Back in January, Anthony Bourdain criticized Paula Deen for making money off her diabetes after encouraging others to cook food which can cause diabetes. It took her three months but Paula tells Prevention Magazine this month that Anthony's words were very very cruel. ”I thought, oh my gosh, what hospital did he just get out of?…People out there with diabetes haven’t chosen this. It’s not their fault. I thought that was very, very cruel.” No one chooses diabetes, but there are choices you can make which can lead to some types of diabetes which is what Paula's cooking can lead to and it did for her and for which she is now paid.
In the magazine she did not talk about the cruel remarks supposedly made by herself and her brother at the restaurant they own in Georgia. Calling someone the N word is way way crueler than what Anthony said.
Okay, really didn't choose to be a diabetic, with all her fatty foods. There have been definate links between fatty, highly processed foods and the onset of diabetes. Maybe she should get her facts straight before she starts flapping her yap. I agree there are types of diabetes that are genetic and can't be helped. but please, her diet. Wake up!
ReplyDeletePaula, Paula, Paula.....you can't play the victim role when you did this to yourself and public ally announced you had no plans to change your diet so you can get off the medication. Tony Bourdaine wasn't being a mean, cruel person. He was saying what everyone should be telling you.
ReplyDeleteDumb ass.
So basically, she is taking the Lindsay Lohan approach. "It's not my fault, why do bad things happen to good people, and why is Anthony picking on me."
ReplyDeleteI can't stand her crazy eyes and her obsession with "BOOTER AND ORAL". My mom is a big fan of hers and I just can't understand it.
Well, I love her hairstyle and makeup. Both always seem to be spot-on and very flattering and youthful.
ReplyDeleteI watch her show sometimes, but I don't think I ever made one of her recipes. I think it's OK to eat Paula-style food once in a while. But as a regular diet, I feel bloated just thinking about it.
diabetes mellitus (Type 1) is not anyone's fault but Type 2 risk factors are obesity, physical inactivity, high-fat diet, high alcohol intake, as well as age. If you are healthy and generally take care of yourself it is not likely you will develop it. Yes, still a chance but much more unlikelier than someone like say, Paula Deen. I agree @Patty, her food looks pretty good sometimes and I don't think its a bad thing to indulge in it once in awhile...but to outright deny that diabetes can be caused by it's victim's lifestyle is dishonest at best, dangerous at worst.
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ReplyDeleteI'd like to know who actually chooses to be a diabetic? Just because Paula has fatty foods on her show doesn't mean she's promoting diabetes, deserves diabetes, or is responsible for anyone else getting diabetes. If she was chopping broccoli no one would watch. That's the reality. Just because Enty talks about bacon all the time doesn't mean he's responsible for how much fat we eat and it doesn't mean he's pro-fat.
ReplyDeleteThe reality is the Food Network is an entertainment network. If people aren't entertained, they won't watch. People are responsible for themselves. Is Bourdain responsible for any of his viewers becoming pretentious, arrogant assholes?
Love it when Kristin Wiig does Paula - "booter and awl".
ReplyDeleteI think what Anthony said was right. Paula didn't ask for diabetes and she isn't forcing people to make and eat her food, however, the fact that she CHOOSE to tell everyone that she had diabetes 3 YEARS after being diagnosed because she's a spokeswomen for a diabetic medicine is shady. I used to be a fan but if you're going to use your health as a way to get pity and make money, you just lost me. If she had kept it to herself, she wouldn't have this problem. IMO
ReplyDeleteWhat Jennifer H. said.
ReplyDeleteAnd the racist remarks are alleged; let's not forget that.
I made a cheese dip spread thing of hers for a party back in 2003 or something. Everyone ate it and raved but I wouldn't touch it. I knew that it was just a bunch of shredded cheese mixed with mayo.
ReplyDeleteJust found it. Here are the ingredients:
2 cups mayonnaise
2 cups grated Colby cheese
2 cups chopped onion
Dash hot red pepper sauce
Dash Worcestershire sauce
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix all ingredients together and place in a pie plate or any baking dish. Bake until golden brown on top, approximately 30 minutes. Serve with crackers or bagel chips.
holy hell, 2 cups of mayonnaise!!
ReplyDeleteYeah, (not defending Paula here...I'm neutral on her sitch) but I always had the impression Bourdain smokes and drinks his ass off (probably among other things) so what's the fucking difference?
ReplyDeleteLung/throat cancer is better than diabetes?
Please.
Oh come on. Anthony Bourdain didn't get lung cancer, spend 3 years working out a deal with a cancer medication company, then announce he has cancer and oh by the way, everyone should use this new drug.
DeleteHe also (supposedly, I think I saw it on his twitter) quit smoking when his daughter was born.
There is certainly a lot that she can be criticized Ms. Deen for. I am just not sure that a chain smoking, mean spirited drunk who loves pork really has any room on the higher ground he wishes to stand on.
ReplyDeleteLet's be careful, not fat is prompting diabetes but sugar and high processed carbohydrates. It is called bloodsugar for a reason. And these two factors are pushing insulin production.
ReplyDeleteFat alone doesn't make "fat" and ill. It is the combination with sugar/carbohydrates. I'm not a low carb advocate but I highly recommend wholemeal products (bread, pasta)for a healthy living.
(end of announcement ;-))
I worked for a chef who was a classmate of Bourdain's at culinary school and he confirmed my suspicions that he was a first class, condescending prick. You guys make very good points on the fact that neither of them have healthy lifestyles...true of a good chunk of America.
ReplyDeleteI think Paula has a huge opportunity to recognize that her style of food can and does contribute to this health issue and instead of saying, "Here take this drug, it helps" she could start showing people how to make delicious, and yet healthier food. Rather than doing the denial thing.
Tony quit smoking years ago, when his daughter was born. AND he's not a spokesman for a cancer drug, or a drug to stop you drinking. The point he made was that she waited to tell people that she had diabetes until AFTER she signed a deal to sell a diabetes drug. Yes her recipes could cause diabetes, but so could her sugary-sweet accent. And I like Paula and used to cook like her (being Southern and all) but that doesn't change the facts.
ReplyDeletePaula has said there will be some healthier foods in her show. Of course "healthier" could be 1 cup of mayo instead of 2, so who knows. I can't see that working out so much because "healthy" isn't why people watch her show or go to her restaurant.
ReplyDeleteAs for the diabetes medication, I think it was good of her to discuss her own problems with diabetes. The easy road would have been not to say anything. Plus, she has always said the food on her show was not intended to be eaten everyday.
There is a far greater link between high carbohydrate foods (regardless of their fat level) and diabetes than high-fat alone. Unfortunately Paula's food is both high-fat and high-carbohydrate which is as bad as it can be. But there's so much misinformation on nutrition information, and the gvmt continually pushing corn products just makes everything worse.
ReplyDeleteWhich isn't to say Paula is faultless here. She hid her diabetes for years, which seems purposely deceptive.
I'm sure celebrity endorsements work since so many companies use them, but seriously. Do you really hold all of the celebrities out there who hawk shit to this same moral ground as Paula Deen? She's not forcing people to eat her fatty food or to cook her way. It's just part of her schtick. I really don't give a shit that she kept her health private for three years. That's her business. I don't know. The uproar over this woman is laughable. I just don't get it. And Bourdain is a person I really love - I've read all of his books and watch his programs quite often - but I do think that sometimes he needs a good dose of Shut The Fuck Up. His judgement of Paula Deen is meaningless to me. He comes off as quite meanspirited, actually.
ReplyDeleteBourdain goes all over the place eating copious amounts of crazy food that is delicious. He NEVER talks about the health content of what he shovels in his gourd. AND, he's often wasted out of his mind. So, really he's not like some pillar of healthy living.
Also, forgot to add that I read Paula Deen's memoirs, and I do find her story very interesting. She is a fighter and a self-made success story, so kudos for that.
ReplyDeleteAmen to that, Susan. And why should she address accusations of racism, especially if they're not true? It just extends the controversy, which is great for the people who don't like her. Guilty until proven innocent in gossip land.
ReplyDeleteTeam Bourdain!
ReplyDeleteThere is a lot of misinformation and misunderstanding regarding diabetes. There is a strong genetic componant to BOTH type 1 and type 2. Some environmental factors (like diet) or other risk factors (hypertension, overweight, PCOS, stroke, age over 45), may trigger onset for people with a genetic predisposition for the disease, but merely having a poor diet does not cause a person to develop diabetes. The genetic factor is further evidenced in that african americans, japanese, native americans and hispanics show a stronger likelihood of developing diabetes. Some with the genetic predisposition do not need the presence of the risk or environmental factors to develop diabetes, either. My father is a good example of this. He is 5'5", 150 lbs, healthy diet (not into sweets or fried foods, lots fruits, veggies and lean meats), walks 5-10 miles a day and before retirement, had a very physically demanding job. Cholesterol wasnt high, nor was blood pressure, but he found out that he had diabetes when he was 30. his father, mother, grandmother, and 2 of his sisters also had the diseas, only one of which was overweight.
ReplyDeleteI guess what I am trying to say is that it is possible that Dean's diet triggered onset of a disease that she had a genetic predispostion towards developing, OR it is possible that her diet had little to nothing to do with her illness.
And.. I hate this blame-the-fatty mentality.
Seriously? Why does Bourdain care? What does anything that Paula does have to do with Anthony? He just seems all up in her business and for why? Did he become the judgy judge of all chefs/cooks??
ReplyDeleteI just think he's being an ass because he's bored or cranky. I didn't ask for his opinion about Paula and I don't NEED him telling me about fat foods and bad health. I'm a grown-up thank you very much.
I think it irritates me that we expect celebrities to tell us right away-don't keep any secrets to themselves- even medical issues. We demand the right to know what's going on in their personal lives. Eye roll.
So what - she took some time before telling the public about her diabetes. Oh and that whole thing about her promotion of the diabetes drug - how do we know what was going on behind the scenes. Maybe she first tried other alternative methods, or another drug and it didn't work and then she used this one and waited to make sure it was really working...blah blah blah. My point is, it's her private issue, but if she choose to share with us and tell us what's working to help herself get healthier, more power to her. I suspect if Mario Botali did this, Anthony would congratulate him on being magnanimous and forthright.
It's crazy how many doctors comment on this site!!!
ReplyDeleteIf she does public service type ads for the drug and they are preventative and she takes responsibility for what happened to her and explains how people can prevent it through proper diet, exercise, etc., then that's ok. But if her ads are purely to have her picture beside a pill and there's no talk about preventative measures, then she's kind of a scumbag and will do anything for a cheque.
ReplyDelete@Susan, you raise a good point about our expectations of an endorser but I'll disagree with you (but just a little). Kirstie Alley has been ripped apart for endorsing Jenny Craig and then gaining all the weight back but that was after the fact, it'd be laughable if they had her back. Cosmetic companies have been sued because their ads featured models not actually wearing their product so now models/actresses in hair colour ads must have had their hair coloured with that product, must use the mascara, etc. And sometimes a moisturizer ad gets pulled because the ad has been heavily photoshopped.
So sometimes ads or endorsers are held accountable. My points are kind of all over the place.
So she's profiting off her diabetes (hence the point of Bourdain's joke) - so what? A lot of people turn their limitations into a career in one way or another. And yes, the remarks are alleged...but if true, Paula seriously sucks.
ReplyDelete@Maja... if that comment is for me, I assume your comment was intended to be tongue in cheek, but I will respond anyway. I am not a doctor. I come from a long line of them, however, and my step father is a heath director and owns/runs a clinic. I am studying bio and psychology, as well.
ReplyDeleteI always felt she was a pig the way she would eat her food. They look like shovels the way she would pile it up on her spoon. Especially dessert she would really pile it up and Yummy Yummy she would eat it with gusto.
ReplyDeleteThe woman made MONEY off promoting and endorsing food that is high enough in fat AND carbs to give a donkey diabetes let alone a human. And she did this while suffering from a disease that indirectly was caused by those foods and yet continued to promote the hell out of em.
ReplyDeleteThis makes her a disingenuous asshole, no matter how you wanna look at it. period.
Bourdain isnt the focus here, what he does is irrelevant to what Paula Deen did. And her Lohan-esque victim explanation is bullshit.
I'm kind of on the fence about Paula after all her recent press on this and other aspects of her businesses but I think Bourdain is entitled to say what he thinks--just like anyone else--and it means just as much as what anyone else says. I would be more inclined to excuse some of the questionable stuff about her illness if she did some kind of public service or health related work for free rather than turning a profit but really it's her choice--and if people find her endorsement meaningful given how this all came out---so be it.
ReplyDeleteTeam Bourdain here. And what Jasmine said is absolutely spot on. Look, I love the "Two Fat Ladies" like nobody's business, and they were proud of who they were and what they cooked. They still didn't fix anything with even half the fat, calories, or sugar content as a Paula Deen creation, and they were much stronger, sturdier, better people than Paula is. Jennifer may have died rather young, but Clarissa's still going strong and she could probably outrun Paula any day of the week.
ReplyDeleteI also find it hilarious that Paula thinks she can talk about being an expert on diabetes after having it for just three years. Yeah, whatever, you fake, loud-mouthed hag. I grew up with a diabetic mom (she was diagnosed before I was born) and I remember what our normal eating habits were like while growing up. I would say I know considerably more about diabetes management and care than Paula could ever know in her entire life, so don't go lecturing me with your beginners-level bullcrap.
Oh, and Anthony Bourdain's never been known to suffer fools gladly. And he's entitled to be pissed off at what a celebrity food personality does because he is a trained chef and major foodie who hates what the Food Network has turned into. He's also long since buried the hatchet with Emeril Lagasse, whom he used to snark on until he met up with people who made him re-evaluate Emeril, and when Bourdain did his "No Reservations" episode from New Orleans one of the special guests was Lagasse. Also, he was effusive with praise over Bobby Flay's signature restaurant in Vegas back when he visited the Sin City with a fellow chef friend of his from NYC, and admitted that he was wrong about his perceptions of what that restaurant would be like.
I agree with those who rip her on this issue. It's more than entertainment, what she does. It encourages sh*t eating. Yes, it's up to the eater to decide to make/eat it or not. But 99% of what she cooks is SO BAD for you. To knowingly push food that causes things like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes...that's one thing. But to do so AFTER you get diabetes (probably because of your piss poor diet), then quietly sign a contract for a diabetes drug, then make money pushing the diabetes drug while you're pushing the food that causes diabetes (disingenuously making $$ from both sides)...UGH. Ask Luther Vandross about her food. Oh, that's right, you can't.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm not a fan of Bourdain's either.
Come to think of it, most of these food people are messed up. There's those 2, the bj queen, no-tip Ray Ray....
& I agree that almost all the celebrity spokespeople are whores. I wouldn't have a problem with someone who's really struggling to get roles doing a pharma commercial...but Claire Daines/Latisse? Lost respect for her. The celebrity dieters...you know most of them are going to put the weight back on. The worst are those who shill for the Jenny Craig-type plans (food delivery isn't a long-term option for those who aren't wealthy...it's not real world).
ReplyDeleteAll these gals with the makeup. They're using Revlon and Olay? More like La Mer.
@Jasmine - Agreed. It's about Paula manipulating the situation for her gain. I've never liker her or her gross cooking tips and recipes.
ReplyDelete"People out there with diabetes haven’t chosen this. It’s not their fault."
ReplyDeleteSorry lady but if you're eating deep fried twinkies and are grossly overweight, it most certainly was a choice.
@Lori: "I am not a doctor. I come from a long line of them, however, and my step father is a heath director and owns/runs a clinic. I am studying bio and psychology, as well."
ReplyDeleteYou should have stopped after the first sentence. The rest is inconsequential.
Heh...I find it funny that the same people who pile onto Deen are the same sanctimonious individuals who weep salty tears for the folks who contract HIV/AIDS, even though most of those folks contracted the illness because of their own self-destructive lifestyles.
ReplyDelete@Llothos, who are those "same people?"
ReplyDelete