Jason Newsom, MD, 38-year-old army doctor, returned home from Iraq and took a job running the Bay County Health Dept. According to an Associated Press article from May, 2009, he began a one-man war on obesity by posting sardonic warnings on an electronic sign: “Hamburger Spare Tire”, “French Fries Thunder Thighs” and even a frontal attack on Redneck Riviera table wine “Sweet Tea Liquid Sugar” all were met with at least patience. But then it got personal and Dr. Newsom got fired.
A county commissioner who owns a donut shop and two lawyers who own a new Dunkin Donuts threatened to sue if Newsom didn’t remove the signs and halt his donut rants. His own staff was angered that he banned the ubiquitous fried treats from department meetings. He announced he would throw them in the trash if he found them in the break room.
Already using “Doughnuts Diabetes” and “Dunkin Doughnuts Death”, he parodied the “America Runs on Dunkin” ad slogan with “America Dies on Dunkin.” That did it. The County Commissioner called for Newman’s ouster. Given an option of resigning or being fired, he chose to resign.
Newsom currently works at a prison doing inmate exams. He has reapplied for his job.