Say what you will but I have to respect her strength in not only overcoming many obstetrical but becoming the business woman that she is.

I number of years ago on a medical radio program, I heard hear story focusing on her agoraphobia and panic attacks. She and experienced a number of major stressful events and got to the point where she couldn't leave her bed for years. Having the boys, she had to do something to provide for them. That's when she started her home-based business The Bag Lady - preparing food that the boys delivered.

I agree Mustangs.

You are right Cathy she is a very successful woman and more power to her.

It is sad though that she didn't look after her self better. She apparently was a heavy smoker for over 50 years. And I believe that there are studies that indicate a connection between smoking and diabetes. I wish she had had the strength to quit smoking earlier.

It actually surprised me when I found out that she smoked. Smoking diminishes the sense of taste. Not something I would have expected from someone who was so into food.

Ann

I've never met her either, but I know someone who has and said that she and her husband are just the nicest, fun people you'd like to meet. I'm sorry to hear of anyone developing any disease, esp a life-threatening one. I respect the business sense of anyone who can create a business "empire" and the strength of anyone who overcomes major adversity.

All that said, I can fully understand if people are a touch cynical about someone whose fortune is made pushing something that can cause the disease they've been diagnosed with, and then is able to exploit that to get another mulit-million dollar deal.

To take it to the extreme, what would you think if the president of Philip Morris developed lung cancer and then landed a huge endorsement deal with Nicorette?

Ann and Bumblebeez, I'm glad you got my point in spite of my on-the-run typos!

I feel sorry that she's a smoker but smoking is addicting. It's not just a matter of having the strength to quit, addictions have powerful holds over people that I don't fully understand but I have seen first hand addictions in close family members and right now the sister of a close friend is having tracheotomy surgery because of smoking.

While undergoing chemo and radiation she would smoke! Hard to understand. But she was introduced to cigarettes as a child, her father would trade sexual favors for cigarettes.

I don't know Paula's story but would imagine she would like to quit too.

I don't watch cooking shows so don't know what she's doing to inspire such rampant emotions from either side. She has a lot of fans it seems though.

Not trying to go OT. I don't believe obesity and addiction are by choice. I sympathize with anyone who has to deal with those issues.

I have only watched may be one or two of her shows. I treat her shows as entertainment, not as educational. I respect her great success.

I don't think her style of cooking is doing much harm to anyone. I cannot imagine today with information so available, that someone doesn't know, cream, fat, sugar, and egg yolks should not be on your every day's, and every meal's menu.

It's just entertainment. Jacques Pippin probably uses more cream and butter than she does.

May be I will post a few more tofu dishes in the other thread.

dcarch

I have no problem with her having a show, but I would never make one single thing from it because it was all too rich for my taste. Luckily I like healthy foods so it has never been a struggle for me to develop a taste or them. But if I was struggling, I sure as heck wouldn't be watching Ms. Deen's show. Like it or not, she was an advocate for her style of eating and cooking, that was the whole point of the show. And like it or not, when she put herself in the public eye she became a role model. I'm sure she is a nice person and I'm sure she is just doing what she loves to make a living and I know how hard battling diabetes and other chronic conditions is, from personal experience. I do wish her well. But I also feel that since these chronic conditions are lifestyle related and since so many Americans are struggling with them, I don't think it is productive to use your time and economic power to promote things that are unhealthy, with relish. Since addicts are struggling with cigarettes and fats and sugars, why push them?? I'm not criticizing just Ms. Deen. Our love affair with excess has left us with all kinds of problems, so I'm just a little bit cynical about all the commercialization and hype around our addicitons. There is a great deal of money to be made off of our addictions.

I cannot stand the woman and never could. I do not wish her ill, I just wish she would go away.

Still, her health setback may open the eyes of those who eat the way she eats -- or at least the eating style she promoted. I am sorry that she will be making even more money as an outcome of foisting such horrible ways to eat on the public.

"I do not wish her ill, I just wish she would go away."

Easy fix! Change the channel or turn the TV off.

""I do not wish her ill, I just wish she would go away."

Easy fix! Change the channel or turn the TV off."

EXACTLY! ! ! ! !

"I don't believe obesity and addiction are by choice."

Illnesses and addictions are not caused by life styles alone.
Genetics play a huge roll!

Paula Deen has quite literally pulled herself
up by her boot straps.
I wonder how many of us,
who are so quick to condemn,
would have the courage
and/or ability
to do as well under similar circumstances.

I, for one, don't believe she eats that way all the time.
But she is giving her audiences what they want.

"In the old days, butter and sugar were luxuries."

Maybe 'the old days' are older for me than for some,
But I grew up on a farm.
We ALWAYS had butter & cream and sugar.
In fact, there was always such a surplus of butter & cream
That it has taken me a very long time
To get to where I could eat them.
Nor do I remember there ever being
much of a shortage of sugar.
Maybe during the war,
When it was rationed.
But what we had was used carefully,
And our own honey used to supplement it.
So we never lacked for sweets, either.

I sincerely wish good health and continued wealth
To Paula.
I hope she can continue to entertain her audiences
In her own 'down home' way.
She gives a lot of enjoyment to a lot of people.

Rusty

Just entertainment, nothing more.

If I watch her show a thousand times, it will not change my eating habits a bit.

dcarch

Here is a link that might be useful: HaHaa!

Peppi, I think your quote really sums up what a lot of people go through when told by medical professionals to change their diet. It doesn't matter whether it is dealing with diabetes, renal failure, congestive heart failure, or whatever. The medical experts usually just say something like what my husband heard, "Keep your salt intake under 2,000 mgs. per day." If he had tackled that target on his own, given his cooking ability, I know he would have been lost.

"When faced with the news people are so often lost on how to make changes to their diets. Dieticians give you charts and plans but a practical hands on view works much better."

Ah, Theresa and Rusty, if it were only that easy. I see her ugly mug staring out at me on cookbooks at libraries and bookstores. I see her on QVC as I'm flipping channels and on boxes at Walmart. She turns up on the morning news shows. Now I can look forward to seeing her on commercials.

"Easy fix! Change the channel or turn the TV off" is a bit too simplistic to eliminate that scourge.

Yes, I was talking about the really old days, back in the 1800's. And yes, it did depend on where you lived and what you did. If you lived on a dairy farm, then yes, butter and other dairy products were something you ate tons of. I had to do some research on this for a job I once had working at a museum. Like what did kids take to school for lunch in a typical one room school house situation. A typical lunch would be some cold meat leftover from yesterday's dinner or today's breakfast, bread spread with lard, (or butter or cheese if you had access to them) maybe an apple if you had some, if not, maybe some apple butter on that bread. Most people lived very active lifestyles then, with hours and hours of hard physical labor. The big issue back then was getting enough calories. Hence no one worried about the calorie content of the old fashioned recipes. The biggest issue back then was vitamin deficiencies, and food borne illness. My point was that was then, this is now and most people have to eat a low calorie diet because they have a very sedentary lifestyle. They just can't do it the old way. It's a tough transition, for anyone, including my mom, me, and countless others on this board. My grandma was a turn of century woman, and all her old recipes are full of sugar and butter, and sadly they are only occasional treats for me. But I still can garden and enjoy fresh produce like she did and eat oatmeal for breakfast like she did only I'm not as big as she was on taking brewers yeast tablets! My point wasn't to criticize Paula, but rather a comment on her situation, which I think is representative of the irony of our times.

I actually do admire Paula Deen and I do find her show entertaining, but not because of the food making techniques she illustrates. Luckily I never find myself craving or wanting to make any of her recipes. If she can use her clout to help others like herself, more power to her!

I'm sorry she is ill. I never watch cooking shows nor TV, for that matter. In spite of that I haven't fully escaped Paula Deen. Her name is code for butter-rich cookery. She's almost a cartoon at this point. I would say "iconic" but that sounds too dignified! Perhaps she is a "brand." That sounds more kind.

I use very little oil or butter in my daily cooking but for holiday meals or the rare very special occasion I pull out the stops and it's butter all the way. I think of her style of recipes in that vein - fine as occasional treats in small portions. Other wise I still cook with real food, real butter, not ersatz low calorie goo. In small portions, of course.

I have never knowingly cooked a Paula Deen recipe but I know many of her recipes are favorites of many people. Perhaps she can use this to educate and motivate her fans to eat more moderately and wisely. And to exercise. Obesity is a killer.

Lpink, good post.

I also think Guy is doing much the same thing as Paula with his Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives. I had to turn the channel last night. They were filming at this DD&D where huge piles of mashed potato/cheese perogies swimming in butter/onions was a top favorite. Every guest featured was obese.

In Paula's case, it's my personal opinion that food means more to her than providing nutrition/energy. The look on her face, the way she's constantly & lovingly touching the food, the size of her "bites", & how she's frequently preaching to get into the kitchen & show your family how much you love them with food speaks to me of emotional needs unmet probably going back to childhood. I've noticed that Bubba (Paula's brother) has lost a LOT of weight in the past couple years. Paula's husband (Capt. Michael Groover) also needs Paula to find healthier ways to express her love.

I greatly admire Paula's accomplishments. I hope she finds the reasons behind why comfort-type food is such a comfort to her & replaces it with something that will nourish both her mind & body.

Paula's going to be on the Today show next Tuesday & open up with Al Roker. Good choice. He's fought his own personal battle with food.

The Food Network is premiering a new show this weekend called "Fat Chefs". Unfortunately, instead of being a useful show, I think it's going to be one of those contestant things that demeans the participants.

/tricia

I haven't watched her show even though I have food network. Didn't Graham Kerr, The Galloping Gourmet change his fat laden tv cooking show to a healthier one after he came down with something... decades ago now.

I had never heard of Paula until we moved to the South seven years ago. She is certainly all over the magazine covers down here. I had no idea of her earlier problems before reading this thread, so I can attest that it is easy enough to avoid her reasonably easily if needed.

Re Diabetes: this thread started out more about fats than excess and to that extent I would like to point out that there is extensive evidence that a high fat, low carb diet is the way to go. Also, allmost everyone in our modern processed sugar laden diet is now suseptable to type II diabetes. When a fifth (projecting trends) of the population is likely to become diabetic, it seems unfair to point directly at Paula.

The one useful thing I learned while involved in the diabetic research field, is that actively losing weight would improve diabetes effects (in rats anyway). Those who are overweight are in the fortunate position of having some weight to lose, AND if they lost it over a period of many years, they could likely be near normal over that period.

The unfortunate situation with Paula Dean is that since she will be in the public eye, she will likely lose the weight rapidly which will be great in the short run, but will leave her unable to lose more over the rest of her life, and part of the dieting effects may then be lost. Anyway, a slow loss of weight is generally a useful thing for many of us.

chas, you are right, low carbs and higher fats are recommended for diabetics, but it is also recommended that they lose weight, which certainly can't happen on the recipes usually promoted by Paula Deen.

Also, there is a difference in carbs. Carbs from white bread and Twinkies are far different than carbs in vegetables and whole grains.

PKguy, Graham Kerr changed his cooking style when his wife had heart disease, compete with a stroke and then a heart attack. He started cooking in a more healthy manner and promoting good health though diet. I remember his "Galloping Gourmet" show, my Grandmother loved it, and Elery has one of his healthy cookbooks.

I don't find it hard to ignore Paula because I don't have TV, LOL. I did watch her "Party" show at night a couple of times and couldn't stand it, if she had licked one more male guest I was going to heave. I don't personally find her entertaining, but I do wish her good health.

Annie

I think most of her recipes are over-the-top bad for you and I just don't cook that way.

I have been to her restaurant and thought the food was interesting and generally good but way over-priced and a tourist trap.

I do have to say though, Ina Garten is probably just as guilty of cooking unhealthy meals. They just appear "classier." She has also gotten very over-weight since her show began.

Gotta say, it isn't surprising to hear of her health problems given the way she cooks and eats. I haven't watched her shows in years because she makes things I wouldn't cook or eat. She is also annoying to watch. I don't care for the way she licks people in the face either Annie. She is just generally obnoxious. I do wish her well in fighting her disease.
A few people I know have been to her restaurant. They said it was okay. They liked her brother's restaurant better. "Bubba's" I think it is called.

Thank you Stir Fryi, That was one of my first thoughts too i.e. Ina.

Yes, I was thinking about Ina, too. Though to a slightly lesser extent.

I disagree with dcarch's dismissing PD's shows as simply being entertainment. While there are shows on FN that could be considered purely entertainment (Chopped, Cupcake Wars, Iron Chef, etc.) shows that go into detail about recipes - and then post the recipes on the web and/or publish cookbooks - are most certainly pushing their recipes and cooking style.

gah if Paula shows me a doughnut burger, doesn't mean I have to eat one! That video of a doughnut burger is disgusting! She gets paid to come up with stupidity like that? GADS! HA!

ack! That donut burger is for a ladies brunch?? Are you kidding me? That video lost me, too...

I don't care what she eats or cooks but the constant "Y'all"
is annoying and NO ONE talks like that here.

I totally agree with Bumblebeez, that Y'ALL every other word is so annoying that I don't watch her shows either. I am born and raised in the south and absolutely no one I have ever met says Y'all every other word!
As for her food....well with all the fat that goes into her meals, I would be surprised that diabetes is their only health problem. My concern would be those clogged arteries!

Yeah I'm from the south too and we don't go around saying "Y'all" all the time either. We just say it instead of "you all" and that's it. She bugs me too and I have to say that I have never actually watched her because I find her annoying any time I see her at all. It seemed, from the little I know of her recipes, that it was like she was trying to see how much fat and sugar she could use.

My husband wonders if she really eats that way, or just cooks that way on the show.

Jenn, my guess is she just cooks that way for the show because if she ate like that she would weigh 500#!

Regarding the over use of y'all.....

I'm from NY...so obviously no one up here says that...and I went to school upstate NY at a very well-regarded engineering college and there were some guys in my frat from TN, AL, etc...very bright guys, rarely heard "y'all" when we were hanging out with the guys...but...throw some beers and coeds into the equation, and man these guys sounded just like Paula Deen...seems to be something you southerners can just "turn on and off" at will I guess. I am sure the suits at Food Network have told her to go over the top with it...

I lived out in San Diego for a while...and while I don't have a heavy NYC accent, I never felt the urge to suddenly develop one when I was there.

Funniest thing ever was when someone threw a whole ham at her at some event...my kids still crack up whenever they see her on TV because of that...

I read this entire thread earlier and have come to the conclusion that what started out as a criticism of Paula's cooking etc., then morphed into a criticism of the way she talks, has now gone on to criticize Ina Garten because of her weight. I, for one, could stand to lose a few pounds and I imagine others on the forum could honestly say the same thing. I agree that excessive use of a term, whether it be y'all, youse guys, you know, or any of many other terms gets on a persons nerves. I hope that most southerners are a little kinder, more polite, but I could be wrong.

Fat jude

While weight is a constant issue for many people, I don't think it's out of place to comment on a tv a chef's weight with how they cook. There's not always a connection, Giada, Nigella, Jacques, etc. but when I see a hefty chef it does makes me think twice about what I eat!

I know eating foods that keep my weight in check is not very fun sometimes, I have yet to master the "one bite" of something rich and wonderful and do better not cooking it at all. And I have yet to develop a love of green, leafy vegetables more than the adorning buttery croutons.

Even Paul Prudhomme is changing his recipes and is going on a diet.

dcarch

It's fun to watch all the personalities who cook on TV but I've often wondered how much of their own food they could eat and remain healthy. Ree Drummond (the pioneerwoman.com) has mentioned on her blog that she is now dieting to lose the weight she gained while doing her most recent cookbook and preparing for her new TV show. Her family is very active so that is a plus, I suppose. I regard most of these shows as entertainment.

I'd be willing to bet that most of the more body-conscious chefs don't eat much of their food. You never really see them eat the whole dish of food on the shows - it's just the one bite where they moan and groan.

They are selling a product. Ree makes really indulgent food as well as she gripes about her love handles and confesses to disappearing into closets with an entire cake and a fork. I'd be willing to bet she doesn't eat much at all. But she's selling her site, and her recipes, and her cookbooks and readers are far more likely to purchase when the author seems to indulge and has real, normal urges and desires that everyone can relate to. If she went and said "this is a great recipe - I haven't actually tried it as it's too fattening but you definitely should" just doesn't have the same appeal as "you guys, this is AMAZING and worth every second of the 7 years I'll be on the treadmill!"

I do believe that at least some of them are eating their own food...I've seen several gain and lose weight. The ones who come to mind are Emeril Lagasse, Jamie Oliver, Tyler Florence and Alton Brown. I think it would be hard *not* to gain weight in that profession. :) Ellie Krieger is a favorite and I aspire to imitate her, but don't usually get there.

It looks like Paula timed her public announcement of Type 2 diabetes to coincide with her paid relationship with Novo Nordisk. She was diagnosed 3 years ago. I saw her interview this morning on Today with Al Roker. BTW, apparently, she does turn on/off the heaviest of her accent.

/tricia

Here is a link that might be useful: Paula & Novo Nordisk Website

Wow, talk about living the American dream, having your cake and eating it too. Sorry, but to pop pills to eat as I please - no way. Do I wish her well, sure, but I don't watch her show or anything, I never come across it but with that I have seen I would probably pass, her style of cooking does not appeal to me at all. Does she ever promote anything healthy? Is she more on TV for entertainment purposes? If so, it's unfortunate that there are people out there who think because a celebrity does it....

I cannot stand the woman,I use to watch Barefoot Contessa which I like then dean come on.Id turn it off.Im sooooo sick of hearing yalll,this yall that its so fake.I knew something was up she had her Man....on cooking then the sons,make them all richh they get like 50,000 an episode.
Herson is just as annoying as she.she cant call her sons by thier name its Son.
The Neelys,I counted just for the heck of it how many times he said Yall 22 times in half an hour..

Paul Prudhomme changed his recipes over a decade ago, and I tried watching his revised show, but he took it to an extreme that I thought was unnecessary. However, he is a good comparison and is what I thought of first.

I have fond associations with Southern accents - it reminds me of some of my roommates at Rice. I no longer live in "Y'all" country, and I never used that word much even when I did, but I do not find it nearly as annoying as when people say, "What I'm going to do next is I'm going to..." instead of saying "Next I'm going to..." Or when people say "actually" twice or more in one sentence. There was a woman on the Steven and Chris Show that did that last week, and I had the change the channel because of her. Another word (not a real word) that annoys me no end is "vinegar-ette". It seems that chefs are deliberately taught improper English, and I think they should be made to take speech classes (or get speech therapy) like the class I had to take for my Interior Design degree.

I do like Paula Deen, but I revise her recipes when I make them. I think her cheesecake recipe is fine as is, but I would not make it very often.

I find it endearing that Paula calls her son "Son". To me, it shows motherly love. It's better than using "DS" on a forum, as "DS" can mean "son" or "sister", and it always gets me confused. Giving children numbers is even worse since pseudonymns are always an option. I had an uncle who had pseudonymns for everyone, but then he was rich, eccentric, and childless and could get away with it.

Annie, I love the olive wood Paula Deen spoons you sent me!!!

Larry the Cable Guy has made a career using a fake southern accent - he was born in Nebraska and has a midwestern accent in his normal voice.

I wish Paula the best and hope she will be able to get this under control.

Lars

I think this is a rather insightful article about southern cooking and the Deen controversy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Hugh Acheson: Southern Food, Beyond the Butter

What annoys me about this whole thing....aside from the "y'all" and that awful laugh...is that she didn't "have diabetes" until the deal for the drug for which she would become a spokes model( gaak!!) game on the scene and she cleared the deal!!
She hid her disease/disability until it became profitable to reveal it. That's scum-bag behavior!!

That's an interesting article by Hugh Acheson. I like him very much, but his question about the grits bothered me. His version of grits, or rather, his chef's version, was that of a fancy restaurant that few people could make at home, or would choose to make at home. Paula Deen's version is simple and anyone could do it. The two have completely different points of view. She's geared to teaching people how to make things at home. Yes, she has a restaurant, but her main focus has been to make recipes that anyone can do. Acheson, I guess, has written a cookbook that I haven't seen, but teaching people how to do things at home has not been his focus, and his example of an interesting approach to Southern Food is so totally out of Deen's milieu it was almost unfair. But, I guess, that was his point. Southern food doesn't have to be all about butter or collards. Southern food can evolve rather than be stuck in a cliche. I did enjoy learning about rice grits. I've never heard of them. If I could afford to eat at his restaurant, I know I'd enjoy his food over Deen's.

I'm sorry she has diabetes. I'm also sorry she's pushing drugs, but that's something lots of older celebrities do.

Sally

Funny enough, her business antics don't bother me a bit. I think it's shrewd although it is coming across as greedy, a label she will have to work to overcome.

Get real, who here on this board is swayed by her? Few, I think. Her appeal is to certain types of people swayed by clever marketing and the downhome spun approach. I.e. she's one of them.

I think most people here try recipes for lots of reasons other than the chef's personality and the same applies to prescription drugs.

Anyone here on the Sally Field bandwagon? Are you taking Boniva? One of the worst drugs I've read about!

Here's a good article. I like Anthony Bourdain's tweet "Thinking of getting into the leg-breaking business, so I can profitably sell crutches later."

Here is a link that might be useful: more commentary

Love Anthony! She's going to take a LOT of heat for this. I'm sure her PR group will do their best to spin it. I don't know anything about her, really, but isn't she a pretty tough old gal? Doesn't she have some hard knocks rags to riches back story? She'll survive.

But aside from that... I have never watched her show so I don't know what her approach is. Most show chefs make decadent food. Does she push it as daily fare in huge portions? Most people (even those who don't follow their own good advice) know that calorie dense, rich foods should be consumed in moderation. At least on her show you SEE the 2 sticks of butter, the bacon, the cream, etc. that goes into her food. I think food manufacturers are the insidious ones and are far more dangerous to the health of the American public. Ever looked at the fat and sodium in a Stouffer's frozen pot pie?

Here is a link that might be useful: Pot pie nutrition label

I have always loved Anthony. He never has had a problem speaking his mind about Paula D., RR, Sara what's her face or anyone for that matter.
I too have a problem with Ms. Deen revealing her diabetes diagnosis to the public, at the same time she was partnering with the drug company. Take the easy way and just pop a pill for her illness. That and the fact that she said she is still going to cook the same way as she always does. Hardly setting a good example for a healthy lifestyle change. As you all know from my posts I don't care for Paul, RR., or Sara or their way of cooking. So my view is possibly bias. lol NancyLouise

Sadly, popping pills instead of making lifestyle changes is the choice of many. When I had acid reflux several years ago, my doctor suggested "the purple pill" --- he didn't push it, just mentioned it. I said no thanks, I'll change my diet. I did, lost weight, and got rid of the acid reflux. Along the way, some people said "why don't you just take [the purple pill]"? I asked "why put a drug in my body when I can make lifestyle changes instead"? Most of them seemed as if that choice was completely foreign to them. I still maintain the lifestyle and haven't gained back a single pound.

I hope and pray that Paula Dean will learn and teach the same principles for managing adult-onset diabetes.