Diet aid endorsed by DJs was sham, experts say

Fort Worth Star-Telegram ^ | July 15, 2003 | Barry Shlachter

[txzman]

Almost every station in DFW - including the biggest Christian station KLTY - blasted the airwaves with these false claims for months.

I wrote into KLTY letting them know that was the last straw for my family - we voted with our ears and our wallet.

[Mr. Jeeves]

I admit it - I tried this stuff, after hearing the KSFO talk show hosts praise it. It didn't work for me either. Wish I had known about the Atkins Diet back then.

I still have an unopened bottle - wonder if it will be worth anything to collectors of quack remedies in the future?

[The Hon. Galahad Threepwood]

The "trick" to losing weight is to find exercise you enjoy doing and healthy foods you enjoy eating.

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[.38sw]

Wow! A product that you take at night, and promises that you can eat all want, what you want, and don't have to exercise, and you'll lose weight, is actually a fraud! Well, no duh.

That product was heavily promoted here on KSFO by their morning personality Officer Vic. I couldn't imagine wasting my money on such an obvious scam.

Ooops, time to go for my daily walk!

[Recourse]

Exactly. Another brilliant, and I mean brilliant, scam that preyed on the laziness of the American populace. Don't change your eating habits, don't exercise, just take a teaspoon of this liquid each night and the weight will drop right off of you. Without a doubt, the quickest way to get wealthy in this country is to develop some type of product or service that is aimed solely at the lazy masses, one that you advertise through television so that the only thing the sloths have to do is dial a number and have their credit card handy. What can we come up that makes Americans even lazier? That's the multi-million dollar question.

[.38sw]

I saw an ad on TV the other night that really set me back on my heels. It was for another diet pill, no idea what was in it, but their pitch was that it's an EXPENSIVE diet aid, so it's not for the simply slightly chubby person who needs to lose 5-10 pounds, it's for the person who needs to lose 20 pounds or more. And remember, it's EXPENSIVE, so it's not for everyone. And because it's EXPENSIVE, it's a wonderful product, and you'll lose weight!

Gads, it was breathtaking. I still need to take my walk. Where's my pedometer?

[Drawsing]

I am a watercolor artist. If you just look at my paintings on your wall you WILL lose weight! The bigger and more expensive the painting, the more weight you will lose!

[Tall_Texan]

I hear golfer John Daly and others pitching "Trim Spa" on Rush's show every day. The commercials have such poor production value, it really makes me wonder how anyone can believe the sales pitch.

[pogo101]

My comment at the peak of the Body Solutions hype, regarding its most-promoted "evening formula" product, was something like this:

Look, folks ... if I give you some inert powder, and if for 8 weeks you take 2 tablespoons of the stuff with a 16-ounce glass of water three hours before bedtime without eating or drinking anything thereafter,

(and assuming you don't otherwise significantly alter your diet or activity levels,)

then you WILL lose weight during that 8-week period.

Why? Because one of the biggest sources of unhealthy weight gain is late-night eating and drinking.

So is the product a fraud? Maybe. Even if it is, could you lose weight due to its regimen? Probably.

[Khurkris]

I saw that advertisement...price was ...$153.00 per bottle for 1 month supply.

[tdadams]

Let's all say it together now - "There is no magic pill!"

[Hatteras]

I think that as part of any settlement, all radio personalities who accepted money for giving testimonials should have their names and stations published as part of an apology letter of some sort.

Not that it would do any good, I just like to hear radio jocks squirm and moan and come up with excuses...

[prisoner6]

We had this at the stations where I work. I was probably the only one who DIDN'T buy into the scheme DESPITE HEAVY PRESSURE FROM SALES/MANAGEMENT!

It was SO OBVIOUS A SCAM but being radio folk and working for peanuts lots of folks went a long. Most (air talent) radio folks go along with TONS of this stuff because they need the money. The entire radio situation is BEYOND pathetic! Even though I'me very conservative I'm the first one to say consolodation hasn't worked for regional jobs, regional sound, regional service to the public.

prisoner6

[Callahan]

"You mean I can't lose weight by stuffing my fat face with Baco-bits and taking some magic powder? Ay Carumba!"

You'll never go broke under-estimating the stupidity of lazy slobs.

[Callahan]

Notice Body Solutions King Siskind doesn't exactly have 3% body fat. This one was a no-brainer. Now if they'd only get rid of those friggin' herbal Viagra commercials before Billy Jeff swallows a bottle and ruins the carpet.

[.38sw]

I saw that advertisement...price was ...$153.00 per bottle for 1 month supply.

If nothing else, it's a unique approach to peddling their scam. I don't recall having seen that approach before.

[.38sw]

Sounds like you've hit upon a marketing approach for your watercolors...weight loss art.

[steve86]

I still have an unopened bottle -

Would it make good strawberry ice cream topping or something like that?