While, surprisingly enough, he wasn’t actually there in person to collect the dubious honour, Pete Evans was overnight awarded the Bent Spoon Award by the Australian Skeptics Society.
The award, handed out at a gala dinner in Brisbane, honours the “perpetrator of the most preposterous piece of paranormal of pseudo-scientific piffle.” Jeez, tell us how you really feel, guys.
Evans has had an eventful year, with his paleo-for-kids book, Bubba Yum Yum, facing heavy criticism and being dumped by its publisher over a potentially lethal bone broth baby formula recipe.
Eran Segev, of the Skeptics Society, said that it was not this particular crowning glory that won him the award, but rather, his association with high-profile anti-vaccination advocate Stephen Mercola.
Segev said:
“It is not only for his diet that he is a worthy winner, even though it can apparently shrink tumours, reduce diabetes, cure autism, stop asthma and reverse chronic fatigue.”“No, he has won the award for his support of pseudomedicine, his stance against fluoridation, and his association with rabid anti-vaccinationist Stephen Mercola – “the legend” as Evans calls him.”“Is Evans genuine? I don’t know. Check out the lengthy disclaimer on his Facebook page to see how he protects himself from his own pronouncements.”“But he is certainly influential, and he has a wide following, so when he pushes something of highly dubious quality or scientific evidence, then it has to be a worry. It’s all the quackery he promotes, some of it dangerous quackery.”
The disclaimer on Evans’ Facebook page reads, in part:
The information on this page is general information and should not be
used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease. Do not use the
information found on this page as a substitute for professional health
care advice. Any information you find on this page or on external sites
which are linked to on this page should be verified with your
professional health care provider.
Recipients of the award usually do not respond, or if they do, “take it as some kind of reverse compliment.” We’ll eagerly wait and see how this plays out.
via Fairfax
Image via Facebook
Image via Facebook
