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Subway spokesman is still a big loser
September 24, 2008
Subway spokesman Jared Fogle shows Union sixth-graders the jeans he wore when he was overweight. His weight gain started with a Nintendo, he told the students. JAMES GIBBARD/Tulsa World
by: ALTHEA PETERSON Tulsa World Staff Writer
(Reprinted with Permission. This is not an endorsement.)
Subway spokesman Jared Fogle looks like your typical American guy in his 30s — dark hair, glasses, and about 190 to 195 pounds.
But to Union sixth-graders Tuesday, he was a television celebrity worthy of loud applause and repeated chants of "Jared!"
Fogle, who lost 240 pounds by eating Subway sandwiches, has been a spokesman for the chain since 2000, so he could only laugh a little when a student asked whether he owned Subway.
"No, I don't," he said. "But when I'm done with the commercials, it'd be a nice company to own."
Union students found that they had a lot in common with Fogle, celebrity or not.
"Who in this room likes to watch television?" Fogle asked. Nearly all the students raised their hands.
"Who in this room likes to play video games?" Fogle asked to a similar enthusiastic response.
"Go on the Internet?"
"Eat junk food?"
Murmurs of agreement, and many hands continued to shoot into the air.
"I'm totally shocked," Fogle said, quickly smiling and adding, "No, I'm just kidding."
It was these same loves, especially an original Nintendo, "the most awesome thing in the entire world," that led to his weight gain, he said.
"This is the old me," Fogle said, raising the 60-inch-waist jeans that he uses in commercials. "If there's only one thing you can learn here, I hope that you come away thinking, 'I will make the best possible decision, so I never have to wear a pair of pants as big as Jared's.' "
Jared’s favorite things
(As asked by Union Public Schools sixth-graders)
- Vegetable: carrots
- Fruit: pineapple
- Subway sandwich: Sweet onion chicken teriyaki
- Sport: tennis
- Celebrity to do a commercial with: Michael Strahan, former NFL defensive end
Additional photos from the visit
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