Morgan Spurlock, a 53-year-old documentary filmmaker, died at the age of 53 after consuming only McDonald's for a month to highlight the dangers of a fast-food diet.
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Spurlock died Thursday in New York from cancer complications, according to a statement released by his family on Friday.
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In 2004, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Steven Spurlock's film "Super Size Me" portrayed the negative effects of a 30-day McDonald's diet, including weight gain, increased cholesterol, and lost sexual drive.
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The film, which aired over $22 million on a $65,000 budget, preceded Eric Schlosser's "Fast Food Nation," which criticized the industry for environmental issues and labor issues.
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In 2019, Spurlock's "Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!" delves into the American chicken industry, highlighting financial struggles faced by farmers and the deception of fast-food chains.
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Spurlock, a gonzo filmmaker, incorporated bizarre and ridiculous elements into his films, blending Michael Moore's camera-in-your-face style with his own sense of humor and pathos.
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After exposing fast-food and chicken industries, restaurants emphasized freshness, artisanal methods, farm-to-table goodness, and ethically sourced ingredients, but nutritionally, little change occurred.
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Spurlock's work included documentaries about One Direction, Comic-Con geeks, and life behind bars at the Henrico County Jail in Virginia.
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Spurlock's 2008 film "Where in the World is Osama bin Laden" explored the global search for bin Laden, while "POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold" focused on product placement, marketing, and advertising.
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Spurlock grew up in Beckley, West Virginia. His mother was an English teacher who, he recalls, corrected his work with a red pen.
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He is survived by two kids, Laken and Kallen; his mother, Phyllis Spurlock; father, Ben; brothers Craig and Barry; and previous spouses, Alexandra Jamieson and Sara Bernstein, the mothers of his children.
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