When TV preacher [tag]Pat Robertson[/tag] claimed a miraculous ability to [tag]leg-press[/tag] 2,000 pounds, he didn’t attribute his dubious abilities to a divine blessing; he credited his “age-defying [tag]protein shake[/tag]s.” In fact, Robertson never tired of telling 700 Club viewers how they could purchase said shake at [tag]GNC[/tag] stores nationwide.
Pat may keep making audacious claims of superhuman strength, but it looks like his followers will have to buy their shakes elsewhere.
In August 2005, the GNC health-supplement stores began selling a version of that shake, which was produced by Basic Organics, a company based in Columbus, Ohio.
But the shake will soon no longer be available through GNC, according to Benjamin Pratt, a spokesman for the company. “GNC has discontinued our relationship with Basic Organics,” Mr. Pratt said. He was unable to provide further details about the decision.
The commercial shake did not lack for advertising, especially on Mr. Robertson’s show. “There wouldn’t be a Pat’s Shake in GNC stores if he couldn’t promote it on-air,” said Ole Anthony, the president of Trinity Foundation, a media watchdog group for religious organizations. Mr. Robertson advertised his shake on “The 700 Club,” “over the donor-paid airtimes,” Mr. Anthony said. “That’s what was insidious.”
Even with all that advertising, it apparently wasn’t enough to keep GNC on board with Robertson’s little scheme. It’s hard to say if company officials wanted to distance themselves from the crazed TV preacher, but the it did, can anyone blame really blame them?
The Christian Broadcasting Network will still make the recipe for the shake available online, so if you want to set world-record leg presses, you know where to go.