CB covered all of the news about Paula Deen’s diabetes announcement and the subsequent stories about Paula being a “food pusher”. While my love affair with Butter Queen Deen has subsided a bit, I still don’t understand why people were and are so outraged with her and diabetes. Should she have announced it years ago, when she was diagnosed? Sure. Was it irresponsible to keep her diabetic condition a secret while shilling buttery, greasy, sugar-soaked food? Definitely. But! She wasn’t force-feeding America, you know. She didn’t come into your homes and inject diabetes into your eyeballs. She knows her food is crazy. She’s always said so. And now she’s the poster girl of “Why Your Shouldn’t Eat Deep-Fried Everything Everyday.” It’s a teachable moment. You’re welcome, America.
Anyway, Paula Deen has a nemesis, you know. Anthony Bourdain HATES her. Bourdain has publicly insulted Deen, Sandra Lee, Rachel Ray, Guy Fieri, Emeril Lagasse and many others. But he always saved some of his choicest, nastiest remarks for Paula. After Deen announced her diabetes diagnosis, Bourdain took to Twitter with some pointed comments as well. And now Bourdain has a new interview with Parade, and of course he gets questions about Deen. Instead of falling back into his default nastiness, Bourdain decided to concern-troll Paula’s condition.
What does he think of Paula Deen’s diabetes news?
“I feel bad for her. But I would have made different decisions.”If Paula or Sandra Lee invited you to dinner, is that something he would do?
“Without telling anyone? If it’s not part of something cynical, then of course, come on. I’m friends with Ted Nugent for God’s sake. I’m all for someone who reaches out. I would be open. If someone invites you to sit down at their table in an honest, non-manipulative way, then sure, I’ve got a heart.”What’s the biggest misconception about him?
”I really hate to see the word ‘macho’ in any proximity to me. All of my important business partners are women and I am the product of Vassar College. But I can’t complain about any misconceptions. I became famous for Kitchen Confidential, which was very deliberately written in this sort of over-testosteroned pace I generally spoke with during the work hours of the restaurant. But, like a lot of chefs, I like to think I am a little more reflective when not at work. I can’t complain about how people perceive me. I’ve been treated well.”If the chef thing didn’t work out, guess what he’d be instead…
”Probably a failed, knucklehead criminal. The restaurant business taught me the really important lessons of my life, like showing up on time and respecting the people you work with.”
[From Parade]
“I feel bad for her. But I would have made different decisions.” That bugs me. Maybe I’m alone. It seems patronizing and passive-aggressive as hell. If someone was diagnosed with a different life-altering condition that was (at least partially) the result of their lifestyle, what would you think of someone saying, “I feel bad for her. But I would have made different decisions”? I guess we just be thankful that Anthony Bourdain hasn’t decided to verbally abuse an elderly diabetic. He’s just going to concern-troll her.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Ugh. Leave her alone.
In all seriousness what happened to the concept of bodily autonomy?
More basically, what happened to manners?
Come to think of it, what happened to the concept of “urinate or get off the latrine”?
Bourdain should either attack her outright, and take the consequences like a grown up, or he should stay quiet.
No passive aggressive, concern trolling, always-leaving-space-to backtrack-and-manipulate rubbish.
I love AB, but it was dumb of him to comment on PD’s condition. Firstly, she’s not the POTUS, so her health is not our business. Secondly, AB is on cholesterol meds–admits it on one of his more recent No Res shows. Again, I love AB, but seeing him on a celebrity gossip site turns down his cool meter a bit 🙁
In those last two pictures, is anyone else struck by how much they kind of resemble each other?
*squints*
*leans in closer*
Omigosh, you’re right! Quick, someone tell Bourdain!
When you say Paula Deen looks like Anthony Bourdain, do you really mean to say that Paula Deen looks like Katy Perry? Cuz she does.
When he gets lung cancer and his liver fails from drinking and smoking his way across the world, then it will be her turn to say she would have “made different decisions”. People always judge fat people because what they are doing to their bodies are obvious. There are lots of other unhealthy things that people do to their bodies but the result is not so obvious and just as deadly.
You’re right. I think the only shows I’ve ever seen with him not drinking some sort of alcohol is when he is some place liquor is banned. Otherwise if there’s alcohol in it, he’ll drink it. I haven’t seen him smoking in a while, but still, he doesn’t have much room to talk.
I thought I remembered reading that he quit smoking or at least curbed it, after his daughter was born. But either way, he always struck me as someone who didn’t own his past. He seems fairly open about the fact that if he didn’t clean his act up when he had a major drug habit he’d probably not be around.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. The day that AB simultaneously admits that he has had lung cancer or liver disease for a number of years AND announces an endorsement of a miracle drug that will cure you of lung cancer or liver disease so that you do not have to modify your unhealthy habits, is the day that AB is as dangerous as PD.
PD will shill anything for a buck, and deny that the products she endorses, whether it is her unhealthy food, Smithfield ham or the diabetes RX, has any adverse effects on health, the environment, animal welfare or the labour force. Although AB is on the lecture circuit, does a lot of tv, and writes, I think that he is one of the few “celebrity cooks” that has never endorsed pots, pans, spice mixtures, or more to the point, alcohol, tobacco or panacea.
I started smoking when I was 18 and though I haven’t had a cigarette in a month I still consider myself a smoker. And it is a tough habit to kick. I have asthma from it.
If I had promoted my life as a smoker as wonderful and glamorous, without ever revealing the private hardships brought about by it, I would be extremely unethical.
If other people looking at my example (heavily edited) and took up smoking, I would be responsible to some extent for their actions.
Famous people exert a huge influence, that is why they are paid loads of money to advertise products. Ahemm.
And saying that Deen is absolved of her irresponsible, deceitful behaviour because she never imposed herself on us, is incorrect.
Those we invite into our homes has MORE influence on us, not less.
He made a valid point about her selling an image that she knew was no longer who she was. Tony has always be unapologetic about who he is and has said time and time again that he lucked out. I don’t think if he got cancer from smoking would he try and hide it.
Exactly!
Tony Bourdain is the shheeeiiit!
No, she didn’t “inject diabetes into your eyeballs”.
But she did sign an endorsement deal with a company that shills diabetes drugs and continued pushing her diabetes-inducing recipes while hiding the resultant life-threatening medical condition until such a time as she could profit from it.
She is the literal embodiment of what is wrong with America. Don’t be such an apologist, she knows what she is doing and it is evil.
i agree with you. i never had a problem with her, just thought she was a horrible stereo-type with terrible recipes; someone to make fun of. the whole diabetes debacle makes her evil.
while i have never been a fan of the bourdain i will always love that he called GOOP a b*tch. i like that he lets his haterade show.
why do tv chefs all have awful personas/personalities? there isn’t a single one i can stand even if they have a real knowledge of food and good recipes.
Co-sign. Great comment.
As a southern gal myself Paula Deen turns my stomach with her fake-O drawn out southern drawl she can talk better but it wouldn’t pay as much …LOL I know I’ve been known to do it a time or two especially with I’m talking to someone who is making fun of the south..on to the subject….but she hasn’t don’t doodley-squat more the any other one of those TV cooks to build her fame…and sorry butter is not and never been a problem for diabetic…I’ve been a diabetic for 40 yrs now and use it everyday it is actually better for you then margerine…just as sugar used in the right way is OK also..its the complex carbs that will kill you……
I won’t waste a minute of my day on Anthony Bourdain..he is everything I despise in a man..the hairs on my neck actually stand up when I hear his voice (really it true) somewhere in another time and place I knew that man..and it wasn’t good…!!! Hes the pot call the kettle black in this story… can you say jealous….much….
Paula’s alright when shes not putting on a show unfortunately see seems to be showing all the time…LOL
Well, your 40 years of diabetes is certainly no mystery if you believe that white sugar is okay and that complex carbohydrates are bad.
Paula Deen is a coldly calculating, greedy woman who hid her disease until she could profit from it. She is smart enough to understand that the unintelligent Americans who adore her and who eat like her will eventually require the same pharmaceutical intervention.
Talk to a dietitian before you run your mouth sweetie…or read the last medical research on food and diabetes..you might learn a thing or two…Forty yrs of this disease and I still have my all my limbs , my sight and my heart and kidneys and liver are normal for my age of 65 so I am doing something right…….if you have this diabetes there is No magic bullet ..No one treatment for all or one diet for all..each person is different…one study sugar is bad. another study sugar is good yet another study recommend more studies…I know what triggers my diabetes and what doesn’t so I would not have make that statement without know facts…..
A for Paul Deen I never said I liked her ..but she isn’t any worse then any of the others who are in her profession they are not out their for their pleasure they are out there to make money..
love bourdain. glad he is calling out these ‘chefs’, especially paula.
what she is did was so unethical…disgusting. her greed is nauseating.
I agree. She waited 3 years to let people know she’s a diabetic, all because she was trying to get a deal (it’s really more money, like she needs more anyway) on a drug! It’s very disgusting and pathetic. And all the while selling and promoting her super unhealthy foods. She didn’t care at all, all she wanted was more money. My dad has diabetes and it runs in both sides of my family, and it’s not something you play around with! It’s a very serious disease.
I love him too. I admire him and his show and that he gives insight into other cultures and food, especially since only like 20% of Americans have passports. Being a chef is a nasty business – and you can’t survive it without a tough skin. I dated (and lived with) a chef for about a year. The smoking, drinking, drugs, late nights – it’s horrible, and Bourdain has never denied it. Needless to say I’m not with the guy any longer.
Paula’s whole thing was planned – her son has his own show now where he tries to healthy-up her recipes. That couldn’t have just popped up on tv so soon – it was orchestrated to coincide with her coming out with her diagnosis. I would bet that more people watch her show than his. YES – people aren’t being forced to watch her or prepare her recipes. But I find it incredibly careless, considering how obese this country is, how powerful television is.
I’m with you. Paula Deen is disgusting, but you have to admit it was pretty obvious by her own weight that what she was cooking and eating wasn’t going to make you healthy! I don’t see anything wrong with what A.B. said, “I feel bad for her, I would have made different choices”? Why’s that concern trolling?! I think that’s damn filtered for the crap she pulled with her diabetes drug endorsement, 2 years after the fact.
A very expensive drug–which I assume she gets for free.
For a long time I thought she was just a harmless lunatic, but her business affiliations, the blatant greed and (if its true) the modern-day Jim Crow restaurant don’t sit well with me at all.
She reminds me of ‘Mom’ on Futurama.
this woman is not overweight she is OBESE and that was her decision, diabetes comes along with it and that, in medical research circles, is not up for debate, it’s fact.
she made her millions pushing one of the most unhealthy cooking methods (copious amts off butter) known to man, she should be ASHAMED
she’s disgusting.
ITA… I truly despise Paula Deen
Well I’m gonna outright troll her and say that I’m not sorry for her at all.
As for people calling Bourdain out on his bad habits: so? I don’t see him hiding them, neither do I see him behaving the way Deen did – hiding them until he can profit from them.
I watched Bourdain for years and have a sense of respect for him as he has always been open and honest. I understand the statement of the liver and lung cancer HOWEVER the man has never tried to hide either of those facts and has stated in many episodes if this “food” does not kill me the cigarettes and drinking will. Paula Deen was eating and making bad foods yet hiding that she has a problem by eating them. Not to be preachy, but A LOT of people have no clue about healthy eating. Case in point, the participants on Jamie Olivier’s Food Revolution the first season. A.) When Jamie asked the cafeteria lunch ladies where the veggies are they pointed to the french fries B.) The family that never used their stove and only the deep frier and stated that they use “vegetable” oil not lard. People turn to Paula because she is approachable and want to learn how to cook and let her be their guide but she should have been responsible enough to educate that her foods were not always “nutritious” but comfort foods that should be made on occasion not teaching people that this is how you eat everyday. All of the other chefs on Food & Cook Channel manage to discuss healthy food and make healthy food as well. I hate to say this, even Rachael Ray, discusses healthy eating options on her show and she manages to put together healthy meals and discusses using whole wheat pasta, baking not frying, using EVOO, etc. Paula should have just been wiser is all I am saying.
The hiding it until she could strike a deal is what bothers me.
Considering some of the other stuff he’s said, concern-trolling is pretty nice.
”I really hate to see the word ‘macho’ in any proximity to me.” I think he’s the only person that would use that word to describe himself. I can take or leave Paula. But is a grumpy old bully and always has been.
You know you’re really famous when SNL has someone impersonate you. Well, Kristen Wiig dressed up as Paula Deen last Saturday night, for “Weekend Update.” As far as I know, there’s nobody doing an Anthony Bourdain character on the show–sorry, Tony! Paula Deen may be reprehensible for the way she and her brother “Bubba” treated Bubba’s general manager, and her diabetes drug-shilling, but she has an empire. You’ve got your little niche. (I am an A.B. fan, BTW–can’t get enough of him or his Ramones-lookalike wife!)
So Paula Dean had a show got diabetes and was supposed to cook diabetic recipes on her show? Really stupid thought process. And for your information fat does not cause diabetes. And she has every right to keep cooking the way she does diabetes or no diabetes. It is a free market place. If you are not in tune with what she is doing don’t watch her show or take her medication. Simple.
Antony Bourdain is an ex heroin junkie who chains smokes and drinks like a fish and eats a lot of food. And has a good metabolism. And he would have made different decisions. What a self righteous idiot.He is a typical elitist.
Totally agree with all of this.
^^^ YES.
He is an arrogant sh!t. A Jack@$$. A mean, nasty git. And I totally have the biggest crush on him. I can’t help myself.
I don’t find his comments very insulting. He’s a bit rough in his delivery but he’s entitled to his opinion, although he’d probably fare better if he just kept quiet and did his thing.
I’ve always loved A.B. — my family and I would watch his global show growing up. The expat feel and his unvarnished attitude spoke to us I guess. I only started hearing second-hand about Paula Deen once I was in college.
To all accounts, she seems like a nasty individual. I think A.B.’s restraining himself so as not to be mean about an illness (and not to comment so aggressively on a woman’s weight and, indirectly, age). Everyone in the public eye has to tiptoe around it but it seems to me (as a person on the internet) that she’s playing the business of health more aggressively than anyone I’ve ever seen…making money getting people sick, and making money from the chemical cure. SMH.
I never saw Bourdain profit from his nasty habits. He jokingly discusses them all the time–for instance, He said he plays a game called, “Let’s guess our cholestrol” with his friends. Paula hid her disease. Why hide your disease unless you want to fool people? It’s nothing to be ashamed about unless you are shilling some rotten food and her show/recipe books might take a hit in profits. So there’s a difference between the two, I feel. I think her decisions say a lot about her motivations as a chef.
not particularly a fan of Paula Deen… I find her to be a a bit of an annoyance actually, but why would she have to tell the world about her diabetes? She can hide it if she wants to. Yeah, I know that once she struck a deal with a diabetes medication, she announced her disease, but still, she could keep it as quiet or as unquiet as she wishes. It’s her personal healthcare issue.
I’ve always been a fan of Paula’s and it doesn’t change because diabetic. Just because she’s a public figure, it doesn’t mean she has to make announcements about her private issues in an alotted amount of time. Her health issues are her business regardless of what she cooks. Anyone with a SPECK of common sense can look at her recipes and KNOW that they aren’t something you should eat on a daily basis and even she has referred to some of the foods she makes as “something you can only eat once in your life”.
Another thing people have to remember is that Paula Deen isn’t just someone’s auntie or granny, she’s a BRAND. When you are a BRAND, you can’t just make moves all willy nilly. Everything you do affects that brand.
And as for Bourdain..just because he doesn’t hide his unhealthy habits it doesn’t make him “better”. He’s a jerk…simple and plain.
Also, WTH is on her neck?
it’s a microphone.
Ahhhh, so it is!!
I have no idea who either of these people are (I’m from UK) but that orange thing was really worrying me!
And are they blue contacts or real eyes? 😉
Love Anthony B. He makes plenty of self deprecating jokes about himself. Paula was a non entity to me until this gross endorsement move and the racist accusations. She used to seem like some harmless caricature but there is something less than savory about her to me now.
I agree. Nice li’l pun slip in there.
He is a j@ck@$$. No 2 ways about it.
.
I have never watched a Paula Deen show, I don’t have a PD cookbook. I do use one of her recipes I got off of food.com for Thanksigiving. (FYI…I grew up in the same town as her, but didn’t know her, but do have a friend who worked with her at a bank before she was famous.) But here’s the deal. we all knew her food was over the top; she knew it. She never force fed anyone. If you put that crap in your mouth because of her, and are claiming innoncenece and ignorance of the ramifications, you are one sad sack of potatoes. Get a life. Get an eduction. And take responsibility for yourself, and quite blaming some silly celebrity for your own bad choices. YOU are what is wrong with American today. Not Paula Deen.
Let me raise a toast to your post.
If Bourdain had a disease he would tell people and probably write books and do tours about it. He is unapologetic about who he is and how he lives. He hates lots of other chefs. He rants about Jamie Oliver etc. It’s his persona. Paula Deen made her own decisions and you can’t not know that eating like that isn’t healthy. Freedom of choice!
I think a main difference between the pro and con sides on PD is whether or not one believes a celebrity chef has some kind of responsibility to reveal their health information to their audience. I don’t think they do, nor do I understand how some of you think they should be. If PD had been serving up unhealthy food AND at the same time telling everyone it was healthy and nutritious, maybe I could at least see where some of you were coming from. But…in what world are celeb cooks responsible for individuals taking some damned responaibility for their own choices? Does anyone really think there are people out there stuffing themselves with donuts all day thinking it’s good for them because Paula Deen cooked similiar thing on her show? Her health issues aren’t you business. If you don’t want to cook her food, don’t, but let other people decide for themselves.
Oh and I just want to point out that as others have said above, butter is NOT a problem for diabetics. If you think it is, read up on the latest nutritional science and really, just stop talking altogether if you’re not informed on your subject.
GAH.
He’s Anthony Bourdain, he will always voice his opinion. He rocks.
A.B. bad boy attitude gets a little tiresome at times. I’m not a fan of the chefs that he pokes fun of but in a sense he’s being a wee bit of a hypocrite. He eats anything and everything, drinks like a fish, and smokes like a chimney. That being said, I do like his show and enjoy that he does not take himself or his profession too seriously.
For everyone who is stating that healthy eating knowledge is “common sense”-it actually isn’t.
I’ve said this before but I will say it again-in my job I review medical records all day and you would be quite frankly SHOCKED at how many of these people eat horribly, and they think that it’s ok. I’m not even talking about specialized knowledge like knowing which anti-oxidants are in which fruits and vegegtables or knowing that you need at least 35 grams of fiber per day. I mean that they truly and honestly think there is nothing wrong with drinking 5 or more full sugar sodas, and a gallon of full fat milk per day, and eat hot dogs, pizza, and fried chicken and mashed potatoes for all of their meals. Most of them admit that they never eat any vegetables.
IMO I don’t think it’s quite as cut and dried as some people are making it out to be.
He IS being passive-aggressive. And he DID make other choices, most of them were feckin’ terrible – he was just lucky that he gave up some of vices before they got the better of him. He just proves the point that there’s nothing more sanctimonious than a sober addict.
Like Paula I’m obese, although I don’t eat the foods that she promotes. I have issues with blood sugar and cholesterol, but I reckon that it’s as much to do with PCOS which is known to raise both blood sugars and cholesterol. So perhaps it’s just me being sensitive, but I do see that sort of bullshit that Tony is pulling as “concern trolling” (perfect description btw). It’s got shag-all to do with concern for the larger person’s health, and everything to do with being a smug prick. I wouldn’t mind, but it isn’t in the least bit helpful. I used to find the concern trolling irritating, but manageable. But when I had to have an operation last year I actually started worrying about the anaesthetic and my size, because of all the BS you read on message boards and “health” tv programmes – and I am not one of life’s worriers! I know intellectually that if my kick-ass surgeon wasn’t concerned, that and that complications were only in the region of 1%, then I shouldn’t be either. Afterwards I got so angry that other people’s hang-ups caused me additional unnecessary stress, it’s wasn’t fair and wasn’t helpful.
Because there is very limited pharmaceutical advertisement here in Ireland, I hadn’t realised that Paula was shilling a diabetes drug. That does smack of opportunism all right and I wouldn’t condone it either. But did she actually keep her diagnosis hidden? I vaguely remember hearing about her health issues a couple of years back.
I actually see Sandra Lee’s recipies – sorry, “rrrrussepies” – as being far more damaging to one’s health. Scamdra’s attempts at “dawling” up food is usually just adding more sugar/sugary extracts (or “aigstrak”) and what is basically flavoured monosodium glutemate to denatured packet food. And let’s not forget cocktail time!
“I feel bad for her. But I would have made different decisions” – Bourdain
No kidding. Deen made a huge mistake, imo. And she got negative press for it as well.
So would there have been a better way for Deen to have handled this? Of course.
Note to those implying that Bourdain still smokes, he doesn’t. He gave that up when his daughter was born, about 4 years ago.
I despise them both
I’m insanely attracted to this man. (I think the only time I ever post is when I want to announce that I have the hots for someone. :/ What am I, 14?)
I am too. But his wife would definitely hunt me down and kick my ass. She’s a kick-boxer:
http://blog.fightchix.com/2012/01/30/wonder-woman-ottavia-busia-bourdain/
I think he means different decisions about when and how to announce it. She’s admitted that she was diagnosed 3 years before it became public, and during those 3 years she was promoting the same sugary, butter packed foods she’d always pushed, which are very unhealthy for diabetics. And she didn’t come out and say, “I’m going to start making some healthier food.” She came out when she had a lucrative deal with a pharmaceutical company to promote a drug for the condition.
Call me cynical, but I think the old cow should have handled it differently too.
He’s ugly, up his own ass, and has bragged about his bad eating habits in the past. No room to talk.
Team Tony. Always.
I would rather go out eating Southern Style macaroni and cheese with bacon than Alzheimers.
No one lives forever.
Also…she’s always been a big old girl out there endorsing butter, sugar, and other wonderful tasting bad stuff. People who saw her rather large butt and didn’t put two and two together that the food might taste good but was bad for you are idiots.
I accept that deep fried mounds bars are not healthy and may kill me. It’s my right to live and die however I choose.
I have no problem with Paula Dean keeping the diabetes a secret because I assumed like every other old southern woman with some junk in the trunk she either had diabetes or hypertension. I didn’t think: Jesus, Paul Dean sure looks healthy.
I don’t agree with her endorsing the medication tho. I’m with her sons on that one.
I stared at that closeup of Paula Deen for a good five seconds before I figured out that that was a microphone. I seriously thought she had a pinto bean lodged in her neck folds.