A year ago, American folk legend Pete Seeger celebrated President Obama's inauguration by performing a rare concert at the Lincoln Memorial. Last night, the Biggest Loser contestants celebrated Obama's first year as president by storming the same monument for dramatized, Subway-sponsored weigh-ins. Fortunately for those that missed last night's historic episode, we've captured the photo highlights, including the money shot of the president biting into a Low-Fat Buffalo Chicken Sub.
America is so dissatisfied with the pace of health care reform that Bob and Jillian paraded their cast of Biggest Losers into the nation's capital last night to show the President what he is up against. Fortunately, Obama caught wind of the stunt and skipped out of D.C. before NBC production crews raided his turf, saving him of any accidental Jennie-O promotions. With the commander-in-chief out of town, BL marked its territory all over Washington as host Alison Sweeney played tour guide.
Jefferson Memorial-Washington Monument Headset Group Exercise
The BL crew kicked off their tour at the Jefferson Memorial, where Ali Sweeney explained that this Founding Father "wanted to preserve our rights as individuals" as an introduction to their individual challenge. Each player then hit the streets to entice as many strangers wearing unsuitable workout apparel as possible to gather at Washington Monument for a mass workout led by Bob and Jillian. The workout reached its patriotic fever pitch when Bob mounted a firefighter as he completed a set of push-ups (This really happened).
Capital Building Yoga Ball Challenge
After the Senatorial Summit during which Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Senator Robert Casey of Pennsylvania spent an entire afternoon speaking with the contestants, the group hoofed it to the Capital Building for more Immunity Challenge humiliation. While balancing one foot on a tiny brick, contestants fought to stand erect with a yoga ball over their heads because as Ali duly noted, "the key to success is balance." The yoga balls were then recycled during the contestants' last chance workout at the posh Four Seasons gym.
White House Step Workout
For the final stage of the immunity challenge, the remaining contenders raced to run 206 steps in front of the White House. The 206 steps represented the 206 contestants that have competed on NBC's weight loss show.
White House Vegetable Garden Pillage
The BL contestants roamed the First Family's White House garden, where they excitedly whispered: ''No wonder the President and his family look so fabulous, they're eating fresh fruit!'' Bob got in on the action, asking about Sasha and Malia's eating habits before gushing, "'They're got their own garden that they eat from, and that makes me love them so much. I want to grab them and squeeze them." Afterward, the contestants filed into the White House kitchen, where they prepared a White House salad with the help of the president's personal chefs. Both delicious and affordable, everyone exclaimed.
Lincoln Memorial Weigh-In
After Ali Sweeney made a brilliant comparison between the inspiration drawn from the Great Emancipator and each Biggest Loser contestant, the cast took turns on the comically oversized scale. Danny lost a mind blowing 12 pounds this week, all as Lincoln watched on.
No one wants to prevent America from reaching its target weight. But was it necessary for television's most exploitive weight-loss show to claim each D.C. landmark with the show's flag-sized fluorescent t-shirts in its war against obesity and Extra Gum rival brands?