Paula Deen / Anthony Bourdain

When it's not too hot, too cold, or I'm not dying of a cold (I'm man sick with a cold right now. That's right... I'm so pathetic I can only be called man sick) I walk up and down our mountain with Dottie the Dotted Dog. When it's just the two of us I take my iPhone and listen to an audiobook. Right now I'm listening to Anthony Bourdain tell his story in Kitchen Confidential.  The man is a riot. What got me hooked was listening to him at the beginning of his book tell of a trip he took as a child (I think he was around 9) with his parents and younger brother to France. They took the boat over (he's old ) and on the ride he had vichyssoise that he said was fantastic. He said it was the first time he realized food could have a purpose besides simply feeding your body - that it could actually be enjoyed. He talks about how his parents would take him and his brother to many different restaurants in an attempt to have them try different foods in France, but they stubbornly stuck with steak and frites or hamburgers.  One evening Anthony said he noticed his mom was taking much longer than normal getting ready for their dinner out. There seemed to be much excitement and anticipation about that evening's supper. They drove to the restaurant, his mom reached under the seat of the car and gave Anthony and his brother new copies of the comic book Tin Tin, got out of the car with their father, locked the doors and told them they had to stay in the car. They went in for something like a 3 hour supper. Anthony said what that did for him was make him wonder what was in that restaurant that was so fantastic that his parents didn't want to put up with him and his brother so that they could enjoy their meal. *It also says something about the time that the boys could be locked in the car for hours and no one thought anything of it!* He goes on to expose all the things that go on behind closed doors in the kitchen. I'm not very far along in the book (it's been cold out and I'm wimpy), but I have watched him on his show No Reservations a lot. He's kind of a bad ass. The rebel chef. He's known for drinking, smoking and swearing - but oh man is he funny. I think he would be a really funny person to go out for a coffee with.  Paula Deen was all over the news this weekend with the fact that she's been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Also that she was joining up with a diabetes drug maker as a spokesperson. Anthony Bourdain had some interesting things to say about her. Here's a clip from ABC news: Deen, 64, confirmed today on NBC's Today Show that she was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes three years ago and she is now launching a new campaign, "Diabetes in a New Light." The campaign is in partnership with diabetes drug maker Novo Nordisk. "I made the choice at the time to keep it close to me, to keep it close to my chest," she told USA Today. "I felt like I had nothing to offer anybody other than the announcement. I wasn't armed with enough knowledge. I knew when it was time, it would be in God's time." Deen reportedly treats her diabetes with the company's drug Victoza, a daily injectable drug that is meant to maintain blood sugar levels. She will appear in an advertisement for the drug later this month, USA Today reported. Anthony Bourdain, a New York-based chef and host of the Travel Channel's "No Reservations," has long been critical of Deen's cuisine, having told TV Guide that the chef is the "worst, most dangerous person in America" because of her high-fat cooking. In the wake of her diabetes announcement, Bourdain had even more criticism to sling. "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," he told Eater. ~~~ What makes me sad is I've read in several places that she says she does not plan to make major changes to her lifestyle. I found this disturbing: Deen says that when she got the diagnosis, "I wasn't about to change to my life, but I have made simple changes in my life, like cutting back on one of my favorites things, sweet tea, and for a Southern girl, that's a big deal." But Levin says that diabetes should change your life. "This isn't about what is the best drug so it cannot change my life. There's no such thing. The drug might help you put a Band-Aid on your disease, but it certainly isn't going to stop the progression ... Paula Deen, you have the power and the influence to save a lot of other people's lives. It would be incredible, as a dietician, if she did wield that power for good and not for drugs." ~~~  Sorry Paula, I have watched your shows. Cutting back on just your sweet tea is not going to even begin to deal with the issue.  This thing bothers me on many levels.  It bothers me that she's known for three years that she has diabetes that is most likely brought on by lifestyle choices. That during that time she's continued to host (and make money) her cooking shows that revel in butter, cream and other kinds of heart attack fat.  It bothers me that she's just now coming forward with the news of her medical condition - with the news that she's partnered up with a drug company. It's not like she just discovered this news and made the announcement. She's known for a long time, and made this deal with the drug company. But, a thing that was extra troublesome for me was when I read that she was cutting back on things like sweet tea. Her diagnosis does call for a major lifestyle change, and I think it's irresponsible for her as a celebrity who has such a huge following to say that she is not going to.  I was watching a Nutri System commercial at the YMCA the other day and I thought much the same as I am now. They were advertising how you can lose a ton of weight eating their food and following their program without giving up anything of the food you love. They were showing chocolate cake, and other "treats" but they all had to be Nuri System food in order for the weight loss to work. Problem is they are all chemically / artificially made. It seemed like instead of taking charge and responsibility for your body and health, learning to eat healthy and exercise that the message is "take this drug and you can live a perfectly happy life without having to change anything you are doing now." I don't like that.  I am firmly on team Bourdain now. I used to at least enjoy watching Paula Deen's show even if I was not going to cook anything that began with "let's just start with 2 sticks of butter y'all".  It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.