Back in January, Paula Deen announced that she had been diagnosed with diabetes… three years beforehand. Paula wrapped her announcement in an advertisement for a new diabetes medication that she was now being paid to shill. It was all pretty rough, and I think the whole situation made Paula lose many, many fans (including me). That being said, I really felt like the outrage directed at Paula was often misdirected and overblown. She never promoted healthy eating – she never claimed to, either. She didn’t force sticks of butter down your throat.

One of Paula’s biggest critics was Anthony Bourdain, who I have always considered a massive tool and one of the nastiest bastards out there. Bourdain is incapable of simply doing his job and promoting his work without disparaging, criticizing and mocking half of the popular chefs in America. Last month, Anthony gave an interview about Paula that I found particularly patronizing and concern-trolly – you can read it here. Anyway, Bourdain was on GMA yesterday, and once again, he criticized Deen:

The feud between food stars Paula Deen and Anthony Bourdain rages on. Bourdain, 56, had no reservations speaking out against Paula Deen, 64, on Good Morning America Monday morning.

The Food Network and Travel Channel stars have been engaged in a war of words since Deen went public with her type 2 diabetes diagnoses on Jan. 17 after keeping it a secret three years. Bourdain took issue with Deen for for her lucrative endorsement deal Novo Nordisk, which treats the disease.

“Thinking of getting into the leg-breaking business, so I can profitably sell crutches later,” Anthony previously commented on Twitter.

Deen spoke out against Bourdain’s remarks calling them “very, very cruel” in Prevention magazine. Bourdain addressed the most recent “cruel” comments made by Deen on GMA saying, “This isn’t about diabetes. Diabetes is a terrible illness that is epidemic in this country,” Bourdain explained on GMA.

Bourdain admitted “there’s a lot to admire about Paula Deen and her life.” However, he called her “cynical” for having her brand be “excess without guilt” when she knew “in a very personal way what this could and might very well lead to.”

“And then turn around and roll out a five hundred dollar-a-month diabetes treatment — I find that in excruciatingly bad taste,” he added. “It’s unconscionable, cynical and greedy. Thirty million dollars a year. How much money do you need?”

Season eight of Bourdain’s No Reservations premieres Monday night on Travel Channel at 9 p.m. ET.

[From Us Weekly]

I disagree with Anthony’s premise – was Paula’s brand about “excess without guilt”? Really? Or was it just “If you choose to have excess, here’s all of the butter-soaked meals you could have!”? I also disagree with the premise/idea that Paula had a larger, public responsibility to become a diabetes advocate – she wasn’t running for public office, you know. She’s not the surgeon general. She’s a Southern cook, and people make the choice whether or not to cook her food. I think of Paula as a purveyor of aspirational eating, as in that’s what people would love to eat if they didn’t know or care about how bad it was for their health. And what’s the difference between Paula’s “irresponsibility” for pushing aspirational eating and, say, Anna Wintour’s “irresponsibility” for pushing aspirational fashion in this recession? Try personal responsibility. Stop looking for excuses to verbally abuse an elderly diabetic woman.

Photos courtesy of WENN.

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.

Paula Deen was all over the place yesterday making the announcement that she has type 2 diabetes and is the new spokeswoman for a diabetes treatment from Novo Nordisk. On the Today Show, Paula admitted that she was diagnosed with the metabolic disorder three years ago, and defended her decision to delay the announcement. Al Roker asked her why she took so long to tell everyone about her diagnosis and she said that she waited because she had “nothing to give to my friends out there.” She meant that she had nothing to market to her audience. As for whether the incredibly unhealthy food she cooks has anything to do with her disorder, she was cagey and said “certainly Al, that is part of the puzzle, but there’s many other things that can lead to diabetes. Certainly genetics, certainly your life style, certainly what you eat, certainly stress. And last but not least is age.” Then she went on to talk about baby boomers and launch yet another pitch for her diabetes program.

One of Paula’s biggest detractors, fellow celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, has weighed in on this story. He initially gave a kind of measured response in an interview with Eater.com, wondering aloud how long she’s known about it. He was wrong that she wasn’t going to own up to knowing about it for three years though:

What’s your take on Paula Deen supposedly announcing that she has Diabetes and that she landed a multimillion-dollar deal to be the spokeswoman for a pharmaceutical company to endorse a drug she’s taking?
I feel bad. But this entire weekend people have been calling looking for quotes. I guess it’s a moderate interest. I mean, how long has she known?

It’s odd because she was on Dr. Oz last month, and she never mentioned diabetes. Instead she just owned up to smoking cigarettes for 50 years.
We can look forward to People or Us magazine running the cover story, “I’m back” usual rehab story private hell. Clearly this has been coming for a while. She’s been looking for ways to position herself. Is she really going to be selling the cure now? Or will she back off for a decent interval? I take no pleasure in it. There ain’t nothing funny about Diabetes.

So if true, would you agree that it’s hypocritical?
When your signature dish is hamburger in between a doughnut, and you’ve been cheerfully selling this stuff knowing all along that you’ve got Type 2 Diabetes… It’s in bad taste if nothing else. How long has she known? I suspect a very long time. On Tuesday when she announces it, it’ll be to say I just got diagnosed… Al Roker won’t be asking her how long she’s known. I don’t think people will press that issue.

[From Eater.com]

Then on Twitter, Bourdain wrote “Thinking of getting into the leg-breaking business, so I can profitably sell crutches later.” He later clarified that he “Never called anybody a ‘diabetic scam artist’. TMZ’s words. Not mine.”

My previous opinion of Paula up to this point was neutral to positive. She sells this down home sweet image while making food that’s tasty but outrageously bad for you. Maybe it’s a gimmick, maybe she doesn’t really eat much of it herself as she claims. She seems to have eaten enough of it to have seriously affected her health. She’s obviously a smart businesswoman, and a crafty one too. The lady knows how to shill products and market herself, and she kept up the same unhealthy schtick until she had enough endorsements and deals lined up to make the transition into the next one.

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Photo credit: WENN.com

I cannot believe how many people took Anthony Bourdain’s side in his battle against Paula Deen. Long Live The Deen! Y’all better recognize. But many of you disagreed with my assessment that Bourdain is a surly jackass looking to pick a fight with anyone over anything, and that Paula defended herself admirably, and without having to use a stick of butter in an unnatural way. Anyway, Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio has put in his two cents about stunt-queen Bourdain:

Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio said sharp-tongued chef Anthony Bourdain won’t be attacking him the way he went after his fellow Food Network chefs Paula Deen, Rachael Ray, Guy Fieri and Sandra Lee.

“I think he’s scared of me,” Colicchio told us at the “What’s on the table?” United Way of New York fundraiser at Susan Burden’s home in Sagaponack on Saturday.

“I like Anthony. He dishes it out, but Paula gives it right back.”

Colicchio’s pal Julianne Moore and Vanity Fair’s Graydon Carter co-hosted the event. Moore said she met the Craft founder on the street in the Upper East Side. She described preparing food for needy children at his restaurant during the holidays.

[From Page Six]

Eh. Some people love Tom Colicchio. I think he knows food, but I find him too snobby and too nit-picky about food when he’s judging on Top Chef. And I think Anthony Bourdain would talk sh-t about Tom in a heartbeat, if given an open mic and a beer.

By the way, Bourdain has a Twitter account (here). He supposedly responded to Paula Deen, writing, “My comment was actually ‘worst, most dangerous to America cook on [Food Network].” And “Resolved: Next time I’m asked (for the millionth time) who the worst cooks on Food Network are, I’ll just shut up. Who cares?” Meaning he doesn’t consider Paula the most dangerous cook in America, merely the most dangerous cook in America – ON the Food Network. He also tweeted this:

Photos courtesy of WENN.

I watch too much television programming that revolves around food. Thus, I know and have opinions on everyone mentioned in this Page Six piece. For the record, I absolutely love Paula Deen, who I view as America’s Butter Queen, and I dislike Rachael Ray. I also feel kind of “meh” about Guy Fieri – I like “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” but Guy’s cooking show is kind of boring. As for Anthony Bourdain… I just loathe the man. Out of all of these people, I know Bourdain is probably the most knowledgeable about food and different cultural cuisine and all of that. He may be a brilliant guy. But he’s also as ass, and he has a history of picking fights with chefs and cooks who are basically harmless. Anyway, Bourdain gave a recent interview where he mocked and slammed the Butter Queen, Rachael Ray and Guy Fieri. So Paula Deen slathered him in butter and ATE HIS FACE.

The knives are out for Anthony Bourdain after he blasted fellow TV chef Paula Deen, calling her the “most dangerous person in America.”

Deen, searing back after “No Reservations” star Bourdain gave her and fellow Food Network chefs Rachael Ray, Guy Fieri and Sandra Lee a roasting, exclusively told Page Six:

“Anthony Bourdain needs to get a life. You don’t have to like my food, or Rachael’s, Sandra’s and Guy’s. But it’s another thing to attack our character. I wake up every morning happy for where I am in life. It’s not all about the cooking, but the fact that I can contribute by using my influence to help people all over the country. In the last two years, my partners and I have fed more than 10 million hungry people by bringing meat to food banks.”

Basting Bourdain for his apparent lack of charity and his attitude, she said, “My good friends Rachael, Guy and Sandra are the most generous charitable folks I know. They give so much of their time and money to help the food-deprived, sick children and abandoned animals. I have no idea what Anthony has done to contribute besides being irritable.”

Deen continued, “You know, not everybody can afford to pay $58 for prime rib or $650 for a bottle of wine. My friends and I cook for regular families who worry about feeding their kids and paying the bills . . . It wasn’t that long ago that I was struggling to feed my family, too.”

The TV foodies were shredded by the macho, gonzo chef in TV Guide magazine. He said, “The worst, most dangerous person to America is clearly Paula Deen. She revels in unholy connections with evil corporations and she’s proud of the fact that her food is [bleep]ing bad for you . . . plus, her food sucks.” About Ray: “Does she even cook anymore? . . . To her credit, she never said she was good at it.” On Lee: “I hate her works on this planet, but she is not someone to be dismissed, clearly.” And Fieri: “I look at Guy and I just think, ‘Jesus, I’m glad that’s not me.’ ”

[From Page Six]

If you want to take Ray or Sandra Lee to task, sure. Neither one of them are “chefs” and they’ll say as much. Their whole deal is that they’re trying to teach people (parents, specifically) that it can fun, easy, affordable and fast to cook food at home. Neither Lee nor Ray is really known for their way with fine dining, although I should point out that when Ray was on Iron Chef, bitch held her own and then some, and she impressed the judges. Guy Fieri, I think, is very knowledgeable about food, and you can tell that he has a professional background working in restaurants, but I feel like Guy’s goal is the same as Ray’s and Deen’s – to encourage people to make affordable food at home, and to celebrate inexpensive, less glamorous food throughout America’s rich food-loving diners, drive-ins and dives.

As for Paula – well, the Butter Queen is fabulous. And she knows what she’s doing too. The Lady & Sons, her restaurant, is a Savannah institution, and she is constantly recognized as one of the best Southern cooks in America. She knows her food isn’t healthy, and she says as much. Besides that, she’s a hoot and she has a wonderful attitude and everyone adores her. I want Paula to deep fry Bourdain and serve him with grits.

Photos courtesy of WENN.