30.
This is truly alarming, David Lau, president of Obesity Canada, a non-profit group which raises awareness of obesity, told The Globe and Mail.Almost half of Canadians have a weight problem, but most of them don't fully understand the severe health consequences that await them.
In rural Canada, the problem is even worse. In rural Saskatchewan more than two of every three adults are overweight.
PEI THE FATTEST
By province, Prince Edward Island is ranked the fattest province, with nearly 60 per cent of adults between the ages of 20 and 64 considered overweight. Newfoundland is second at 58.9 per cent, followed by New Brunswick at 58.3 per cent. Saskatchewan isn't far behind at 57.9 per cent.A person's BMI is calculated by dividing body weight by height.
CTV/The Globe and Mail used StatsCan's National Population Health Survey to compile the rankings. In the survey, Canadians were asked their height and weight.
Fore more on the Fattest Fittest special click on the graphic on the front page.
Posted by: Pierce Mattie | June 7, 2005 09:40 PM
Rock on, Pierce! You actually have a sense of humour!
I find fat humour about as funny as jokes about racial minoriities, but hey, it's the thought that counts.
Here's a photo of the real Pierce Mattie, borrowed from his web site:
You don't look fat.
BUT, I will post a follow-up to the never-ending question of "Canadians: Fat or Not" after we meet at IABC. I think it will be a groundbreaking series, on par or better than PR Face2Face. And, I blame the higher fat content in the chocolate.
Pierce, you ever have a Canadian Kit-Kat? They're amazing.
Posted by: Jeremy Pepper | June 13, 2005 at 10:10 PM
I suppose by Pierce's standards I'm probably morbidly obese. My gut sticks out, you can't see my ribs through my skin, and I rarely wear a thong in public.
Alas, I'm not going to be at the IABC International this year, Jeremy. I have next year's conference pencilled in, but this year I'm stayin' home.
And for the record, Pierce has yet to respond to my criticism that his blog makes a pretense of accepting comments, but doesn't. That's a good way to control the message, but as a way of conducting a dialogue with your readers, it sucks.
Posted by: Eric Eggertson | June 13, 2005 at 10:22 PM