When I first heard Paula Deen had been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes…well, I’m not going to lie. I wasn’t surprised. At all. Come on, now.
But I was sad. You guys, I really LIKE Paula Deen. I’ve always watched her shows, and drooled, and wished I could eat what she’s preparing. But I know butter better.
Really. Diabetes is no joke and it made me feel bad for Paula.
Then I started getting more information.
Such as:
1) She was diagnosed three years ago, but wanted to wait to reveal it to the public. This, on it’s own, is completely fine, because truly, it is her personal business. No one, no matter how famous, owes the general public any disclosure regarding any health issues.
2) She has a deal with pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk and is the spokesperson for their new site Diabetes in a New Light. It was also revealed she takes their drug, Victoza, to treat her diabetes. Okay. She waits three years to reveal her disease, and chooses to when it’s lucrative? Now I’m getting a little annoyed. But again, I can’t judge her for making some money. Well, I can judge her a little. Okay, I’m judging her.
3) Then I’m watching her on The Today Show and oh. my. gosh. Trainwreck. She’s avoiding any reference to the way she eats bringing on the Type 2 Diabetes. She points at race. She points at age. She points at genetics. And yes, all those things can factor in…BUUUUUUT. We all know that being overweight is a MAJOR factor. And Paula, honey, your butter eating ways have caught up with you.
4) It is also convenient that she chose to reveal within weeks of her son, Bobby, debuting his new show Not My Mama’s Meals, a show about lightening up Paula’s delicious artery nightmares recipes. I mean, she even got a plug in for him while being interviewed by Al Roker.
So while I have tremendous sympathy for Paula Deen, and I fully commend her on coming clean on her diagnosis, I wish it were under different circumstances.
With more honesty. With less skirting around the issues.
I sincerely hope that Paula’s health improves and her struggles touch others in a positive way.
And when and if she launches a show on healthy Southern cooking? Oh my gosh, girlfriend, you’ll be filling up my DVR.
What do you think of Paula Deen’s announcement and the resulting fallout? Tell us in the comments!
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