‘Food Revolution’ may be nutritious, but it’s unsatisfying

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Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

Last season, Jamie Oliver tried to reform the unhealthiest city in America, Huntington, W.Va. Apparently a glutton for punishment, now the “naked chef” is tackling Los Angeles. The only real welcome he gets on tonight’s second season premiere of his “Food Revolution,” though, is on Ryan Seacrest’s radio program.

“Full disclosure,” Seacrest says on the air. “This is a show I’m producing with Jamie.”

My heart goes out to Oliver, who continues to get the cold shoulder in L.A. as he attempts to make over school lunches. “Huntington was tough at times, but it felt human,” he says on the premiere. “This doesn’t.”

Despite heavy promotion, his dramatic stunts — he fills a school bus with sugar — attract only sparse crowds. Even then, he’s preaching to the choir; spectators seem to be vegan or home schooling.

The Los Angeles school district has forbidden Oliver from entering any schools, although they say they’d except his input “sans cameras.” Of course, that wouldn’t make a very good TV show, now, would it?

So far, neither does this. The politely frustrating footage of school board meetings is anticlimactic, and we’ve seen crusaders show us where hamburgers come from before. If I may speak for the majority of America:

a) Man, that’s gross, and

b) Can you Super-Size that?

I don’t think watching Oliver’s descent into depression is going to translate into ratings. Sure, this show is good for you, but ask yourself: Do you really want to watch an exercise in futility, however vigorous?