Comedians Mock Genetically Modified Chickens
Comedians Jon Richardson, Sara Pascoe, and Kerry Godliman have starred in a campaign video from Project Slingshot, targeting ‘Frankenchicken’ breeds. The video is part of Project Slingshot’s £3m ‘Don’t Buy It’ campaign, which aims to raise awareness about the conditions of chickens in British factory farms.
The sketch, directed by Simon Amstell, features a quiz hosted by Sam Campbell, where the comedians reveal shocking facts about the chicken industry. For instance, they note that 90% of UK chickens are bred to grow so fast they can barely stand.
Project Slingshot’s campaign highlights the harsh realities of intensive chicken farming, including birds spending much of their lives sitting in their own waste. The video also criticizes claims made on chicken packaging, with Pascoe saying “you can’t lie on a label” before being corrected by Campbell.
Accompanying the video, a series of adverts has been placed across the London Underground network for six weeks, featuring Campbell, Richardson, Pascoe, Godliman, and Chris Packham. These adverts aim to reach a wider audience and raise awareness about the issue.
Project Slingshot co-founder Naomi Hallum stated, “Factory farming has broken the chicken. In the UK, almost 90% of the 1.1 billion chickens bred for meat annually are the overbred, fast-growing ‘Frankenchickens’, who are prone to lameness, broken bones, and heart attacks.” Hallum’s statement emphasizes the need for change in the industry.
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They plan to increase investment into their campaign to £15m next year, which will be used to place “pressure on the food industry to be honest about the practices and outcomes of factory farming and on the government to tackle this damaging food system”. The campaign is part of a wider effort from Project Slingshot to end factory farming by 2040.
As the campaign gains momentum, it’s likely that we’ll see increased scrutiny of the food industry’s practices. With factory farming being a significant contributor to environmental issues and animal welfare concerns, it’s possible that we’ll see a shift towards more sustainable and humane practices in the future.
The campaign is also supported by Joanna Lumley, who called for Frankenchickens to be banned “because we’re better than this”. Last month, campaign group Anima called out Pret a Manger for selling frankenchickens, highlighting the need for greater transparency and accountability in the food industry.
The organization’s efforts are focused on raising awareness about the treatment of chickens in factory farms. They are working to educate consumers about the issues surrounding factory farming and to pressure the food industry to adopt more humane and sustainable practices.
Naomi Hallum and Project Slingshot are committed to their mission.
