Anyone Else Agree with Me in Defending Paula Deen?

I think what bothers me is the fact that she apparently got diagnosed three years ago, but didn't mention it until just recently. And her disease was revealed at just the same time as her corporate endorsement of a diabetes medication. The delay and the endorsement bother me.

She only announced her diabetes because she will be making money hawking diabetes medication. Real classy.

Amen, sister!! I have been up-in-arms myself ever since first hearing about this. When, for the love of Pete, will it FINALLY be time for people to take responsibility for themselves??? Not everything is someone else's fault!

No. I don't agree, but from a pure marketing perspective - LOL!
Technically (the way I read it), she was diagnosed two or three years ago with Type2 and continued to promote her food the way she does (totally OK with that). A lot of the backlash I have read is the fact she is now going to change her cooking, change her brand identity and hock a type2 diabetes drug.
SO my problem is it appears the only reason she is coming out about her disease is to cash in on some $$. And the potential conflict of interest that arises - "I am going to tell you how to cook this unhealthy stuff, then pitch you a drug to counter the disease the food I showed you how to make gives you a disease." That is my issue. Can't ride two horses with one butt.

I do agree. And there has been enough education in this country that anyone who can read should know what does and does not contribute to diabetes.
It's like the mom who is sueing the media for oversexualizing her daughter in Toddlers and Tiars. She made the choice to put her daughter in that show. We also make the choice ourselves what to cook for our families and what to put in our mouths.

While I'm not bashing Paula Deen I think it's terrible that she is now cashing in on the fact that she's diabetic. If she truly cared about people with diabetes she would put her sponsorship aside and revamp her cooking into healthy good to eat stuff. But nope thinking of what's best for Paula she instead is taking money from a drug company for a problem she helps to create.

It's her right to do what she wants. At no time did she ever say 'Eating like this is healthy and lots of butter is good for you.' I understand that she made bad choices and those people who followed her style of cooking also are making the same bad choices. The part that leaves a bad taste in my mouth is that she'll make money from pushing crappy food AND treating the disease that is a direct result of that crappy food.

No, I don't agree.

I have no problem whatsoever with how or what she cooks. Nor do I care if people like her or her style. It's a free country.

What I do NOT like is the pharma industry's attempt - via Paula Deen - to give people the impression that they can make poor choices on a regular basis and just pop a pill to prevent any consequences.

I've got a big, big problem with her complicity in that fiction. It casts her in a different light for me. She goes from a sweet, grandmotherly-type fixing comfort food to a money-grubbing opportunist who profits from sick people. JMO.

I don't appreciate that at all.

I agree with you. Look at Mario Batali and Ina Garten...they are fatter and no one bashes them. They are both headed down the diabetes road as well. It is because they are more "sophisticated" than Paula and she is an easy target. She never said, eat like this every day. If I want a fattening and yummy recipe, I know Paula will not let me down. She makes delicious food to have every once in a while. People are such haters.

Totally agree with you. Providing (yummy) recipes is all she did -- she never said it was healthy or to eat it everyday -- people need to use common sense. If I headed to the drive-thru every time I saw a McDonald's billboard I would be enormous. I wish people would take more responsibility for their choices. Just because you see something on TV doesn't mean it's good for you.

I really don't understand why this is a big deal, at all.
So she has diabetes. And? So do a lot of people.
I agree with you, that she probably didn't cause her condition.

But I'm failing to understand why people care.
Maybe that makes me a cold hearted b*tch. I'm certainly not suggesting that I'm glad she's in poor health or anything. It's just that there are many, many things that are more important to me.

I think people are looking for a scapegoat. Someone to blame for being fat, just like they do with the fast food chains and snack counters and schools, etc.... Because the American people certainly CAN'T be held reponsible for their OWN BEHAVIOR! Dear God, no! If I eat that cake with a whole stick of butter in it, it's Paula Dean's fault for teaching me how to make it!

Like, really?
So yes, I guess I agree with you! Vent over. :)

I agree with you-I love Paula Deen-she's an inspiration. Fat doesn't make you fat-and it doesn't cause diabetes-sugar does-read the "Perfect 10 Diet"

The only thing I dislike about Paula Deen started a couple years ago when I noticed she CHANGED her personality... She got way more done up for TV, and I could tell she was getting a bigger head and she honestly seems more smug and less nice.

I understand that a lot of stars get that way. I don't hate her, and I like some things she makes, and I LOVED her original attitude and personality. BUT, I ALWAYS looked at her food as stuff to make every once in a while- certainly not even once a week... SOMEBODY'S gotta tell you how to make that kind of cooking- they have cooking shows for every type of (American-ish) food on TV, they might as well have that good, southern, buttery, comfort food, too.

It is to your own discretion about how you balance your own diet. Her food is fine for every now and then. She obviously didn't have that balance correct for herself, and that is unfortunate for her, but there should be nothing else said beyond that. Her food wasn't said to be healthy, and I'm SICK of people blaming others for their DUMB-@$$ own choices of food. If anyone else gets diabetes from eating her food all day, it is 100% the eater's fault.

And heck, I don't even think she owes a public announcement to people. It's personal and whoever is shocked that someone could get diabetes from eating gobs of unhealthy food is as dumb as a doornail!

So, to clarify, I'm not even close to being mad at her for this, that would be ridiculous... but, at the same time, I'm not going to consciously "support" her either, I just think the whole thing shouldn't be anyone's business, too bad it isn't that way, however...

I love Paula, too. I like that she stated in an interview that she didn't eat the foods she fixes as a norm - only occasionally and in "moderation."

However, it does bother me a tiny bit that she has known about it for almost 2 years and kept it a secret until now while she is promoting a diabetic drug.

I still like her, but feel that she could have handled this all a lot better than she has. Like 2 years ago. She could have have really reinforced the fact that her treats/cooking was best in moderation. Or now, giving a portion of the money she makes towards diabetes research or care for those who have it.

I think the "scandal" would not have been there had she done a few things differently. But isn't life always easier in hindsight?

I chop it up to being human.

I don't watch the Food Network and I wouldn't say that I am a "Paula Dean fan" but I will say that people need to be realistc. I completely agree with you. A person can choose to eat healthy and keep their conditions better "in check" or not...that is a personal decision. She is showing people how to cook certain dishes of southern/comfort food. She doesn't pretend it to be healthy although you can tweak any recipe to be healthier if you choose. She doesn't say "eat this everyday", nor is she forcing anyone to eat it at all. In fact, her son has a book that does show healthier version of similiar meals because you don't "eat like that everyday". Even when Paula indicates how delicious something is or how much she likes it, it doesn't mean she eats it ALL THE TIME (if she did, that is her business) nor does she force anyone else to. People make those decisions for themselves. Everything in moderation!

Yeah. I think it is amusing how the media was posting last week that she was "caught" with a cheeseburger. Huh?! "Caught"?! Geez. Is it illegal for someone to indulge in something that may not be total "health" food? Not the last time I checked.....

Last I checked, we were also all still human, with weaknesses and cravings and free choices to make. Still want our government in charge of our health care? Watch out... your choice to eat a cheeseburger might be legislated away by the food police....

No, can't say that I do. See previous post...http://www.mamapedia.com/questions/8386845660162490369

I actually loved and still do Paula because she was one of the few "foodie" people on tv who actually looked like she enjoyed food. Rachael too, but Paula was a woman who cooked and ate...unlike some of those skinny girls who probably spit the food out of their mouth as soon as they hear "cut".

I am proud she didn't try and hide her condition...and hopefully she can get some people to start looking at their own health.

Hopefully she can start helping other who love food...love healthier food...keep cookin' Southern...but change it up a bit to help people with the blood sugar.

IF the media was right then EVERY overweight person would be a diabetic and NO thin person would have it.

The facts are that lots of people have health issues due to their genetics, their lifestyle, their fate in life.

What foods a person eats can influence disease but not really cause something like this.

I think everyone should leave other people alone about the choices they make. I think if I want to go eat at McDonalds I should get to eat what I want and not what some stranger has decided is good for me.

My sister barely weighs a hundred pounds, eats super healthy and rides her bike all over town. She has super high cholesterol and lots of heart issues. I am overweight by at least 100 pounds and have normal blood sugar, low cholesterol, and can walk very far without assistance. I eat normal food like sugar, butter, whole milk, lots of chocolate, etc....

Meh. She knew what she was in for being in the public spotlight and in the particular genre that she's in. She's a grown woman with grown up panties, and she seems to be holding her own really well. I don't think she "needs" to be defended, frankly. People have a right to their opinions about her cooking and her health and how she's handled the announcement as well as the fact that she's being paid by a medical company to endorse its diabetes products.

I actually think it's healthy for people to be criticizing her. It's bringing up a lot of great discussion about diabetes such as causes, risks, types of diabetes, how to manage it, what happens if you don't manage it, and so many other issues related to diabetes.

I imagine I would feel differently if she came out said that it wasn't Type II Diabetes she had, but Type I.

I Heart Paula.

OK, so, she's a cautionary tale, rather than a role model for healthy living. But she is still a role model for single moms that want to start a business, and for aspiring cooks. I love her food. She cooks just like my husbands gramma, and my mil. I learned to make a lot of things that really impressed my Southern inlaws.

People refuse to take thier drs advice on healthy living, yet want to blame Paula Deen for being an unhealthy role model. Why would you turn to an overweight cook for advice on healthy living! We've all heard that obesity can cause all sorts of health problems. So, now Paual has shown that to be true.

And, people, where is the love? Why isn't anyone thinking about her. She was given a bad diagnosis and for that, she is being ridiculed.

I do love me some Paula. Sometimes the overtly sexual comments she makes are cringe-worthy but it doesn't have anything to do with her food.

So here's my 4 cents: If you thought her cooking was for every day, you got issues that are bigger than diabetes. Bottom line, on a special occassion, I would make her dishes. I leave the rest of the time to watching calories and such.

Now about the diabetes, her health condition doesn't make her a horrible human. Nor does it negate her YEARS of good cookin. It DOES make her an opportunist and I do have a problem with that. But not enough to make her the poster child for a drug or a plight of diabetics everywhere.

Leave the old woman alone.

have a great day yawl. HA!

I agree with you! I still love Paula Deen and I love butter ;-)

I don't care either way. I wasn't a fan of hers to begin with, but I'm certainly not going to bash her now for trying to make money. To my knowledge, she was not JUST diagnosed as diabetic, she was diagnosed years back, and she has been continuing to cook the food she cooks while hiding her illness. Now that she comes out with this diagnosis it seems irresponsible that she wasn't modeling to the public how to take care of herself while having this disease, but again, who cares? She's trying to make money like everybody else in the world.

Yeah, I'm not a Paula basher either. And I don't begrudge her for wanting to make some money hawking medication. Because if I was offered $$$ to sell some drug I was taking, I would jump on it too! I think anyone would.

It's just that since she's a famous person, people think they have a right to judge her.

I don't care about the Paula bashing, so not on my radar, to be honest. It certainly is okay with me for those who like her and follow her show to feel warm and fuzzie about her. Kind of like I feel about some other TV personalities. But I think what bothers me most about her is that she only talked about her diabetes when she could get a lucrative deal with the drug company and uses it to help her career. Maybe that's what bothers most people. Honestly, I doubt many care if she is overweight and unhealthy herself. Maybe we should care, though! Ideally we should care about everyone's health in order to keep health spending down. But there ya go, one more thing that we can't make everyone fall in line on! LOL!

Dawn

1) I hate the media; a bunch of commentators talking about how they feel about the story & their cronies sitting around agreeing with them

2) Who cares if she came out only because she got a paid deal from a drug company, i really don't see what the big deal is about that. There are tons of celebrities that get paid endorsements.

3) Paula Deen is a wonderful giving woman that was at rock bottom and pulled herself up all on her own to make something of herself while being a single mom. She gives a lot away to charity and is part of a lot of charitable organizations. The way I look at it, the more money she makes the more that will be given back to charity & the system. Capitalism is a wonderful thing.