'Fabulous Beekman Boys' spark outrage over pig kill
Fans upset that farming reality show went through with killing of Porky and Bess.
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This use to be my favorite show to watch whenever I had some down time. This episode was to much for me... I loved those pigs.. and I loved how those pugs loved them! Dont introduce animals into the show and then kill them off. Im so disgusted... I know its reality... but... I can never watch this show again. I really thought they wouldnt go through with it.
It is really about the fact that these pigs became pets and clearly developed a bond of trust with their ultimate killers. Eating meat involves killing animals and if you are comfortable with that, as I am, then do it humanely and honestly. Creating a trusting relationship with any creature and then violating that trust by killing it is simply wrong. Don't name animals you intend to slaughter and certainly don't train them to kiss you. What the hell kind of person can train an animal to kiss.... More
But, like someone else said... if you are not willing to kill it, you should NOT eat it!
i don't eat it myself.
however, they WERE very VERY wrong in all their kissy kissy on those poor pigs. If you raise them for meat, feed them and care for them, but don't coochie coo and kiss them. I agree 100% with the others who said lulling these two pigs in to a false sense of trust and security was disgusting.
that was a NASTY episode to air Planet Green... shame shame SHAME
"however, they WERE very VERY wrong in all their kissy kissy on those poor pigs."
Excuse me? You just sound ridiculous. They lived not ONE moment in terror or fear for their lives. They were slaughtered humanely by professors who TEACH the subject at a local college. Not for one moment did these animals lose their trust or security.
I applaud the boys for allowing this to be shown on television- an incredibly educational tool for those that HAVE NO IDEA what it is to live a.... More
Who will be their next victim? Goat Farmer John? Martha?
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Whose will be their next victim? Goat Farmer John? Martha?
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I happened to come across some of this episode. Raising animals for slaughter is one thing; making the animal trust you and then killing it is another. Disgusting! This is not true humane slaughter! Are they idiots? Voyeuristic sadists must watch and write this show. You kiss an animal then kill it, you are showing a disgusting, disgusting side of yourself. Why you have any air time I do not know. Do you think hog farmers make pets of their animals you idiots? I have not eaten pork.... More
I have been so inspired and educated on how amazing to create a pair of trusting pets and then hire some killers to kill them. My dog and cat are looking quite ready for the barbque. In fact, when I say "here kitty kitty and cal the bow wow", my Pavlovs drool kicks in. I'd appreciate any help on special sauces for pet kittys and dogs. Can't wait. Stay tuned for the next episode of Hannibals lectures on the art of pet eating.
I applaud the boys for airing this episode. For showing that animals can be raised humanely and slaughtered for their food quickly. For hopefully making some people realize that in order for anything to eat, something must die, even if that's a "faceless" fish or plant. Yes it's a harsh reality, especially when the food had a face. Instead of just quitting the show because they killed their pigs which they said right off the bat they would do when they got them, I wish you had gotten the.... More
I was at first charmed by the show but once they killed the pigs, I will not watch the show again. To me, it was not killing of the pigs but the fact that they had made pets of the pigs. To me, when you make a pet of an animal, you take on a trust to take care of that animal. The animal trusts back. To break that trust and use the animal as a food source is disgusting.
I stopped eating meat the second I found out how they are killed - no kidding - the second I found out. I just had always refused to think about it before. So I get wanting to educate people about where their food comes from, but you don't need to kill your own pigs to do that education. Show people what happens at factory farms, which is where most people's food comes from. By airing this "harvesting" of these beautiful pigs, you just gave people more justification for continuing to eat.... More
How did they kill it? Because what goes on in factories is crap. I didn't see this episode, and maybe showing them slaughter the pigs...etc is a bit much, but if you've watched Food inc etc, it's much worse off there.
When I found out the subject of that episode I wasn't going to watch it, then curiosity got the better of me. I thought it was eye opening, and realized that while these pigs only had a short time on this earth, they could have had 10 years of suffering instead. I think if given the choice they would choose the happy life. They were loved and cared for while they were here. We all have to make difficult decisions at times and we make the best choices we can. I think the episode was.... More
Surely all involved knew the potential controversy over the pigs' demise. I couldn't be happier over the respectful and even loving way it was handled. My father was 1 of 8 children raised on a farm which we visited most summers as I was growing up. Porky and Bess were loved in life AND in death, and there is nothing wrong with that!!!
It was not educational for me given the fact that I do not eat pork, lamb, beef. I eat fish a couple times a week and occasionally organic, humanely raised chicken. I believe the ideal would be for everyone to be vegetarian for several reasons, mainly environmental. However, with that said, the reality is we are far from that ideal and our diet is in large part meat-based. Thus, I think what they did was educational, important and appropriate. If more people did make a conscious connection to.... More
My only hope is that this made at least one person open their eyes to what they are consuming and alter their diet because of it. I am befuddled how Josh and Brent didn't. People can live without eating meat. Once you know that every decision you make to continue eating it is selfish and tantamount to murdering those animals yourself.
I have to agree with you. I kept thinking to myself "but it's not necessary to eat pork, and wouldn't that make them rethink their diet?" It's not necessary to eat any meat for that matter. But especially pigs. They are so intelligent and have the closest physiology to humans of any animal. But I think their showing it was good. I remember how a fishing trip I took years ago turned me off to even eating fish, after seeing how the fish struggled and fought so hard for their lives.
If people were required in elementary school to tour a farm or butcher as part of biology class, everyone would either have a whole lot more respect for the fact that we other consume living, breathing, creatures for food, or we would have a whole lot more vegetarians.
Next time your in California, drive down I5 and check out the "beloved" Harris Ranch, and see the way their NY Strips and Porterhouses come from. The way they raise and harvest their animals is criminal in my.... More
as functioning people in modern society, we have an awful habit of doing what is 'normal' and not thinking twice about who or what was compromised, and how we get the things we use. so, in short, yes, the animals we eat (in traditional factory farms) live terrible, miserable lives, and yes, you contribute to this suffering because you think steak au poivre is tasty. the fact that many people just DO NOT know these things troubles me. did you really not think of this before? i suppose ignorance.... More
Personally, it seemed bizarre to turn these pigs into little celebrities, giving them cute names and even teaching them to kiss for the sake of their reality show. I was so hoping Josh and Brent would have a change of heart at the last minute. They also have a herd of 120 goats and not sure how many cows which are kept constantly pregnant to produce the milk to make their soap product. The male offspring from the herds are of no use to them and there will be many. These calfs are torn from.... More
Josh & Brent, for promoting this discussion. People need to know that the humane treatment of your animals is NOT the norm, but it needs to be. Yours is my new, most favorite show!
I will continue to watch The Beekman Boys. I can't wait to see what else happens. I hope they show us how they milk the goats and make the cheese and soap.
If I remember right, they said when they got the pigs what they were going to do with them. It is a lot better than buying the meat from the store. If people only knew what is done to store bought meat they would think twice about buying it. Those of you who can't handle the reality of farm life should go watch the drama of Big.... More
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I am NOT willing to kill it, so I DON'T eat it, nor do I, as a matter of practice, drink it's milk.
However, if one were to eat the flesh of a formerly living being, I would hope that it had lead a nice life, was humanely treated and allowed to engage in natural behaviors and was killed swiftly and humanely. Based on what was featured on this show, these animals were raised and treated 100% better than animals who are brutalized in the American factory farming system that produces the.... More
If I didn't know any better, I'd think you guys have never had to take real responsibility for your decisions to eat meat. Do you think those pigs lived a worse life than the ones from the factory farms your grocery gets their pork from? Please. At least those pigs were happy while they were alive, unlike the wretched exestence your breakfast bacon had to endure. You want to get angry? You want to fan yourself in righteous infignation? Than look in the mirror. YOU are the reason this.... More
Tasteful displays of animal butchery are ok w/me...gruesome bloody messes w/out fair warning in advance arent cool.
People say this is disturbing and wrong and they are only in it for the money, blah blah blah. Those are probably the same people that watch crap like Jersey Shore.
Figure out where your meat comes from, how you interact with others, what you do to make money and how you conduct your personal life ... BEFORE you pass judgment on others.
Aren't YOU judging those that find this disturbing??? How do you know how they eat or condut their lives???
I'm disgusted! They named and cared for those animals as pets, kisses and all, and then slaughtered them, and talked about doing it all over again? Says so much about who they really are. I'm done, and hope their ratings suffer as a result.
Everyone is upset over the killing of these pigs... don't you understand that the meat you eat is the same as their pet pigs....you basically are eating the same thing - they just had a better life - the majority of animals slaughtered for food have a terrible life - the majority of them don't see sunlight until being transfered to the slaughterhouse.... disappointing how some of you are ignorant.
I love all the, "It's a working farm" arguments from the carnivores! They only had two pigs and a selected assortment of "farm" animals. I'll bet you wouldn't find many farmers wrapping boutique soaps into the middle of the night or tasting cheese with Martha Stewart or commuting to their job in New York City. Josh and Brent are in this for the money, fame and drama. Killing the pigs was part of their drama. This show was a good idea, but let's not stretch the real reality of what it is.... More
Farming has become a difficult occupation for people, especially so if they are small-scale farmers such as is shown on the Beekman Boys. The whole point of a farm like theirs is to be able to provide for yourself and hopefully make a little extra. If supplementing their income involves wrapping up soap late at night so be it. It's no different from someone selling products at a farmer's market, just on a larger scale. As for having cheese with Martha Stewart, Brent already had that.... More
I can't believe they actually went through with the slaughter. I'm not "working farm" material and I don't know I can continue to watch the show after this.
I love "The Fabulous Beekman Boys", and will continue to watch. With all the dire warnings of graphic imagery I expected blood at the very least. Yes, it was harsh to see the closeups of dead Porky and dead Bess, after we'd seen Brent washing them in a previous episode, but there was no squealing or screaming, which pigs tend to do when approached undesired, and we didn't witness the splitting of the carcass and subsequent butchering. It was very tame - people should see what goes on in a.... More
I don't understand why everyone is getting up in arms over this episode. This is a show about an actual working farm. What did they think was going to happen with the pigs? Besides, it's not as if they showed the butchering from start to finish. If people can't accept that this is how we get our food, then maybe they should go back to believing food is made in a grocery store.
...Is that people will stop watching a reality program about the 'reality of farm life' once it makes them uncomfortable. I understand it's upsetting to watch an animal get killed. But you should see how they do it at factory farms. Is that okay since you don't (and can't) see it? If this show was all about making cute soap and throwing barn parties, it would fall in with all the rest of the non-reality reality shows that saturate TV. I'm glad they chose to air this in the hopes people will.... More
The problem is they made the animals trust them. True humane slaughtering does not involve building a bond with the animal, and engendering their trust. That idiot even got the animal to kiss him.
This is appalling and immoral. To make an animal trust you, to lift your hand to tame it and make it vulnerable, then kill it. Give me a break!
Well they did break one cardinal farm rule....never name anything your going to eat.
I never thought that they would actually kill those pigs, so I let my 7 year old granddaughter watch the show. She was horrified and cried, she ask me if we were going to kill our pig? I loved this show, but after the killing of the pigs, I will never watch it again.
I'm quite surprised by a particular comment here.. regarding "having enough money to buy meat" instead of slaughtering the pigs which were raised for food... I find it amazing that someone would take the stand of being okay with buying meat out of a grocery store, where the animals are typically raised in horrible conditions, inhumanely treated, loaded and traumatized by being moved to slaughter, and pumped so full of hormones and other chemicals you really don't know what you're putting into.... More
This only goes to show how pampered and unrealistic most Americans have become. Many city folks probably think that hamburgers come from McDonalds and don't give it any further thought.
Farm Animals aren't pets. Farm's are business operations and have to be profitable. It's OK to raise the animals humanely, but sooner or later you need to realize the ultimate purpose for some animals is to be slaughtered.
That's just how it works. You don't have to participate, you don't have to.... More
While I did not watch this episode, people need to understand that this is the reality of life on the farm. As for Bridget's post, she states. "The Beekman boys have enough money to buy meat and they still went through with slaughtering these pigs after they had raised them from babies. It would be different if they were poor and needed to kill the animals on the farm for food." She should understand that a pig would die regardless of how the boys came about the meat. And, more than likely,.... More
I have watched this show from the beginning and after last night's episode I was so disgusted, I had to turn it off. A lot of my friends have said the same thing and will stop watching the show like me. It is a shame because all of us really liked the show. The Beekman boys have enough money to buy meat and they still went through with slaughtering these pigs after they had raised them from babies. It would be different if they were poor and needed to kill the animals on the farm for food. You.... More
Paying to slaughter an animal or killing an animal yourself is basically the same thing. You are just not holding the knife, but every time you buy meat, your dollars support this kind of thing. If you really want to make a difference, then stop consuming animals.
