Truth In Advertising

I usually stay away from stories involving actual illness and death, but this one was too good to let go. Usually the problem is that advertising is all about lying, misleading people, and creating fear. This advertising is none of the above. Says "Heart Attack Grill" and the guy had a frigging heart attack. This is actually brilliant - you can't even sue. They are flat out saying what they serve is bad for you. If you're dumb enough to eat it, you're dumb enough to keel over and die. Figures that in America this place would be a big success.

It really fits with Vegas because it's all about excess, but I've never associated Vegas with GLUTTONY or overeating. Who goes to Vegas to do this? I haven't been there in awhile but I thought Vegas was all about other forms of overindulgence. Time for me to change my thinking. Again. God I'm tired.

LAS VEGAS - Laughing tourists were either cynical or confused about whether a man was really suffering a medical episode amid the "doctor," "nurses" and health warnings at the Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas, a restaurant owner said Wednesday.

"It was no joke," said Jon Basso, who promotes himself "Doctor Jon," his scantily-clad waitresses as nurses and customers as patients.

Basso said he could tell right away the man in his 40s eating a Triple Bypass burger was having trouble. He was sweating, shaking and could barely talk.

Paramedics were called Saturday night, fire spokesman Tim Szymanski said, and the man was hospitalized. His name and information about his condition weren't made public.

Giggles can be heard on the soundtrack of amateur video showing the man on a stretcher being wheeled out of the restaurant where patrons pass an antique ambulance at the door and a sign: "Caution! This establishment is bad for your health."

Eaters are given surgical gowns as they choose from a calorically extravagant menu offering "Bypass" burgers, "Flatliner" fries, buttermilk shakes and free meals to folks over 350 pounds.

Basso said he hopes the man is OK, and added that he felt bad for him because tourists treated his misfortune like a joke.

"We would never pull a stunt like that," he said.

[Associated Press]