Paula Dean

[lindag]

Okay, I'll admit it; I'm not a fan.

I am somewhat suspicious of the timing of her big diabetes announcement.

Did she wait more than three years after hearing the diagnosis just so it wouldn't affect the sales of her last huge cookbook?

Just sayin' that it seems fishy to me.

Linda

[Shel_B]

Okay, I'll admit it; I'm not a fan.

I am somewhat suspicious of the timing of her big diabetes announcement.

Did she wait more than three years after hearing the diagnosis just so it wouldn't affect the sales of her last huge cookbook?

Just sayin' that it seems fishy to me.

We can speculate all we want on her motives, but we may never know what went through her mind. However, it's likely (to my way of thinking) that she held off on her announcement, at least partly, for business reasons.

And, FWIW, I'm not a fan, either.

[Jaymes]

Being as how she already has been the target of considerable derision and ridicule due to her reputation for being fond of supposedly "low-class trailer-park cuisine" (as I heard one critic put it) and less-than-healthy food choices, and denigration among some circles of Southerners in general and of Southerners with unapologetically bubbly personalities and strong accents in particular, I feel pretty sure she knew that announcing she had diabetes would ramp up the criticism considerably, and give folks that already openly dislike her more ammunition, not to mention a feeling of self-satisfaction and justification, for having been proved right.

So who knows. Quite likely it was just a hard and fast business decision.

But maybe, like most of us, she wanted to delay the embarrassment, humiliation, and increased criticism as long as possible.

If I were in her shoes, I'm not at all sure how I would have handled it.

Edited March 8, 2012 by Jaymes (log)

[rotuts]

Paula Dean is a business woman, who runs the business: "Paula Dean"

just like the business "Martha Stewart" and others. She has been successful so in that sense good for her.

Like most modern businesses, 'full disclosure' may not be in the business's self interest.

what you make of her business, is another matter, same as "MS"

[gfweb]

This whole flap has seemed overdone to me. Her food is no more prone to causing the weight gain that leads to diabetes (in those who are susceptible) than Boloud's or Colliccio's. Have seconds every night at Daniel you'll get fat too.

I'm no fan of her or her kind of food, but she has been unfairly singled out over the years; probably because of her joyous use of butter etc.

Regarding the drug ads...I'm no fan of drug ads, but I wonder how many of her critics would turn down the money she's getting.

[rotuts]

its not just the fat and weight gain, but the massive use of refined sugars.

as they say "buyer beware"

at least as far as I can tell, she created her business the hard way. at least also as far as i can tell she's not a felon.

and drug ads are the most audacious and brazen waste of health care $$$ ever thought up.

"Just Ask Your Doctor"

[Mark Muller]

Is there some requirement that she tell the world of her health status the moment her doctor tells her? I would speculate that she probably delayed her announcement for business reasons, and I believe that doing so is completely her prerogative. She does not owe me nor anyone else in the general public unfettered information about herself, health or otherwise.

[Zeemanb]

This whole flap has seemed overdone to me. Her food is no more prone to causing the weight gain that leads to diabetes (in those who are susceptible) than Boloud's or Colliccio's. Have seconds every night at Daniel you'll get fat too.

While I'm not a big fan of Paula's, I tend to agree...she knows her audience and caters to a breed of sycophant whose doppelganger is easily found in the ranks of the too-cool-to-be-called-a-foodie elite. Put a few bourbons in Bourdain, have him stop by and pick up David Chang, provide the emotional comfort that comes with a cleanly sourced product....and swoon over the same level of heart-attack inducing gluttony because Tony uses alliteration as he devours the hand that feeds him. There are a million reasons to question Paula's timing, but I suspect most of them stem from the fact she's just annoying as hell.

[annabelle]

I think when and where Paula Dean decided to go public with the announcement that she suffers from diabetes is her business.

She has suffered from agorophobia as a young mother and overcome tremendous odds to build her empire. She is the living embodiment of the American Dream or a Horatio Alger tale: small town divorced mother of two begins a sandwich business and after years of hard work opens her own successful restaurant and lands a show on television. She finds love for a second time in her later years and also sadly learns she has diabetes.

Celebrity endorsments are hardly a new phenomenon. People either love or hate Paula, but they recognize her when she is on television. Football stars from days of yore are all over television (Terry Bradshaw is the latest) flacking Nutrisystem diet plans and so is Marie Osmond. Are we supposed to question their sincerity as well?

[rotuts]

She doesnt annoy me.

But the brand "Paula Dean" is just that.

(full disclosure: i used to watch the show a few times, and indeed made one item: "Bread Pudding" with Krispy Creme (Fresh!!!) doughnuts. You know the Ones. she used canned fruit cocktail Welll ...

I used (smugly) canned Pears and Peaches. She used a jar or two of that Fluff stuff . No Comment. I had a bite or two. I felt my pancreas sieze-up. This puts other Sugar-bombs to shame)

[JeanneCake]

If you don't like her, you're going to hate anything she does. If you like her, you'll let a lot of things that might otherwise annoy you - slide. That would hold true no matter what celebrity or personality we know.

I don't like or dislike her - I haven't watched a show with her in it for years but that's because I'm not watching a whole lot of TV in general not because I am trying to avoid the silliness that seems on whenever I do get to watch TV!; the accent is a little too thick for me sometimes, but I could take it or leave it.

What I don't understand is why it's generating so much conversation. If you don't care for her, you won't buy her cookbooks; if you do like her, or her style of cooking and do buy one of her cookbooks, does that mean you'd feel duped or fooled because she has diabetes and that her cooking is responsible for the diagnosis?

[andiesenji]

It's just possible that the announcement in mid-January was to generate some sympathy because they knew this newly filed lawsuit was coming.

Some of the allegations are rather ugly and there is a need to shore up the "brand" and, as been seen with other celebrities, not all related to food, a bit of sympathy because of a non-drug-related illness can do wonders.

It wouldn't be the first time for an "Oh! Poor me!" defense was trotted out to confuse a jury or the media...

Edited March 8, 2012 by andiesenji (log)

[rotuts]

I cant be sure, but Id Bet that PD who runs "PD" never told you that her food would cure your "ills"

(Full disclosure: Krispy Creme in moderation is moderating) (once every year).

are they still in business?

[rotuts]

there's a lawsuit?

what could be the basis of that?

[tikidoc]

I respect the woman for overcoming agoraphobia to create her empire. I do not like watching her show because I don't like most of the food she cooks and her accent grates on me. That said, I think much of the criticism of her is unfair. She does not profess to make healthy food. Anyone with common sense would understand that you can't cook that stuff every day and expect to be healthy. And her diagnosis of diabetes is her business, not anyone else's. I don't think she had an obligation to announce it.

What I find more interesting as far as timing is her son's new show on making his mom's recipe's healthier soon after the announcement of her diabetes. Seems he may be capitalizing on his mom's illness. But again, not necessarily anything wrong with that, but I wonder if that had something to do with the timing of her announcement.

[annabelle]

One of her managers has been accused of sexual harrassment and Paula is named as a codefendant.

[andiesenji]

One of her managers has been accused of sexual harrassment and Paula is named as a codefendant.

It's a restaurant "Uncle Bubba’s Seafood and Oyster House" owned by Deen and her brother, Bubba. And there are other allegations, all being hotly denied. The woman who filed the suit was a general manager there for five years.

[annabelle]

Well, either we'll see them all in in court or they will reach a settlement, I guess. Didn't Paula set her brother up with the restaurant some years back? I know she was or has been bankrolling a number of ventures for her family members. At any rate, Paula is the one with deep pockets and name recognition, not Bubba.

[rotuts]

WoW!

there are those 350 Lbs Steroid Nuts Wack-ing away in the NFL

but this is better:

how can one fault a 'Boot-Strap' woman than made her own way and now helps her family?

did any of them say "eat this and live forever?"

please keep us informed on " Well, you have a Lot of Money, so Ill hire some "..." and Help My Self"

not to say that the issue has merit or not.

As Jerry McG said: "Show Me the Money!"

Edited March 8, 2012 by rotuts (log)

[GlorifiedRice]

The same reason that Suzanne Somers waited 3 weeks before coming up with the story of breast cancer afterNational Enquirer caught her all bandaged up coming out the back door of a plastic surgery clinic...

MONEY MONEY MONEY....MONEY!

[annabelle]

How can you say that? Do you know these people?

How about Mario Batali having to cough up $5.25 Million to settle a tip lawsuit? Is Mario a crook?

[rotuts]

Well

Im Id like to hear more about Mario and and that suit!

Oooooooooooooooooooooo!

[annabelle]

Read all about it <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/mario_batali_sued_over_wages_tips_3Pf49xGylFyt68XMGiIcYN">'>http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/mario_batali_sued_over_wages_tips_3Pf49xGylFyt68XMGiIcYN"> here </a>.

html fail

Try this: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/mario_batali_sued_over_wages_tips_3Pf49xGylFyt68XMGiIcYN

Edited March 8, 2012 by annabelle (log)

[rotuts]

July?

nada happening.

but pls. Id like to hear!

[annabelle]

Argh. Wrong link. I'll have to go find it. Hang on.