Fla. Doctor Fired over "Donuts=Death" Sign

After Posting "America Dies on Dunkin'" Sign Outside Health Department, Doctor Forced to Resign

(AP)  Dr. Jason Newsom railed against burgers, french fries, fried chicken and sweet tea in his campaign to promote better eating in a part of the country known as the Redneck Riviera. He might still be leading the charge if he had only left the doughnuts alone.

A 38-year-old former Army doctor who served in Iraq, Newsom returned home to Panama City a few years ago to run the Bay County Health Department and launched a one-man war on obesity by posting sardonic warnings on an electronic sign outside:

"Sweet Tea = Liquid Sugar."

"Hamburger = Spare Tire."

"French Fries = Thunder Thighs."

He also called out KFC by name to make people think twice about fried chicken.

Then he parodied "America Runs on Dunkin'," the doughnut chain's slogan, with: "America Dies on Dunkin'."

Some power players in the Gulf Coast tourist town decided they had had their fill.

A county commissioner who owns a doughnut shop and two lawyers who own a new Dunkin' Donuts on Panama City Beach turned against him, along with some of his own employees, Newsom says. After the lawyers threatened to sue, his bosses at the Florida Health Department made him remove the anti-fried dough rants and eventually forced him to resign, he says.

"I picked on doughnuts because those things are ubiquitous in this county. Everywhere I went, there were two dozen doughnuts on the back table. At church, there were always doughnuts on the back table at Sunday school. It is social expectation thing," says Newsom, a lean 6-foot, 167-pounder in a county where 39 percent of all adults were overweight in 2007 and one in four was considered obese.

Newsom was hired by the state Health Department to direct the county agency. His $140,000-a-year salary is paid jointly by the state and the county. His job primarily involves educating the public about health issues - swine flu, AIDS and the like - but he also decided to address the dangers of glazed, sprinkled and jelly-filled treats.

He angered staff members by barring doughnuts from department meetings and announcing he would throw the fat-laden sweets away if he saw them in the break room. He also banned candy bars in the vending machines, putting in peanuts instead.

In May, lawyers Bo Rivard and Michael Duncan, co-owners of a new Dunkin' Donuts, asked Newsom to take down the "America Dies on Dunkin"' message. Newsom already had run other anti-doughnut warnings, including "Doughnuts = Diabetes," and "Dunkin' Donuts = Death."

The businessmen had the backing of County Commissioner Mike Thomas, who owns a diner and a doughnut shop. Thomas called for Newsom's ouster, saying the doctor shouldn't have named businesses on the message board.

"I think he was somewhat of a zealot," Thomas says. "I don't have a problem with him pushing an agenda, it's the way he did it. People borrowed money to go into business and they are being attacked by the government."

A short time after Newsom's meeting with Rivard and Duncan, Newsom says, his bosses at the state Health Department told him that his leadership wasn't wanted and that he could be fired or resign. He chose to resign May 8 but has reapplied for the job.

"I have never been known for my subtlety. I don't have a knack for it. I speak the truth to people and just assume that that my data and purpose are so real and true that everyone will see the value of what I'm doing," says Newsom, who now works at a prison, doing exams of inmates.

Rivard and Duncan did not return numerous calls to their offices.

"Dunkin' Donuts is pleased that the signs have been removed," Andrew Mastrangelo, a spokesman for Canton, Mass.-based Dunkin' Donuts said in an e-mail.

The Florida Health Department has refused to talk about Newsom since he is considered a job applicant. "We will be happy to talk to you after the position has been filled," department spokeswoman Susan Smith said in an e-mail.

Newsom is hoping to get his job back so that he can resume his campaign against overeating.

"My method was a little provocative and controversial," he says, "but there wasn't a person in Bay County who wasn't talking about health and healthy eating."

[brattondb]

If the people reading this story only know the entire truth about Dr Newsom.

While Dr Newsom appeared to care about public heath and the environment he was a hypocrite at heart. While espousing the virtues of going green he would at the same time run the water for hours on end from the tap in the conference room because he did not like the taste. He could have purchased a filter pitcher and saved thousands of gallons of water and tax payer?s money, but that would have been too inconvenient for him.



When Dr Newsom tells his story he leaves out the parts about his obsessive behavior and total disregard for Department of Health and State rules and regulations. He should not have been surprised about the reaction he got when he posted brand name in the electronic sign. Members of his staff cautioned him that using specific name was possibly libelous. His response was he would welcome a law suit (again at the expense of the tax payer) so he could make his point. The sign issue was more of the last straw that broke the camel?s back then an issue of irritating the local politicians.



Dr Newsom?s primary job was to manage the Bay County Health Department which he often neglected to do in his obsession in looking at YouTube videos watching advertisements. He had a staff that was responsible for community education about public health matters, but did not use them very effectively. Dr. Newsom wanted to hire a community planner to design parks and sidewalks, a position that there wasn?t any funding for and a job that the county already provides the service. But, since Dr. Newsom did not like the way the county did the community planning he wanted to hire his own designer, not that the designs would be used.

[rf35]

I'm sure he meant well, but any idiot should know better than to involve brand names in these types of campaigns. And his Nazi-like attitude toward what goes in the vending machine would tick me off, too. It might be his history as an Army doctor. Perhaps he never made it past company grade and liked the power he had in his county job. Or he made it to a very high rank (unlikely if he seperated at 38) and was used to getting his way all the time. Anyway, people in government positions simply cannot go around insulting corporations, or promoting them for that matter. He's lucky he only lost his job...he could have been sued for slandering the companies.

[ILpublichealth]

As head of the County Health Department, it is his job to inform people of the dangers and contributors of obesity. He should file suit, especially since the County Commissioner poses a conflict of interest because he owns a donut shop. The only problem was that he involved Dunkin' Donuts. It's on the best interest of the county to reduce obesity in order to decrease diabetes and prevent other complications such as renal failure. Renal complications are quite pricey as it requires several different medications (one that costs $200 per month) plus dialysis. But I suppose that these fat bozos don't think that way. And to those with the angry peanut comments. I'm sure he wasn't planning on only putting peanuts in there. It's probably something healthier like cashews.

[gramto8]

If the 'good' doctor had stuck with generalities and said fried chicken and donuts, and if he had not used the brand names or the trademark slogans, then there would probably have been very little that could have been done to him. However, when he crossed that line, he did it to himself.

[Hosheen]

Having lived in Panama City I can state that Dr. Newsom is correct. Many people that are fat, lazy slobs with the IQ of a doorknob. His heart is in the right place but he's fighting a battle that is already lost and no one in Bay County, Florida cares. Dr. Move away from there to someplace where there's a modicum of intelligence. Try Tarpon Springs, it's way better.

[Illuminated1]

Americans need to wake up and get to the gym.

Americans should walk more instead of depending on that new car they get for their clunkers.

Maybe we can trade in junk foods for healthy foods if we got a rebate!!!

[Benton09]

Maybe he should campaign against something that really kills, alcohol. At least you don't get in a car after a few doughnuts and kill an entire family by running a red light because you had too many Crispy Cremes. Donut Nazi!

[pvperson3]

Don't extremists always claim their actions are for the "good" of people? Whether Muslim, Evangelical or here medical they're business is telling everyone else how to live.

[j_flood]

"Donuts make my brown eyes blue..."

[woeisme1]

I would like to know where in this article it says this man was a liberal? And I thought you neo-fascists said that liberals did'nt fight in wars? I thought you guys said that liberals did'nt work? I thought you guys said that liberals did'nt pay taxes? This guy is a doctor and paid more money in taxes than you worthless extremists will ever earn.

Yep. I love you republican extremists. Your rediculous rants are good for democrats. You'll see how that works in 2012.

[epoptika]

You can quibble about his zeal, but you can't doubt the truth of his good intentions. However, as this country has reduced life to a meaningless slobbering gaggle of fatties, I wonder why any good man gives a crap. Let them expire. Darwin will prevail.

[endurorob]

The guy needed to tone it down a bit especially about the vending machine. It's one thing to campaign against the ill's of unhealthy food but another to actually dictate what people can eat. He definately should not have lsot his job and considering the possible conflict of interest of the county commissioner. He should take it to court to get his job back.

[fleabag75]

You're right 'islowlearner'. Once again it is that old standby of "It may not be right but it isn't illegal". Only this time I wonder if it isn't illegal. Those doughnut owners are keeping him from properly doing his job. It seems to actually be MORE than a conflict of interest.

[texanforlogi]

by ItsNotRocketScience August 13, 2009 3:32 PM EDT

Uh, I believe it IS (was) his job to inform others about the dangers of poor nutrition. That's pretty standard for a County Health Department official--it's stated that his job primarily involves informing the public about health issues. In a county where 39% of all adults are overweight how could proper nutrition NOT be part of his job?

[kindrox]

"Shouldn't he be saving his advise for the patients he consults and leave everybody else alone to make their own decisions about their health?"

How come everybody gets to make their own decisions about their health, but I have to pay for their decisions to be unhealthy?

[texanforlogi]

People do need to clean up their diets and cutting out the DAILY donuts is a fine place to start. (Moderation, people--just don't eat the durned things everyday!)

But I sure take issue with the peanuts in the vending machine--at least most candy bars (without peanuts, that is) won't send the non-eater in the next cubicle to the hospital unable to breathe. (Peanut allergy here, and yes it is that bad) Besides being deadly to folks with allergies, peanuts are VERY high in both fat and calories and aren't doing any big favors to the already overweight.

[Constitionalist]

Dude, seriously, you need to find another rant. Peanuts are a healthy snack, at least for most people. If you really are that badly allergic then your boss needs to make special arrangements for you. I'm sure there's some kind of labor law for that, perhaps and OSHA regulation or maybe Americans with Disabilities Act.

[texanforlogi]

Excuse me, but how is two sentences considered a "rant"?

There are labor laws, but I have pretty good luck with talking to my co-workers and asking for their cooperation. (I prefer talking to sueing) There are potlucks and luncheons I've had to exclude myself from because someone brought peanuts but most folks are courteous and well-meaning and willing to eat the peanuts when I'm not around. And peanuts ARE high in fat and calories (1 cup = 827 calories and 71.89 grams of fat).

And, Constitionalist, it's DUDE-ETTE to you!

[aChangeOfIdeas]

texanforlogi- I agree, peanuts in a vending machine at a DOCTOR'S office, where presumably you will have hundreds of different people through each week, is irresponsible. In a small office without a lot of visitors, that would be different. How many children might come through that doctor's office and not even be known to have a peanut allergy? Well, at least they would be *at* the doctor's office when they went into anaphylaxis (sp?)

[islowlearner]

Talk about a conflict of interest ... the county commissioner owning a donut shop and leading the fight to fire Dr. Newsome. People need to wake up and clean up their diets, and removing donuts should be at the top of the list.

[pensacola8-2009]

This area of Florida has no use for education....and is dominated by Republicans. In this part of Florida, it is the Democrats that are the more educated.

[kindrox]

Our democratic lord and master wants me to pay for fat people's healthcare.