Morgan Spurlock, "Super Size Me" Director, Has Passed Away at 53

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red carpet for the movie, "TiFF Super Size Me 2 " at the Ryerson Theatre during the Toronto International Film Festival
TORONTO, ON- SEPTEMBER 8 - Morgan Spurlock at the red carpet for the movie, "TiFF Super Size Me 2 " at the Ryerson Theatre during the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto. September 8, 2017. (Steve Russell/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
The documentary filmmaker is gone at 53.

Morgan Spurlock, the Oscar-nominated 2004 documentary director who documented his physical and psychological effects from eating McDonald's every day for a month, passed away on Thursday in upstate New York from cancer-related complications at 53 years old. Spurlock's passing was verified by his family. “It was a sad day, as we said goodbye to my brother Morgan,” says Craig Spurlock, who worked with his brother. “Morgan gave so much through his art, ideas and generosity. Today the world has lost a true creative genius and a special man. I am so proud to have worked together with him.”

Spurlock became well-known for his experiment Super Size Me. In the film fasted for thirty days straight and only ate McDonald's cuisine. The one other rule in the guidelines said that Spurlock could not decline the "super-size" choice if asked to do so at the time of purchase. Supersizing was a popular option, giving the consumer a giant soda and fires to upgrade their order. The documentary took the world by storm, resulting in various awards and accolades for Spurlock.

"Super Size Me" Architect Morgan Spurlock Has Passed Away

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 09: Documentary Filmmaker Morgan Spurlock of 'Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken!' attends The IMDb Studio Hosted By The Visa Infinite Lounge at The 2017 Toronto International Film Festival at Bisha Hotel & Residences on September 8, 2017 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for IMDb)

When Super Size Me debuted in 2004, the film became an international box office hit, earning $22 million, and it started a dialogue on how the fast food business perpetuates bad nutrition in the general population. In the period that followed its launch, McDonald's dropped the "super-size" option. Even while some school health courses still use the documentary as a teaching tool, it has generated controversy about its veracity in the years afterward. Some criticized Spurlock for not disclosing his food journal to the public during production. Furthermore, Spurlock was rumored to have been a heavy drinker. Many believe it is why his liver was so messed up when he was tested for the documentary.

Spurlock produced and directed about seventy documentaries and television shows under the banner of Warrior Poets. As the #MeToo movement grew in popularity in December 2017, Spurlock claimed he was "part of the problem." In a long social media post, he acknowledged a pattern of infidelity and declared that he settled a former assistant's claim of sexual harassment. In college, he added, he had been accused of rape. His documentary career was effectively over after that. Lastly, Spurlock is survived by his two children and the rest of his family.

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About The Author
Jamil David is a Sports and pop culture writer based in Houston Tx. Jamil is a Sports Writer For HNHH, covering everything from the NBA to the NFL and everything in between.