An Open Letter to Sean Croxton (and Jimmy Moore, and anyone else buying his stories)

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Jimmy & Sean in April 2013

Last week, Jimmy Moore paid a visit to the Underground Wellness radio show/podcast hosted by Sean Croxton.

Jimmy Moore has a new book out, set to be released today.  Keto Clarity it is called, and in addition to the various therapeutic uses, sure to be over-hyped, this book will include the story of Jimmy's personal triumph over regaining roughly half of his LC weight loss despite remaining true to livin la vida low carb.

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Tom "Fat Head" Naughton & Jimmy, July 2014

***  I have no intention to waste time on this book.  Unlike Cholesterol Clarity, the subject matter is unlikely to have much of a broad impact.  If you have any of the conditions listed on the jacket, seek a licensed medical professional who is experienced in the legitimate therapeutic applications.  If you're in it for weight loss, there's Exhibit A.  Save your money either way.  ***

Contrary to the delusions of Jimmy's "friends", I really don't concern myself much with what the man is up to day to day.  When the conferences take place I like to follow the Twitter feeds and the inevitable pictures that go along with them.  I occasionally look at his Facebook page and mostly chuckle from time to time when things land in the Inbox etc.  

Jimmy Moore has long since separated himself from the truth of events as they actually occurred, and lives in his very own fairy tale world.  Most in his new community -- paleo -- are unfamiliar with the pre-2011 Jimmy Moore and they believe the stories he tells -- about his weight, and, apparently everything else.   It doen't really matter to them.  Jimmy Moore has a successful podcast and he could launch careers or at least get folks in with the right people with that alone.  Nobody cared much at that point about his personal story ... he could help them sell books and whatnot.  It's 2014.  In the past almost decade since losing 180 lbs, Jimmy Moore has regained and relost well over 400 pounds -- 20, 30, 50 pounds at a time.

His weight was ballooning out of control in late 2011 and early 2012 by the time most in the paleo community "met" him.  It would eventually top 300 in the spring.  There was snickering and worry aplenty going on behind Jimmy's back.  And I'm not talking about these so-called haters ... but his friends!  His appearances at the inaugural AHS and PaleoFX conferences had many wondering  what was up with Jimmy.  He barely resembled the 2005 avatars he had reverted to using at least a year before (and still does!).

In May 2012 Jimmy Moore embarked on his most extreme n=1 yet -- "nutritional ketosis".  To the new fans, this was something believable and novel.  He was a man dedicated to solving and fixing his health issues and determined to lose this weight that had found its way onto his body like fuzz on velcro.  To those familiar with his history, this was nothing new as Jimmy had embarked on crazy extreme schemes many times before -- the most memorable being the egg-fast of 2010, followed by beef, egg and coconut oil challenge of 2011 ... oh, and throw in a full week's fast.

But Jimmy  reinvented himself with a new story line.  Instead of these fluctuations, fad diets, challenges and such, he now tells anyone who will listen about how his weight crept up 10-15 lbs at a time, slowly, year by year.  Try as he might to stem the tide, the pounds just kept finding him, his metabolism failing him at every turn.  He bravely and honestly faced it head on despite all of his mean "hater" critics!!!!  This one lasted as long as it did fueled by his supporters and a dire sense of urgency.

The thing about NuttyK as I call it, is that it is not paleo -- nobody can reach that level of dietary fat without consuming a fair amount of dairy and/or refined vegetable fat, e.g. the beloved coconut oil.  So much for whole real foods.  Stretches your JERF there too Sean ... or is butter a food instead of a condiment?  Why even Atkins is probably rolling over in his grave learning of someone essentially consuming his "fat fast" macros for more than a few days.  

Where my interest in this has always lied is that I care about folks getting accurate information, not gimmicks.  In the arena of keto diets, blood sugar regulation and weight, there are way too many misconceptions and outright myths being bantied about ... the stuff of chocolate cakes and steaks for example. .  Many -- too many -- jumped on his bandwagon, and the low carbers gleefully proclaimed "Jimmy is losing weight again!"   The "haters" must just be jealous now was the mantra to deflect criticism.  

And so it went and Jimmy lost weight.  Hand over fist. Hurrah!  The old Jimmy was back and people eagerly awaited his monthly updates.  By October he had shed around 50 lbs and seemed to gather steam rather than fade.  He had even been invited to speak in Australia, which he did, in November.

Then, on December 7, 2012, Jimmy Moore stepped in it.  In any real world his appearance on the David Duke radio program and what followed would be career ending. (Of his own doing I might add.)  The whole sordid mess is detailed here, but here's the bottom line.  Jimmy Moore knowingly went on the radio show of Former KKK Grand Wizard and unapologetic antisemite David Duke's radio program.  To make matters worse, two weeks later, he listed/linked to David Duke's website on his own website, as a low carb, paleo or nutrition blog of interest for readers to check out.

It was actually the website listing that got him in trouble, not the radio appearance itself.  Which is odd really, but after that whole episode and what transpired next, nothing in this community will ever surprise me.  You simply could not go to that website -- even if linked directly to the health article section -- and not know instantly that this was *the* David Duke.  Jimmy's ultimate explanation strained credulity, and mostly  his friends were like the women of NOW after the Monica Lewinsky scandal.  They just didn't want to hear the truth about Bill Clinton.  He had done so much for women, or so the story goes.  The cause was more important than a silly little thing like standing on principle (and I'm not talking about the political/legal stuff that followed, I'm talking about defending his actions).    As is always the case, the cover-up is worse than what actually transpired.  Jimmy Moore had his finger-wagging at the American people moment back in December 2012 and carrying over into January 2013.

Jimmy did what Jimmy does best.  Blamed the "haters" rather than owning up to his mistakes.  In the end, the paleo community largely turned a deaf ear and a blind eye to the episode -- it might otherwise get in the way of promoting their books on his podcast, and the community was in full "protect our own" movement mode.   Vicious attacks were leveled at me in response, but I don't suppose you are interested in those, would you be Sean?  If you had even just the teensiest clue of what transpired last spring you might not wonder why I "waste" my time responding to any of this at all.  But do, please, keep your ignorance.  It is, as they say, bliss.  

The way I see it, I did what I felt was right in informing those who were interested in the truth of the facts.  As Jimmy's wife blubbered in the background, she accused me of making things up about Jimmy.  Not true.  I related what happened.   She, herself, has lost all credibility in my eyes as she sat there in Australia while Jimmy told a whole new version of his -- completely documented on his blog to the contrary -- weight regain saga.  

I won't hide my deep disappointment with many in the community who still support this guy.  But I let it drop.

I'm not the one who dressed him in an SS uniform and Hitler mustache for a good roasting.  That would be his friend Tom Naughton.  Hey Sean, you got a few minutes?  Watch this.   Do you get the Russian spy joke?   

Most in paleo don't.  That would be the first time Jimmy's lack of integrity first caught up with him as he plugged the dangerous Kimkins diet and raked in thousands of affiliate dollars.  But he survived.

I got a bit of a chuckle at that one, while judging from the groans in the audience, they'd rather not have been reminded.  Jimmy brought it up again in a print interview in August with Paleo Movement's Joe Salama (it's gone now ...).  How odd, it seemed to bring up that almost forgotten controversy.  Ahhh, but there were books to sell ...

I can't recall mentioning it since, perhaps in random reference when someone else has mentioned it, or when I shared this snippet from Fat Head's hilarity.  But really, it had gone away.  While you gather up every quack, crank and snake oil salesman for summit after summit, Sean, I read the scientific literature and blog about it here.  From time to time I'm asked about Jimmy.  I've blogged about him, but it's been far more rare.   There's not much left to say about someone who has become a caricature of himself.

And then there he was, on your show Sean Croxton.  And you bring up David Duke.

Why?

I know why.   Because it's been more than a year since Jimmy ended his "experiment", and by the looks of things he's been regaining ever since.  That's why.  Nobody, and I do mean nobody, is talking about Jimmy Moore, and his ketosis experiment anymore.  Well, except to rightly criticize his slab of butter for a meal antics or note his significant regain.  Oh, of course nobody at Paleo FX (where you posed for pictures with Jimmy) would actually *say anything*.  But speaking of that ... did you think to ask your friend what's going on?  Did you offer him advice or to help him with whatever was/is causing this latest backslide?  Doubtful.  But I wasn't there and I don't really know you, so I don't want to assume.

What I do know is that you gave Jimmy Moore the "floor" on your radio show to tell his side of his "persecution" and what transpired in late 2012.  Even Clinton knew better than to deny once the evidence was in.  Only what Jimmy did was tell yet another version of events.  A version that doesn't match the first version  he told, the "evidence" that still stands on his blog today.  Evidence he provided.

Now here's why I care that you brought up the Duke thing.  You don't have to mention me, I am implied and everyone knows exactly who he is talking about. You set Jimmy up by saying "oh I read about this on the internet, and I've never heard your side of the story" (paraphrase).

Why?

You say you are his friend.  This was a pretty big deal at the time.  Did you not think to discuss it with him in person?  If you've read about it, then you most likely read it here where I did link to his side of the story.  The mind boggles at how you think he has never told his side of the story.  But this was a set up and, of course, you know he did.  Right?

So let's recap what he told you now.  He claims that "Dr. Duke" emailed him to be on his radio show and he received this email after he had returned from his trip to Australia.  Innocently without bothering to vet the man he appeared on his show to talk nutrition, and only nutrition.  And that was that.  He made a mistake, he had nooooooooo idea who the guy was.  He didn't vet him properly because he was too busy to even do a Google search or click on the website after his whirlwind tour Down Under.  Just get on the phone for a -- at that time -- relatively rare appearance on someone else's show.

After which you stamped your "black friend seal of approval" on Jimmy.  "I know you're not a racist"   Let me be clear here.   IF you are going to wade into this, then it would be helpful to know what Jimmy's critics have actually said.  I have not called him a racist or a neo-Nazi.  It becomes increasingly difficult to not believe he sympathizes with those causes at this point though.  Still, the man's heart I do not know.  I do know that he hides behind his religion.  It is a valid question to ask for the paleo types, what a Creationist is doing in a movement based on evolution.  It is offensive that you would allow him to once again accuse his critics of anti-Christian bigotry.   This makes you either equally offensive or a fool.  His behavior is certainly not Christian, and his accusations against others vis a vis Christianity are unfounded and inexcusable.

In version 2.0 of Jimmy's side, he left out a very important  part of the story.  Linking to the David Duke website.  This is something that is not in question Sean.  He did it.  Two weeks after the radio appearance.  There was Duke's site as one of 36 sites for his readers to check out.  That's pretty damning.  Oh but it was the health page?  Thanks to Wayback Sean, we can go see what was on the site circa mid-December 2012.  For the health and fitness pages we have October 17, 2012 and January 15, 2013.  These should suffice to get the idea:

Oh lookie there!  A Vitamin D article in each capture.  You will notice that Duke makes no effort to hide his beliefs.  He makes it easy to learn about him if the banner tabs don't offer hint enough.  There is NO doubt this is *the* David Duke.  Why there's not even a stethoscope or white coat on the man to give the impression he is a medical doctor.

Perhaps the better question than why I care about this would be:  Why is it that you don't care?

According to Jimmy's version 1.0 of events:

It all started back in October when one of my “Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show” podcast listeners e-mailed me about this guy they had discovered named Dr. David Duke who was promoting some fantastic pro low-carb messages on his web site. You’ve gotta know that I get e-mails every single day from people making suggestions for people I should interview on my podcast, so this was nothing out of the ordinary. Honestly, I’d never even heard of this guy before but I clicked through to some of the links my listener provided and saw some superb articles about why we need Vitamin D for optimal health, the dangers of consuming wheat, how cutting carbs can improve health and weight and so much more. In other words, it was obvious this guy understood many of the exact same ideas espoused by most of the other guests I have interviewed on my show. So I contacted him inquiring about whether he’d like to appear on my podcast for an interview to talk about his ideas on nutrition just as I do with other prospective interview guests virtually all the time.

Within a day, I heard back from Dr. Duke (that’s how he signed the e-mail) himself stating that he’d love to be on my podcast, but that he would like to interview me on his radio show first. No problem. Since I had been a guest on plenty of other programs before, I agreed to appear as part of his “Fitness Friday” segment on December 7, 2012. He noted in his e-mail to me that he liked my “down to earth explanations of low-carb, low grain, high natural fats and protein, essentially Paleo eating and living lifestyles.” Awesome!

Does this square with the version 2.0 you allowed him to "set the record straight" with Sean?  I'd like an answer to that, though I doubt highly you will provide one.  It's not.  Now Jimmy claims this all went down after his trip to Australia, and that Duke emailed him asking him to be on his show.  As these are both his own conflicting versions of the same events, you can't be blaming others for any confusion or distortion when telling "their side".

But you go right on along helping him blame the "haters" (grow up already!!) for his predicament.  He needs buzz to sell books.  More importantly, he needs the diversion so as to avoid scrutiny of the fact that his unhealthful diet is not even working for weight loss anymore ... and he's pretty much run out of carb-cutting options at this point.  His loyal supporters must be rallied in his defense against teh ebil!

There's a saying that there's no such thing as bad publicity.  I think that Paula Deen has demonstrated otherwise.  I thought long and hard over whether or not to give Jimmy the attention he so clearly craves by responding.  As you can see, I decided that I would.  I'm hoping that this time, the community is receptive to the truth and tired of the lies.  They'll probably prove me wrong and disappoint once again, but I gotta think there are a few more who will see this for what it is this time.  Just another shameless cry for sympathy ... playing the downtrodden victim, one more time.  Pointing fingers at "haters" who only expose the truth.  

For what?  To sell books.  Victory Belt and all the authors who received free advance copies -- they likely didn't even skim let alone read -- who will flock to Amazon to leave their 5-star reviews, must be so proud.  You, Sean Croxton, must be so very proud of your good friend.

That is, unless, you have actually read the links in this post.  Then I suspect that feeling inside is rather not a welling up from pride, but a churning caused by  something else.  The question is, what will you do about it?