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Political Satire Popular on Web; Americans Favor Low-Fat Over Low-Carb Diets; Secret Video Shows Cruel Treatment of Chickens

Aired July 21, 2004 - 11:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, ANCHOR: The British government says it will trim its military to create a leaner, faster more efficient fighting force. Most of the downsizing will take place over the next several years. The changes will not affect the 9,000 troops in Iraq.
Microsoft's stock price has bumped up about three percent, an indication Wall Street likes the company's plan to boost its dividend and buy back some stock. The plan is expected to return about $75 billion to investors over the next four years.

Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.

Here's what the candidates are doing today. President Bush signed a BioShield bill today, part of the effort to protect the nation from a biochemical attack. And he later joined a photo session with the three astronauts who went to the moon 35 years ago this week.

Democratic presidential contender John Kerry is enjoying some R&R in Nantucket. That's him, kite surfing right there across the choppy waters of Nantucket harbor. Otherwise he's been preparing for next week's party convention in Boston, beginning on Monday.

The Democratic national convention is just days away now. Our Judy Woodruff and the CNN Election Express bus are already in Boston, and Judy reports today from Boston National Historical Park.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JUDY WOODRUFF, HOST, "INSIDE POLITICS": As we count down to the start of the Democratic convention, we're hitting the highlights of Boston, the city so much a part of American history.

Today and tomorrow, we are getting a tour of the oldest warship in United States history, the USS Constitution, better known as Old Ironsides. Built in 1797, it saw battle for half a century, and you know, it never lost a single one.

You could say that's a fitting inspiration for the Democrats, who are going to be trying to persuade voters this year that they're the political party that is going to keep America stronger and safer than the other party will.

All right, we're going to tell you what the nickname Old Ironsides means, where it came from and give you all the latest political information this afternoon, "INSIDE POLITICS" at 3:30 Eastern. Now back to Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks a lot, Judy.

The man chosen as John Kerry's running mate will be the guest tonight on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE." Senator John Edwards and his wife Elizabeth will join Larry for the entire hour, beginning at 9 p.m. Eastern, 6 Pacific.

Well, first hip-hop and high fashion. Now, P. Diddy is getting into politics. He's not running for office; he's running a campaign to mobilize voters.

Sean "P. Diddy" Combs says his organization, Citizen Change, will target 18 to 30 years old and minorities. The hip-hop mogul talked about the campaign in an interview with CNN's Paula Zahn.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN "P. DIDDY" COMBS, FOUNDER, CITIZEN CHANGE: We -- just like politicians have a responsibility, we have a responsibility and that's to vote.

And this year is a great year to do it, because it's neck and neck. And I trust you, trust me on this, that -- that this year, that this community of voters -- we call them the forgotten ones -- will be forgotten no more. They're going to stand up and be heard, because we're going to make it relevant.

I put together a coalition of the willing, of our willing, you know? It's as diverse as Ellen DeGeneres to 50 Cent, to Jay-Z to Leonardo DiCaprio.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Combs says his organization will partner with other groups working to register young voters.

Well, in this political season, little ditties that poke fun at the candidates are getting plenty of attention. Maybe it's just the need for some comic relief.

Well, here's a popular one making the rounds from JibJab.com.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): You can't say nuclear, that really scares me. At times a brain can come in quite handy. But it's not going to help you because I won three Purple Hearts. This land will surely vote for me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): You're a liberal sissy. UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): You're a right-wing nut job.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): You're a pinko commie.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): You're dumb as a doorknob.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): Hey, you got that Botox.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): But I still won three Purple Hearts.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): This land will surely vote for me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This land was my land.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): But now it's our land.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): From California...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): ... to the New York islands -- what'd I do?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): From the liberal wieners...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): ... to the right-wing nut jobs.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): This land belongs...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): This land belongs...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): This land belongs to you and me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): Oh, and Dick Cheney, too.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Cold-blooded but it's getting a whole lot of attention. Don't blame us; we're just the messengers. The guys responsible are Gregg and Evan Spiridellis of Jib Jab Media in Santa Monica, California. And Gregg is joining us.

Unfortunately, your brother was unable to join us, but I'm sure you're going to be able to handle this, no problem. Good to see you.

GREG, JIB JAB MEDIA: Good to see you. Thanks for having me.

WHITFIELD: Well, did you expect that this would be getting so much attention?

SPIRIDELLIS: We never expected it. We've been doing online animation and political parody for five years, and we've had what we thought were hits before, measured in the millions of viewers. But this one has just kind of blown everything else out of the water. We've been drinking from a fire hose for the past week.

WHITFIELD: Because you did something like this before during the 2000 race.

SPIRIDELLIS: Yes, that's right. We did a Bush/Gore rap battle back in 2000 that made the rounds and got us some publicity, but again nothing like this. I mean, we measured maybe three million to five million the whole election cycle last year. This we did that right out of the box in the first week.

WHITFIELD: So what happened? You guys got together and said, "Oh, my gosh, there's just so much material from which to work. Let's just try and put something together and have a little fun with it?"

I mean, where did this premise come from?

SPIRIDELLIS: Absolutely. I mean, with online animation, topical pieces work best and with elections, they're scheduled, so we can plan for them. And productions can run months on something like this.

So, you know, we've been planning for six months to do something and came up with the idea, probably about three months ago and took us about two months to produce and put out there.

WHITFIELD: So have you gotten some criticism, too? I know a lot of people are laughing, but this stuff is really racy and very insulting.

SPIRIDELLIS: Oh, yes, but I think it's, you know, it takes shots at both sides. And you can read our blog on our web site, and the response has just been overwhelming from both sides.

The thing we love to hear more than anything is, you know, I'm a right wing nut job and I sent this to my liberal wiener friend and we're all -- we got a good laugh out of it. And that's overwhelmingly the response.

Ninety-nine percent of the posts on our blogs show that people are just enjoying it for what it is, a little fun, a little levity in a pretty heavy election year.

WHITFIELD: Well, this stuff has gotten so much airtime, and I don't mean not just on the Web. Have you heard from anyone from either camp?

SPIRIDELLIS: We haven't heard from anyone in either camp directly, but a lot of hearsay, a lot of friend's friends sending us e-mails, showing it's circulating high up.

WHITFIELD: What's the hearsay? What's being said?

SPIRIDELLIS: That it's hysterical.

WHITFIELD: They're laughing at themselves, too?

SPIRIDELLIS: Oh, yes. I think, you know, most people, you know, have a sense of humor about this and realize that it's just a little bit of fun. No one's getting too uptight about it. WHITFIELD: So in a lot of ways, it seems like it would do a lot of damage for either candidate. But at the same time, I guess because they're showing such humor in what kind of reception you've gotten so far, might this in a strange way kind of help either side? Was that ever an intent of yours?

SPIRIDELLIS: Oh, no. We -- we have a hard enough time really making things that are funny. That's our job. So it's never our intent to influence anything, and I think, you know, if you watched us at the beginning and watched it through the end, you know, net-net, it's pretty equal on both sides.

WHITFIELD: And might I add, this really isn't your bread and butter. You guys are in advertising, aren't you?

SPIRIDELLIS: Yes. Well...

WHITFIELD: When do you have time to do this?

SPIRIDELLIS: These are calling cards for us. We don't make any money on the web shorts, but they circle around the world. And we've worked with clients like Sony, Kraft, Disney to do advertising campaigns. We also have a toy line based on our Christmas property and a book we did with Disney last year called "Grumpy Santa," a children's book that we're now producing an independent animated feature for.

WHITFIELD: Wow, so these are big clients, none of which have been offended by this and are saying, "Well, I don't know if we want to use you guys as our advertising firm anymore?"

SPIRIDELLIS: We haven't done a big ad campaign in about six months. So we don't -- we don't really hear that. We've never -- we've never seen any of our political parodies influence our ability to get clients. And keeping our -- we run a very small creative studio. And you know, we have -- you know, we deal with a limited number of clients, and we've never had a problem with that.

WHITFIELD: Well, continue to have fun. I know you're continuing to get a whole lot of attention, Gregg Spiridellis. And hello to your brother, Evan, who was unable to be with us.

SPIRIDELLIS: Absolutely.

WHITFIELD: But enjoy the limelight while you can, right?

SPIRIDELLIS: Absolutely. We're trying to make the most of it.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks a lot. Have a good one.

SPIRIDELLIS: Thank you. You, too.

WHITFIELD: Counting carbs? How about counting calories? Counting the days until the latest diet craze is all over? A new poll takes on a heavy subject: America's dieting habits. Our expert weighs in, coming up next. And later, KFC has got a bucketful of controversy, and it all centers around this videotape. We're coming right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: With the low-carb craze being all the rage, you knew this would come.

In all its naked glory, this new low-carb potato may soon be at a grocery store near you. The Florida-grown spud is nearly one-third lower in carbs than a regular potato, and it took a team of potato developers five years, apparently, to create it.

Well, it may seem like everyone you know is on a low-carb diet, but a new poll indicates that Americans are not as carb-conscious as you may think.

When it comes to losing weight, a Gallup poll shows that the majority of Americans believe a low-fat diet is the healthiest: 67 percent, compared to 23 percent who believe low carb is the way to go.

Here's what people we spoke to think.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's a lot of low-carb products out there now. It seems like in the last few months there's been a couple of stores that opened for that. And it's kind of like the low-fat craze that we saw ten years ago, all of a sudden for all this low carb. So it's a great moneymaking for the diet industry, and I'm not so sure that I buy that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My family went on an Atkins diet for about a year and a half or two years, and I lost about 80 pounds. My son lost about 70, 75.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, everybody tried the Atkins diet, but that didn't work, because it's kind of hard to stick with.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do you think is healthier: low fat or low-carbs?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'd probably low carb because it's less sugar. And I guess sugar is the new bad thing for you and everything, so I would probably pick the low carb is better for you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: We're also confused. Well, what do the experts say?

Joining to us talk about the dieting survey is the coauthor of the new book called "The Step Diet." Jim Hill, thanks for joining us.

JIM HILL, AUTHOR, "THE STEP DIET": Happy to be here.

WHITFIELD: Well, before we talk about low carb, low cal and all that good stuff, you say that there is a key ingredient to maintaining or at least reaching your ideal weight. You call it energy balance. What is that?

HILL: Well, it's a simple concept. To maintain a healthy weight, you balance the energy in the food you eat with the energy your body burns in metabolism and physical activity, and physical activity is the real key.

We're trying to manage our weight with diet alone. We can't do that without increasing physical activity.

WHITFIELD: Well, you heard from some of the folks that we caught up with, and it seems like, you know, nearly half of Americans are overweight. But everyone has a different idea about the best way in which to achieve the ideal weight.

So why has this gotten so confusing for so many of us?

HILL: Yes, I think people are confused. They don't know whether to watch fat or watch carbohydrate. What we've gotten away from is that calories count. We did it with low fat. People watched fat, but they didn't watch calories. Now the same thing is occurring with carbohydrate.

We have to get back to the energy balance equation. It is calories in and calories out. It's not that we're eating the wrong kinds of food. We're eating too much food, and we're too sedentary.

WHITFIELD: So poor diet, poor exercise as well. Is there any, you know, credence to this notion that obesity is a disease, in your view?

HILL: Well, I think you can make a point that obesity is a disease, but it's a disease that we bring on ourselves. In other words, by our lifestyle by eating too much and by being less active, we cause our body to gain weight. And at a certain point, that excess body fat may create a diseased state.

The important point is this is a disease that's preventable, by increasing our physical activity, by balancing calories in and calories out, we can prevent this from happening.

WHITFIELD: Some Americans were polled recently in a Gallup poll, and this is what some of them had to say about this question, what is the healthiest diet for the average American. Sixty-seven percent apparently believe that low fat is the key; 23 percent say low-carb.

What do you say?

HILL: Well, I think if you add physical activity with low fat, Americans have it right.

When we look at those people who have lost weight and are maintaining it, the successful people, they're eating a low-fat diet, but they're also doing a lot of physical activity. We -- concentrating on low fat I think is a good thing, but you've got to increase the physical activity in order to balance calories in and calories out.

WHITFIELD: All right, and it seems like Americans have a very different view of themselves when it comes down to being asked how would you describe your weight. Forty-four percent say overweight, 50 percent say about right, six percent say under weight.

Does that seem to be accurate?

HILL: Well, when we look at the data, where we go out and measure the population, we see that actually about 65 percent of the population is overweight. So some of the people that actually don't consider themselves overweight probably are.

WHITFIELD: All right, Jim Hill, your book, "The Step Diet." Thanks very much for helping some of us try to clarify whether low carb, low cal, good exercise, all that good stuff, how to measure it up to have the ideal weight. Thanks a lot.

HILL: Glad to be here.

WHITFIELD: To get your daily dose of health news online, log onto our web site. You'll find the latest medical news, a health library and information on diet and fitness. The address is CNN.com/health.

Turning up the heat on KFC. One of its distributors accused of animal abuse with video that some say proves it. See for yourself to decide.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: This just in. In Baghdad, reports of a car bomb in the central portion of the city called Baghdad al-Jidida. These pictures just in now. Apparently the explosion took place near a swimming facility.

It is not believed to be a suicide bombing, but in the end, at least so far, reports are that four people have been killed. More on that as we get it.

Disturbing undercover video of chickens being brutally maimed and killed at a West Virginia meat processor. It's resulted in one worker being suspended. The company says three others are under investigation now.

Pilgrim's Pride also says it has launched an education campaign on the proper and humane handling of poultry.

CNN's Jen Rogers reports on the video that has shaken up some of the fast food industry.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEN ROGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For a company that sells food, this unappetizing video can't be good for business. Shot secretly PETA and a poultry supplier for KFC, it's the latest salvo in a long running battle between the animal rights group and the nation's No. 1 fast food chicken chain, formerly known as Kentucky Fried Chicken.

DAN SHANNON, PETA: On their supplier's farms, animals are being stomped on while they're still fully conscious. They're being thrown into walls as if they're nothing more than a Nerf ball.

These animals are being abused, and KFC isn't doing enough to stop it.

ROGERS: KFC, which does not own or operate any poultry farms, buys hundreds of millions of chickens from suppliers every year.

In a statement the company says, it "finds the actions in the videotape appalling wherever they have occurred. We do not tolerate animal abuse by any of our suppliers under any circumstance."

KFC says it has placed an inspector at the facility in question to monitor the activity.

For its part, the supplier, Pilgrim's Pride, said, quote, "The practices portrayed in this video are not in any way condoned by management and are not routine, normal, ongoing incidents."

PETA, while applauding the company's responses Tuesday, called it a Band-Aid approach and repeated the need for a comprehensive animal welfare plan that includes unannounced visits from inspectors.

(on camera) KFC and its suppliers aren't the first to face off against animal rights activists. Other major fast food chains, including McDonald's and Burger King, have tangled with PETA before. The result? PETA claims improvements have been made.

Jen Rogers, CNN financial news, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Let's take a look at Wall Street and check in again with Darby.

Hello again, Darby.

(STOCK REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: It's turning out to be a very hot summer across the coasts. Or coast-to-coast I should say, across the board. Orelon Sidney joins us again with a look at weather.

(WEATHER REPORT)

WHITFIELD: Thanks a lot, Orelon. Have a great day.

And I'm Fredricka Whitfield. That's going to do it for me on CNN LIVE TODAY. And up next, I'm passing the baton to my friend, Drew Griffin, in for Wolf Blitzer today.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired July 21, 2004 - 11:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, ANCHOR: The British government says it will trim its military to create a leaner, faster more efficient fighting force. Most of the downsizing will take place over the next several years. The changes will not affect the 9,000 troops in Iraq.
Microsoft's stock price has bumped up about three percent, an indication Wall Street likes the company's plan to boost its dividend and buy back some stock. The plan is expected to return about $75 billion to investors over the next four years.

Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.

Here's what the candidates are doing today. President Bush signed a BioShield bill today, part of the effort to protect the nation from a biochemical attack. And he later joined a photo session with the three astronauts who went to the moon 35 years ago this week.

Democratic presidential contender John Kerry is enjoying some R&R in Nantucket. That's him, kite surfing right there across the choppy waters of Nantucket harbor. Otherwise he's been preparing for next week's party convention in Boston, beginning on Monday.

The Democratic national convention is just days away now. Our Judy Woodruff and the CNN Election Express bus are already in Boston, and Judy reports today from Boston National Historical Park.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JUDY WOODRUFF, HOST, "INSIDE POLITICS": As we count down to the start of the Democratic convention, we're hitting the highlights of Boston, the city so much a part of American history.

Today and tomorrow, we are getting a tour of the oldest warship in United States history, the USS Constitution, better known as Old Ironsides. Built in 1797, it saw battle for half a century, and you know, it never lost a single one.

You could say that's a fitting inspiration for the Democrats, who are going to be trying to persuade voters this year that they're the political party that is going to keep America stronger and safer than the other party will.

All right, we're going to tell you what the nickname Old Ironsides means, where it came from and give you all the latest political information this afternoon, "INSIDE POLITICS" at 3:30 Eastern. Now back to Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks a lot, Judy.

The man chosen as John Kerry's running mate will be the guest tonight on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE." Senator John Edwards and his wife Elizabeth will join Larry for the entire hour, beginning at 9 p.m. Eastern, 6 Pacific.

Well, first hip-hop and high fashion. Now, P. Diddy is getting into politics. He's not running for office; he's running a campaign to mobilize voters.

Sean "P. Diddy" Combs says his organization, Citizen Change, will target 18 to 30 years old and minorities. The hip-hop mogul talked about the campaign in an interview with CNN's Paula Zahn.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN "P. DIDDY" COMBS, FOUNDER, CITIZEN CHANGE: We -- just like politicians have a responsibility, we have a responsibility and that's to vote.

And this year is a great year to do it, because it's neck and neck. And I trust you, trust me on this, that -- that this year, that this community of voters -- we call them the forgotten ones -- will be forgotten no more. They're going to stand up and be heard, because we're going to make it relevant.

I put together a coalition of the willing, of our willing, you know? It's as diverse as Ellen DeGeneres to 50 Cent, to Jay-Z to Leonardo DiCaprio.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Combs says his organization will partner with other groups working to register young voters.

Well, in this political season, little ditties that poke fun at the candidates are getting plenty of attention. Maybe it's just the need for some comic relief.

Well, here's a popular one making the rounds from JibJab.com.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): You can't say nuclear, that really scares me. At times a brain can come in quite handy. But it's not going to help you because I won three Purple Hearts. This land will surely vote for me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): You're a liberal sissy. UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): You're a right-wing nut job.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): You're a pinko commie.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): You're dumb as a doorknob.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): Hey, you got that Botox.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): But I still won three Purple Hearts.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): This land will surely vote for me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This land was my land.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): But now it's our land.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): From California...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): ... to the New York islands -- what'd I do?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): From the liberal wieners...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): ... to the right-wing nut jobs.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): This land belongs...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): This land belongs...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): This land belongs to you and me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (singing): Oh, and Dick Cheney, too.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Cold-blooded but it's getting a whole lot of attention. Don't blame us; we're just the messengers. The guys responsible are Gregg and Evan Spiridellis of Jib Jab Media in Santa Monica, California. And Gregg is joining us.

Unfortunately, your brother was unable to join us, but I'm sure you're going to be able to handle this, no problem. Good to see you.

GREG, JIB JAB MEDIA: Good to see you. Thanks for having me.

WHITFIELD: Well, did you expect that this would be getting so much attention?

SPIRIDELLIS: We never expected it. We've been doing online animation and political parody for five years, and we've had what we thought were hits before, measured in the millions of viewers. But this one has just kind of blown everything else out of the water. We've been drinking from a fire hose for the past week.

WHITFIELD: Because you did something like this before during the 2000 race.

SPIRIDELLIS: Yes, that's right. We did a Bush/Gore rap battle back in 2000 that made the rounds and got us some publicity, but again nothing like this. I mean, we measured maybe three million to five million the whole election cycle last year. This we did that right out of the box in the first week.

WHITFIELD: So what happened? You guys got together and said, "Oh, my gosh, there's just so much material from which to work. Let's just try and put something together and have a little fun with it?"

I mean, where did this premise come from?

SPIRIDELLIS: Absolutely. I mean, with online animation, topical pieces work best and with elections, they're scheduled, so we can plan for them. And productions can run months on something like this.

So, you know, we've been planning for six months to do something and came up with the idea, probably about three months ago and took us about two months to produce and put out there.

WHITFIELD: So have you gotten some criticism, too? I know a lot of people are laughing, but this stuff is really racy and very insulting.

SPIRIDELLIS: Oh, yes, but I think it's, you know, it takes shots at both sides. And you can read our blog on our web site, and the response has just been overwhelming from both sides.

The thing we love to hear more than anything is, you know, I'm a right wing nut job and I sent this to my liberal wiener friend and we're all -- we got a good laugh out of it. And that's overwhelmingly the response.

Ninety-nine percent of the posts on our blogs show that people are just enjoying it for what it is, a little fun, a little levity in a pretty heavy election year.

WHITFIELD: Well, this stuff has gotten so much airtime, and I don't mean not just on the Web. Have you heard from anyone from either camp?

SPIRIDELLIS: We haven't heard from anyone in either camp directly, but a lot of hearsay, a lot of friend's friends sending us e-mails, showing it's circulating high up.

WHITFIELD: What's the hearsay? What's being said?

SPIRIDELLIS: That it's hysterical.

WHITFIELD: They're laughing at themselves, too?

SPIRIDELLIS: Oh, yes. I think, you know, most people, you know, have a sense of humor about this and realize that it's just a little bit of fun. No one's getting too uptight about it. WHITFIELD: So in a lot of ways, it seems like it would do a lot of damage for either candidate. But at the same time, I guess because they're showing such humor in what kind of reception you've gotten so far, might this in a strange way kind of help either side? Was that ever an intent of yours?

SPIRIDELLIS: Oh, no. We -- we have a hard enough time really making things that are funny. That's our job. So it's never our intent to influence anything, and I think, you know, if you watched us at the beginning and watched it through the end, you know, net-net, it's pretty equal on both sides.

WHITFIELD: And might I add, this really isn't your bread and butter. You guys are in advertising, aren't you?

SPIRIDELLIS: Yes. Well...

WHITFIELD: When do you have time to do this?

SPIRIDELLIS: These are calling cards for us. We don't make any money on the web shorts, but they circle around the world. And we've worked with clients like Sony, Kraft, Disney to do advertising campaigns. We also have a toy line based on our Christmas property and a book we did with Disney last year called "Grumpy Santa," a children's book that we're now producing an independent animated feature for.

WHITFIELD: Wow, so these are big clients, none of which have been offended by this and are saying, "Well, I don't know if we want to use you guys as our advertising firm anymore?"

SPIRIDELLIS: We haven't done a big ad campaign in about six months. So we don't -- we don't really hear that. We've never -- we've never seen any of our political parodies influence our ability to get clients. And keeping our -- we run a very small creative studio. And you know, we have -- you know, we deal with a limited number of clients, and we've never had a problem with that.

WHITFIELD: Well, continue to have fun. I know you're continuing to get a whole lot of attention, Gregg Spiridellis. And hello to your brother, Evan, who was unable to be with us.

SPIRIDELLIS: Absolutely.

WHITFIELD: But enjoy the limelight while you can, right?

SPIRIDELLIS: Absolutely. We're trying to make the most of it.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks a lot. Have a good one.

SPIRIDELLIS: Thank you. You, too.

WHITFIELD: Counting carbs? How about counting calories? Counting the days until the latest diet craze is all over? A new poll takes on a heavy subject: America's dieting habits. Our expert weighs in, coming up next. And later, KFC has got a bucketful of controversy, and it all centers around this videotape. We're coming right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: With the low-carb craze being all the rage, you knew this would come.

In all its naked glory, this new low-carb potato may soon be at a grocery store near you. The Florida-grown spud is nearly one-third lower in carbs than a regular potato, and it took a team of potato developers five years, apparently, to create it.

Well, it may seem like everyone you know is on a low-carb diet, but a new poll indicates that Americans are not as carb-conscious as you may think.

When it comes to losing weight, a Gallup poll shows that the majority of Americans believe a low-fat diet is the healthiest: 67 percent, compared to 23 percent who believe low carb is the way to go.

Here's what people we spoke to think.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There's a lot of low-carb products out there now. It seems like in the last few months there's been a couple of stores that opened for that. And it's kind of like the low-fat craze that we saw ten years ago, all of a sudden for all this low carb. So it's a great moneymaking for the diet industry, and I'm not so sure that I buy that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My family went on an Atkins diet for about a year and a half or two years, and I lost about 80 pounds. My son lost about 70, 75.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, everybody tried the Atkins diet, but that didn't work, because it's kind of hard to stick with.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What do you think is healthier: low fat or low-carbs?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'd probably low carb because it's less sugar. And I guess sugar is the new bad thing for you and everything, so I would probably pick the low carb is better for you.

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WHITFIELD: We're also confused. Well, what do the experts say?

Joining to us talk about the dieting survey is the coauthor of the new book called "The Step Diet." Jim Hill, thanks for joining us.

JIM HILL, AUTHOR, "THE STEP DIET": Happy to be here.

WHITFIELD: Well, before we talk about low carb, low cal and all that good stuff, you say that there is a key ingredient to maintaining or at least reaching your ideal weight. You call it energy balance. What is that?

HILL: Well, it's a simple concept. To maintain a healthy weight, you balance the energy in the food you eat with the energy your body burns in metabolism and physical activity, and physical activity is the real key.

We're trying to manage our weight with diet alone. We can't do that without increasing physical activity.

WHITFIELD: Well, you heard from some of the folks that we caught up with, and it seems like, you know, nearly half of Americans are overweight. But everyone has a different idea about the best way in which to achieve the ideal weight.

So why has this gotten so confusing for so many of us?

HILL: Yes, I think people are confused. They don't know whether to watch fat or watch carbohydrate. What we've gotten away from is that calories count. We did it with low fat. People watched fat, but they didn't watch calories. Now the same thing is occurring with carbohydrate.

We have to get back to the energy balance equation. It is calories in and calories out. It's not that we're eating the wrong kinds of food. We're eating too much food, and we're too sedentary.

WHITFIELD: So poor diet, poor exercise as well. Is there any, you know, credence to this notion that obesity is a disease, in your view?

HILL: Well, I think you can make a point that obesity is a disease, but it's a disease that we bring on ourselves. In other words, by our lifestyle by eating too much and by being less active, we cause our body to gain weight. And at a certain point, that excess body fat may create a diseased state.

The important point is this is a disease that's preventable, by increasing our physical activity, by balancing calories in and calories out, we can prevent this from happening.

WHITFIELD: Some Americans were polled recently in a Gallup poll, and this is what some of them had to say about this question, what is the healthiest diet for the average American. Sixty-seven percent apparently believe that low fat is the key; 23 percent say low-carb.

What do you say?

HILL: Well, I think if you add physical activity with low fat, Americans have it right.

When we look at those people who have lost weight and are maintaining it, the successful people, they're eating a low-fat diet, but they're also doing a lot of physical activity. We -- concentrating on low fat I think is a good thing, but you've got to increase the physical activity in order to balance calories in and calories out.

WHITFIELD: All right, and it seems like Americans have a very different view of themselves when it comes down to being asked how would you describe your weight. Forty-four percent say overweight, 50 percent say about right, six percent say under weight.

Does that seem to be accurate?

HILL: Well, when we look at the data, where we go out and measure the population, we see that actually about 65 percent of the population is overweight. So some of the people that actually don't consider themselves overweight probably are.

WHITFIELD: All right, Jim Hill, your book, "The Step Diet." Thanks very much for helping some of us try to clarify whether low carb, low cal, good exercise, all that good stuff, how to measure it up to have the ideal weight. Thanks a lot.

HILL: Glad to be here.

WHITFIELD: To get your daily dose of health news online, log onto our web site. You'll find the latest medical news, a health library and information on diet and fitness. The address is CNN.com/health.

Turning up the heat on KFC. One of its distributors accused of animal abuse with video that some say proves it. See for yourself to decide.

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WHITFIELD: This just in. In Baghdad, reports of a car bomb in the central portion of the city called Baghdad al-Jidida. These pictures just in now. Apparently the explosion took place near a swimming facility.

It is not believed to be a suicide bombing, but in the end, at least so far, reports are that four people have been killed. More on that as we get it.

Disturbing undercover video of chickens being brutally maimed and killed at a West Virginia meat processor. It's resulted in one worker being suspended. The company says three others are under investigation now.

Pilgrim's Pride also says it has launched an education campaign on the proper and humane handling of poultry.

CNN's Jen Rogers reports on the video that has shaken up some of the fast food industry.

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JEN ROGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For a company that sells food, this unappetizing video can't be good for business. Shot secretly PETA and a poultry supplier for KFC, it's the latest salvo in a long running battle between the animal rights group and the nation's No. 1 fast food chicken chain, formerly known as Kentucky Fried Chicken.

DAN SHANNON, PETA: On their supplier's farms, animals are being stomped on while they're still fully conscious. They're being thrown into walls as if they're nothing more than a Nerf ball.

These animals are being abused, and KFC isn't doing enough to stop it.

ROGERS: KFC, which does not own or operate any poultry farms, buys hundreds of millions of chickens from suppliers every year.

In a statement the company says, it "finds the actions in the videotape appalling wherever they have occurred. We do not tolerate animal abuse by any of our suppliers under any circumstance."

KFC says it has placed an inspector at the facility in question to monitor the activity.

For its part, the supplier, Pilgrim's Pride, said, quote, "The practices portrayed in this video are not in any way condoned by management and are not routine, normal, ongoing incidents."

PETA, while applauding the company's responses Tuesday, called it a Band-Aid approach and repeated the need for a comprehensive animal welfare plan that includes unannounced visits from inspectors.

(on camera) KFC and its suppliers aren't the first to face off against animal rights activists. Other major fast food chains, including McDonald's and Burger King, have tangled with PETA before. The result? PETA claims improvements have been made.

Jen Rogers, CNN financial news, Los Angeles.

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WHITFIELD: Let's take a look at Wall Street and check in again with Darby.

Hello again, Darby.

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WHITFIELD: It's turning out to be a very hot summer across the coasts. Or coast-to-coast I should say, across the board. Orelon Sidney joins us again with a look at weather.

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WHITFIELD: Thanks a lot, Orelon. Have a great day.

And I'm Fredricka Whitfield. That's going to do it for me on CNN LIVE TODAY. And up next, I'm passing the baton to my friend, Drew Griffin, in for Wolf Blitzer today.

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