paula deen

am just wondering what others are thinking of the paula deen story.I have always liked her , liked her food too for the most part though I would not eat it every day..must say it does not look good though the way she held onto the diabtetes news for three years...what do others think?

I have always liked Paula Deen.  So what if she has diabetes?  Should she have a cooking show based on carrot and celery sticks?  Noone would watch.  I once made her gooey butter cake.  It was gooey and buttery and VERY sweet and I'll never make it again, but I enjoy watching her show once in a while.  The controversy now is that she is a spokesperson for the company that manufactures the diabetes medication.  I don't care.  I still like Paula.

californyguy


am just wondering what others are thinking of the paula deen story.I have always liked her , liked her food too for the most part though I would not eat it every day..must say it does not look good though the way she held onto the diabtetes news for three years...what do others think?

 
why does it not look good, it is her business or problem and nobody else.

Paula has some delicious sounding recipes but even with me being a southerner I just can't stand to hear her talk. A lot of her "drawl" seems put on to me.
As for her food I don't think you could ever mistake it health food.

It doesn't surprise me.  This is typical of most women.  They want to appear perfect, and don't want to admit having any flaws in public.  (That is why women wear makeup.)  In fact, the surprising thing is that she admitted to having diabetes even now, though that is probably because she thinks she can make some bucks promoting diabetes products.
 
She is a born-and-raised Southern cook (and a very good one).  Though I am sure I will get some argument about it, Southern cooking in general is not healthy cooking by present-day standards.  Because Southern food tastes good, it is very high in fat and calories, since the fat is what carries the flavor.  "Diet Scouthern cooking" is an oxymoron, since you need to artificially enhance the flavor of a dish to make it low calorie.  It wil be interesting to see how this all turns out.

6star, you're not getting any argument from me.  I agree with you 100%.

californyguy


am just wondering what others are thinking of the paula deen story.I have always liked her , liked her food too for the most part though I would not eat it every day..must say it does not look good though the way she held onto the diabtetes news for three years...what do others think?

 
I say to this as I have said to others, what buisness is it of the public to know what celeberities are suffering from. If one desires not tell the public they have diabtetes is that not their right?

It does not look good because she continued to promote foods that are Unhealthy-I Love them too-and only came out with her diabetes news when she gort a big fat check for doing so....does not say much for her character...  

What's it anyone's business?  It does not change the way she cooks.  We all know that tons of butter and sugar are not good for us.  Do we have to have a disclaimer read to us first?
 
It's her life and maybe she doesn't eat what she cooks.   She's a cooking teacher... not a Nutritionist.
 
Do we know if Emeril has heart disease?  Bobby Flay Arteriosclerosis?  Maybe Rick Bayless has been selling us his cheese laden recipes for years, is he suffering from hardening or the arteries?  It's none of our business.
 
Her doctor or someone close to her doctor released private information.    That was a breach of ethics and is where the problem lies,,,  not with Paula Dean.
 
What we choose to cook is our own responsibility.
 

it was she who released the info,not some doctor & she did it only AFTER she got an endorsement deal for diabetes medicine-the more I think of ot the more squirley it seems....,ethically challanged to be sure  

californyguy


it was she who released the info,not some doctor & she did it only AFTER she got an endorsement deal for diabetes medicine-the more I think of ot the more squirley it seems....,ethically challanged to be sure  

It was leaked, and that's why she brought it out into the open.

ces1948


Paula has some delicious sounding recipes but even with me being a southerner I just can't stand to hear her talk. A lot of her "drawl" seems put on to me.
As for her food I don't think you could ever mistake it health food.

That is my exact opinion, using almost the exact same words I would have. Who looks at something with a cup of butter in it that serves just four people and thinks it's going to be healthy????
 
And I am VERY glad to finally find someone who hates listening to her talk! I may be from the north, but I spend an awful lot of time in the South, and I have literally never met anyone who talks with an overexaggerated drawl like hers.
 
As for when or how or why she "admitted" to having diabetes...so freaking what?!? Last I knew, we had this law in the US where people who are not authorized by you are not legally entitled to know anything about your medical condition or history. She told the people who matter...her family. The rest of us? What business is it of ours? Does her having diabetes magically make her cooking less healthy than it always has been? Is it just because she is a celebrity that we think we are entitled to know everything about her life?
 
If my father and my stepmother can keep hidden from the rest of my family that he has Alzheimer's on top of his Parkinson's for over a year, why should I expect Paula Deen (or anyone else) to tell me every little detail of their PERSONAL medical lives? It's none of our business if someone has a disease or not, unless that person is us.

californyguy


It does not look good because she continued to promote foods that are Unhealthy-I Love them too-and only came out with her diabetes news when she gort a big fat check for doing so....does not say much for her character...  

What a load of crap.  Millions of people can eat the type of dishes she cooks with no adverse effects.  For many people, it's the combination of eating this type of food (in excess) and having a sedentary lifestyle.  For others, they have a propensity for diabetes, heart problems, or other maladies due to genetics.  I have friends who "eat right" and exercise regularly and still have medical conditions that I don't have. 
 
Who are you to cast judgment on Deen?  You don't know her motivation.  You don't know what consideration she made for her decision. 

Heck I am surprised she isnt hawking "Crestor" or "Lipitor" or some other statin drug with the amount of butter she uses.  BUT It is her choice to eat and cook the way she does.
 
If she is now promoting Novo  Nordisk so be it, no difference than an athlete promoting Gatorade or Ben-Gay.

Just this week i was told that i too have diabetes----don't worry--i WILL beat this--doc says i have been doing well on my diet and just need to kick it and i will get of a LOT of the meds i use and take care of other medical problems to--hell-i beat a ruptured abdominal aortic anuerism-i can beat this too!---in any case--it wasn't Paula's fault--or any of the other folks that developed the foods that i loved and OVER-CONSUMED that put me in this situation--it was MINE!!! I knew long before i ate it them that THIS IS NOT HEALTH FOOD!!!! I choose to eat them and blaming Paula---or my mom--or Noni--or ANYONE else, is a cop out. Fact is--you do the crime---you do the time! There is no way i can hold it against Paula for making a living and supporting a family--ON HER OWN i might add!--If WE weren't drooling over her food--she would NOT HAVE SOLD IT TO US! I say Good luck to you Paula--i support you 100% even if i didnt watch your show and did agree with Anthony Bourdain about you being a dangerous cook---after all--Tony's lifestyle is not exactly what i would call "Healthy" either!!----so--pour another round and don't bogart that joint,Tony and pass the gooey cake, Paula--lets do it one more time before i "reform" my diabetes ridden self and save my butt too!
 

<<It was leaked, and that's why she brought it out into the open. >>
 
Maybe so, but it took her exactly 12 seconds to turn it into a big fat (um, no pun intended, maybe) endorsement deal.  THAT's what I object to. Normal people who have diabetes are not fortunate enough to make millions out of it, they just have to suffer with it.

I agree with both sides on this.  People are responsible for their own lives and what they eat/do.  However, being a person of influence, I feel Paula should change her show to cooking delicious diabetic diet meals because I'm sure she isn't eating what she is making on the show. Talk on her show about what it is like living with diabetes and making sure you eat the proper diet to control it.  
 
I don't think this is too much to ask.  

 
 
...I think she was my favorite food network cook ,but no more..anyone who cannot see that she has done wrong/been irresponsible  has had one too many fried cornpone burgers ! 

Time to move on to Ina Garten...

californyguy


 

...I think she was my favorite food network cook ,but no more..anyone who cannot see that she has done wrong/been irresponsible  has had one too many fried cornpone burgers ! 

I am not sure what a fried cornpone burger is, and neither are you.
 
Is it irresponsible to post reviews on this site of restaurants that cook with full fats, that deep-fry, that serve huge portions, that load a plate with carbohydrates? Or should everyone take just a little personal responsibility for their own choices?
 
As for whether or not she should be allowed to turn her disease into a profit for herself monetarily when "regular" people can't...I assume that was a joke. Because by that logic, people like Michael J. Fox shouldn't be allowed to call attention to Parkinson's. Sally Field shouldn't be allowed to advertise about osteoperosis. Marcia Cross shouldn't be allowed to endorse products that help with her migraines. Kathleen Turner shouldn't be allowed to advertise for medicines that help with rheumatoid arthritis.
 
The primary reason celebrities sponsor a product or research facility is most of the time because they or someone close to them develops the disease. They choose to use their celebrity to raise awareness of a disease. If a particular drug company chooses to pay them to endorse their particular product, sometimes they do so. Sometimes they don't.
 
But before y'all start getting on your high horses about Paula Deen raking in the cash for her endorsement of Victoza, you should probably know that she is donating a portion of said endorsements to the American Diabetes Association. And to assume she is making "millions" is just ignorant. Neither she nor Novo Nordisk has said how much they're paying her. She and her family are also going to participate in diabetes health expos around the country free of charge.

tiki


Just this week i was told that i too have diabetes----don't worry--i WILL beat this--doc says i have been doing well on my diet and just need to kick it and i will get of a LOT of the meds i use and take care of other medical problems to--hell-i beat a ruptured abdominal aortic anuerism-i can beat this too!---in any case--it wasn't Paula's fault--or any of the other folks that developed the foods that i loved and OVER-CONSUMED that put me in this situation--it was MINE!!! I knew long before i ate it them that THIS IS NOT HEALTH FOOD!!!! I choose to eat them and blaming Paula---or my mom--or Noni--or ANYONE else, is a cop out. Fact is--you do the crime---you do the time! There is no way i can hold it against Paula for making a living and supporting a family--ON HER OWN i might add!--If WE weren't drooling over her food--she would NOT HAVE SOLD IT TO US! I say Good luck to you Paula--i support you 100% even if i didnt watch your show and did agree with Anthony Bourdain about you being a dangerous cook---after all--Tony's lifestyle is not exactly what i would call "Healthy" either!!----so--pour another round and don't bogart that joint,Tony and pass the gooey cake, Paula--lets do it one more time before i "reform" my diabetes ridden self and save my butt too!

 
Tiki:  Exactly.  We are all responsible for our own behavior.  Those of us who drink, smoke, eat and whatever, we do on our own accord.  I agree with you.
 
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN 

californyguy


 

...I think she was my favorite food network cook ,but no more..anyone who cannot see that she has done wrong/been irresponsible  has had one too many fried cornpone burgers ! 

 
I think you've landed in the wrong place.  The holier-than-thou contention is meeting around the corner.  It's difficult for me to read what you've written and look where you're located and not come to my own conclusions about you.
 
To suggest that you have some great moral authority to judge her actions, especially when you're not privy to the details, is beyond arrogant.  You choose to live in a state where the people are apparently happy with being told what to eat, what to drive, and how not to defend yourself, but that's your problem.  The rest of us are big enough to decide for ourselves.

Profit or not, Paula Dean has a big following... a following that might benefit from her paring with a diabetes drug firm. 
 
Same way books sell because Oprah says something good about them.
 
It's a good thing that is being done.

She is not holier than thou-she is a TV cook . Diabetes( I am type two) has come from our eating habits, drinking habits, but not her fault!I dont like her neccessarily, but lets be real, my friends! her use of butter could be more of a contributor to cholesterol problems. No one seems to bother with that!

To suggest that you have some great moral authority to judge her actions, especially when you're not privy to the details, is beyond arrogant. You choose to live in a state where the people are apparently happy with being told what to eat, what to drive, and how not to defend yourself, but that's your problem. The rest of us are big enough to decide for ourselves.
 
MERELY EXPRESSING AN OPINION....HOLY BUTTERSTICKS BATMAN!    

Perhaps so, californyguy...but while expressing your opinion you made it clear that anyone who doesn't agree with you is wrong, implying that you and only you have the inside track to correct opinions.

I wish that I could make some money with my medical problems..................more power to her.

Paula Deen is nothing but a self-serving profiteer.  I had the misfortune of seeing her at the restaurant show a few years ago in Chicago.  Other celebrity chefs were there signing books or anything else, and they were outgoing and friendly to the attendees.  She couldn't be bothered by anyone.   With her phony drawl and after seeing how she is outside of her TV show, I find her to be disingenuous- and the way she fawns over her sons is beyond creepy.
 
I wouldn't put her in the same class as Michael J. Fox, who has worked pretty hard to increase Parkinson's awareness over a fairly long period of time.  Paula Deen has really done nothing to this point.  Maybe she will, but my guess is that she won't unless the $$$$ are there. 
 
In the meantime, let's all calm down and enjoy watching Paula getting hit with a frozen ham.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btq3u7oi7K8

saps


I wouldn't put her in the same class as Michael J. Fox, who has worked pretty hard to increase Parkinson's awareness over a fairly long period of time.  Paula Deen has really done nothing to this point.  Maybe she will, but my guess is that she won't unless the $$$$ are there. 

And I didn't. But really, if you think about it, Michael J. Fox certainly didn't tell the world the moment he was diagnosed. And he didn't immediately start working toward increasing awareness. He waited eight years between diagnosis and going public, in fact. Give the woman a chance! Because you nailed it...your guess. My guess. Anyone's guess. We simply don't know, because we are not her. Sometimes finding out about a serious illness changes people dramatically. She could very well shock us all in the morning with an announcement that she's going to donate half of her net worth to the ADA. Or...she could prove her naysayers correct and refuse to give them any money whatsoever. The fact remains, we're all guessing until she actually does something.
 
I don't like her myself, but I find it silly that so many people who used to like her now hate her because of this.

I think part of the problem is that there is a huge difference in the public perception of diabetes vs. other diseases/ailments as felix4067 pointed out in an earlier post (osteoporosis, Parkinson's, migraines, rheumatoid arthritis). It seems that diabetes is seen as a "blame the victim" disease, they brought it on themselves due to poor lifestyle choices as opposed to having it befall them due to genetics or luck of the draw, as it were.

Not really a fan of her show or food, not my thing. Glad though that she is taking a tough situation and trying to make something positive about it. Like a lot of folks on here said, her personal medical info is her own business and if she wants to release none, some or all, that her prerogatiive to do so as she sees fit.

I've never liked her.  She just struck me as phony from the start.
But a diagnosis of anything is a personal issue- or was, now that she made it public.
 
That's fine that Michael J. Fox kept his information under wraps.  The difference is that he wasn't promoting a vehicle that is a potential cause of his disease, and that's where some people will see a difference.  Her show is really entertainment, and she makes high fat, high calorie recipes.  But she isn't telling people to eat that all of the time or representing that her recipes are healthy.  I do find it interesting that she reveals her diagnosis at the same time she as a deal in place, but maybe that just makes sense.  My judgment is probably clouded since I just don't like her.
 
 

Diabetes is and isn't a victim's disease. Some will not avoid it no matter what they do and eat, but there is clear evidence that dietary habits and obesity has increased incidences. Clearly people make their choices and suffer the consequences, but there are still a lot of people totally ignorant of their choices and consequences. The danger for those uninformed people is the message that a pill is the solution and you can continue on with your unhealthy and damaging eating habits. That's a message Paula Deen will send if she continues with her past recipe focus. I suspect Paula Deen even after three years is still in a state of denial. There is a photo going around on the Internet of her scoffing down a hamburger and plate of French fries. I'm an expert on this weakness and denial. I don't have diabetes but I still chase down deep-fried breaded pork tenderloin sandwiches after having coronary bypass open heart surgery. Only I am not a national figure in a position to influence anyone.

Anyone who didn't know that her food was bad for you is stupid. Whether or not she has diabetes, you should know that her food will give YOU diabetes.

Whatever.
 
She was a down & out single mother who by grit and gumption made herself a great success. 
 
God Bless America!

Greymo


I wish that I could make some money with my medical problems..................more power to her.

I hear you on that!  I would be a rich man (singing fiddler on the roof)

Today's headline on yahoo
 
Paula Deen Caught eating a cheeseburger on a cruise she is on
 
GIVE IT A REST PEOPLE SHE IS HUMAN

God Almighty, as far as I'm concerned. Paula Dean can do any damn thing she wants, as long as it's legal!

chewingthefat

God Almighty, as far as I'm concerned. Paula Dean can do any damn thing she wants, as long as it's legal!

 
We concur.....

I'll bet there's something y'all didn't know...

C'mon Joe.  Don't wreck Spider-Man for me.

Diabetes is a combination of genetics and lifestyle choices.
If you pre-disposed genetically but maintain a healthy lifestyle  meaning you work out, pump iron, lift weights, eat whole grains, lean meats, veggie's and fruits all the time everytime and for life, YOU WILL NOT BECOME A VICTIM OF THE DISEASE. HOWEVER  if you chose to be sedentary, or excersise haphazardly and eat poorly even if it's just occasionally,  whether your are 100 lbs overweight or just 10 lbs overweight, you will likely end up with diabetes at some point in your life.
 
Anyone who thinks otherwise is just fooling themselves

I went to her restaurant Lady and Sons in 2005 and had a great meal. She is a TV host and that's it. Provides recipes and cooking techniques. Some are great. Making her a role model is crazy. Anyone that needs to be told that eating food like hers everyday is good for you is just nuts. I am surprised she doesn't have more serious health problems. Krispy Kreme bread pudding anyone? I have suffered through here cackle and voice for many a good recipe. I also bet when you are in her presence you can hear her arteries hardening. I wonder what he grave stone will read. Please Pass The Butter Y'all....Russ

I like Paula Deen & use her recipes.  But, as in all things, moderation is the key.   If your health is not compromised, then you can indulge occasionally in high calorie, high fat foods.  But, not every day.  I bake once a week, not every day.  I watch our fat & sugar intake in cooking, but every once in a while we will have a fried chicken, mashed potato, gravy meal. 
I find Paula's life story admirable & enjoy seeing her interact with her family.  Let's walk a mile in her shoes before we are so quick to criticize.