I don't think people should give Paula Deen such a hard time about her announcement that she has Type II Diabetes. I was not surprised at all. We know how she eats and we know how you get the disease. Southern Cooking is who she is - her identity, her persona, her love, her bread & butter, and the reason we love her. Let's face it, it's refreshing to watch someone cook without substituting cauliflower for potatoes while telling us to eat carrots instead of cookies. WE KNOW!!!!
Watching Paula Deen for me is a fantasy of sorts. She's an entertainer. I'm never going to cook or eat her Gooey Butter Cake, or Famous Shrimp and Grits, but I can watch how she does it and imagine how it must taste. Not much different than watching football players get their heads bashed in every week. We know what they do is dangerous to their health, but we watch anyway. Taking care of their own health is up to them. Many people can eat Paula's food and be fine, others have to eat in moderation, and others can't eat it at all.
This totally messes up everything she has worked so hard for. Many people said it was irresponsible for her to keep cooking after she knew. That just shows how people STILL don't want to take responsibility for their own lives and blame it on her cooking. Are you kidding me? Believe me, everyone knows that she is not a healthy cook. We don't watch her to count calories. There are plenty of chefs who cook healthily all over TV. She shouldn't need to tell you that 5 sticks of butter is bad for you.
Her diagnosis will effect a lot of people, not just her. She has to think about her staff, crew, and all the people she employees and their families. She needed time with her people to calculate a plan that would salvage her image and reputation. I don't think it's a coincidence that her son, Bobby, is about to launch his own TV show called "Not My Mama's Meals" (lighter version's of Paula's meals). A perfect plan to help with the blow of her announcement.
If it were up to me, I would do a show with both of them cooking the exact meal: hers would be a "Sunday Splurge" version and his would be "The Lighter Side". Let the family members come in for a taste test at the end. I would love a book with Bobby's recipe on the left and Paula's on the right of the same dish.
She should reposition her brand as "Sunday Splurge Cook" or "Special Occasion Cook", emphasizing her learning to eat differently daily. This would be a good example to set for the millions of people who live with Type II Diabetes.
Many people don't like that she's representing a diabetes drug, they think she should diet and exercise to control her disease. That's her choice. Most of us would do the same if we were in her shoes and had the opportunity.
I hope Paula can find a way to get healthy and still enjoy her life. I also hope she continues to cook for her millions of fans. After-all, we all love a great Splurge Meal from time to time.
