Paula Deen represents everything that is wrong with America

ctlinj7

I wish Paula Deen was MFP member witha public diary...

ErinBeth7

I think people who sit on unemployment checks for two years are more of a problem to America than Paula Deen.

YES.

bluesmokeybars

I like Paula. She seems very nice and I enjoy watching her show. She cooks good ol' southern food the way her mom and grandma did. I'm sure we all have recipes from our past that are favorites. Maybe we serve them during the holidays or on special occassions and not every day! Blaming Paula for people being overweight is just as ridiculous as blaming McDonalds. People need to take responsibility for making their own bad decisions. It is no one's fault but yours as to what you put into your own mouth. Own it!

rachemn

If it's any consolation, lots of Australian are fat and unhealthy too, and I'm betting most Aussies have never heard of this lady - I hadn't until today! I just googled her and maybe the recipes I saw weren't a good sample - but honestly, I've seen worse.

I agree with the previous poster who says that most of the cooking shows on TV are not to teach you to cook, they are for entertainment value. We often get ideas from TV chefs, but will cook the recipe to our taste (which often means cutting down the amount of things like butter, oil, cream etc) - because we know what we like to eat and what is good for us. I don't have a problem with over the top recipes for occasional treats, but if people choose to cook and eat unhealthy foods all the time - well, that's their problem, not the fault of some TV presenter.

Thank you. I get so frustrated when people act like it's all American's who have bad habits and are fat and unhealthy...actually I hate all generalizations. And you and the others that posted that cooking shows are really just entertainment. I love to watch them. I love to watch them and I do get some great ideas and hints and tips, but I don't think I've ever made a recipe that I've seen on a show.

And I have to say that I love and admire Paula Deen! She's fun to watch, she has great sons and she's overcome many obstacles. She lost both her parents when she was young, had a bad divorce, suffered from panic attacks and agrophobia, but she managed to pull herself up from her bootstraps, start a successful business from nothing and raise two sons, who are extremely devoted to her all on her on. She is an inspiration!

And Anthony Bourdain really can't talk. This coming from the man who loves crispy pork fat, smokes cigarettes and pot and drinks copiously. I also enjoy his show, but it doesn't make me want to follow his example.

JennaM222

I think people who sit on unemployment checks for two years are more of a problem to America than Paula Deen.

YES.

Do you think Paula Dean voted for Obama? :huh:

AMHA32

but then again, McDonald's did get sued for having hot coffee. . .

this always gets tossed around the internet. Sigh.

Do you know that the McD in that suit had already been warned on three other occasions to turn down the heat setting on their coffeepot? Do you know that the person who won that suit originally asked McD's only to pay for the THIRD DEGREE BURNS that were suffered on her genitals when the almost boiling liquid spilled into her lap? And that it was the jury that decided that the plaintiff deserved not only to have her medical bills paid, but that McD's would have to pay a penalty for knowing there was a hazard and not addressing it? Their penalty (that's what punitive damages are) was equal to one day's coffee sales, corporate wide. So for permanantly disfiguring a woman, through negligence, and then refusing to pay for her medical bills, they lost ONE DAY worth of coffee sales.

Facts.....a beautiful thing.

/rant.

THANK YOU!!!! I saw someone mention this at the beginning of the thread and jumped to the end to post this exact thing. Now, I believe that there was also something along the lines of her taking the top off the coffee, putting the cup between her legs on the seat to hold it and driving off which caused the spill. But, yes, McD's was negligent in that they had failed to address the issue before. I believe they failed to do so because they are only supposed to keep the coffee on for a certain amount of time and by brewing the coffee hotter, they could keep it on longer. Less waste = less # lost. This example has got to stop being used in such a simplistic way.

Sorrym but these "facts" do not change my mind on this case. She put a cardboard cup of boiling water between her legs and DROVE A CAR with it there.

C'mon! Common sense is common sense and that woman should have known better.

Right, which is why they used comparative negligence to find the woman at fault also and reduced the value of the award. And they are facts...not "facts". If the coffee had spilled while it was being handed to her and gave her third degree burns - she still would have won and probably won more. It's not that "she didn't know the coffee was hot" as is so often said - it's that it was negligently hot and McD's didn't (doesn't?) give a hoot about their customers since the settlements they paid in the past were meaningless to them and they didn't change their policies.

rml_16

If it's any consolation, lots of Australian are fat and unhealthy too, and I'm betting most Aussies have never heard of this lady - I hadn't until today! I just googled her and maybe the recipes I saw weren't a good sample - but honestly, I've seen worse.

I agree with the previous poster who says that most of the cooking shows on TV are not to teach you to cook, they are for entertainment value. We often get ideas from TV chefs, but will cook the recipe to our taste (which often means cutting down the amount of things like butter, oil, cream etc) - because we know what we like to eat and what is good for us. I don't have a problem with over the top recipes for occasional treats, but if people choose to cook and eat unhealthy foods all the time - well, that's their problem, not the fault of some TV presenter.

Anyone remember Two Fat Ladies? NONE of their recipes were healthy and they both died from complications from their obesity.

They were British.

VVEXVVEX

What stinks about the situation though is that she waited, reportedly, some three years to reveal her diagnosis until she had a plumd eal to make money off pharmaceuticals. She has SUCH a huge audience and such wide reach that she could be discussing the important of moderation, increased activity, whatever.

But instead, she is choosing to make a wad of cash off drugs, and the implicit message to her fans is, "Don't worry about making yourself sick through your lifestyle; here's some pricey medicine to deal with it." It's terribly sad she's skipped what could have been a great public education opportunity and instead opted for even more profit.

^this.

rml_16

but then again, McDonald's did get sued for having hot coffee. . .

this always gets tossed around the internet. Sigh.

Do you know that the McD in that suit had already been warned on three other occasions to turn down the heat setting on their coffeepot? Do you know that the person who won that suit originally asked McD's only to pay for the THIRD DEGREE BURNS that were suffered on her genitals when the almost boiling liquid spilled into her lap? And that it was the jury that decided that the plaintiff deserved not only to have her medical bills paid, but that McD's would have to pay a penalty for knowing there was a hazard and not addressing it? Their penalty (that's what punitive damages are) was equal to one day's coffee sales, corporate wide. So for permanantly disfiguring a woman, through negligence, and then refusing to pay for her medical bills, they lost ONE DAY worth of coffee sales.

Facts.....a beautiful thing.

/rant.

THANK YOU!!!! I saw someone mention this at the beginning of the thread and jumped to the end to post this exact thing. Now, I believe that there was also something along the lines of her taking the top off the coffee, putting the cup between her legs on the seat to hold it and driving off which caused the spill. But, yes, McD's was negligent in that they had failed to address the issue before. I believe they failed to do so because they are only supposed to keep the coffee on for a certain amount of time and by brewing the coffee hotter, they could keep it on longer. Less waste = less # lost. This example has got to stop being used in such a simplistic way.

Sorrym but these "facts" do not change my mind on this case. She put a cardboard cup of boiling water between her legs and DROVE A CAR with it there.

C'mon! Common sense is common sense and that woman should have known better.

Right, which is why they used comparative negligence to find the woman at fault also and reduced the value of the award. And they are facts...not "facts". If the coffee had spilled while it was being handed to her and gave her third degree burns - she still would have won and probably won more. It's not that "she didn't know the coffee was hot" as is so often said - it's that it was negligently hot and McD's didn't (doesn't?) give a hoot about their customers since the settlements they paid in the past were meaningless to them and they didn't change their policies.

The fact is, the coffee didn't spill when being handed to her and no one poured it on her. She put it between her legs in a car she was driving.

Even if that coffee was not *as* hot as it was, coffee is still boiling water and would still have burned her, even at a "reasonable" temperature.

She did something dumb and she got paid well for her stupidity. If people are so unhappy with the temperature of McD's coffee, they shouldn't buy it. That will force the company to change its policies.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

IMO, you can't regulate morality (or health, or personal choices). If you don't like her, don't watch her show or buy her books. I know I don't. But what she puts in her body and what comes out of her mouth are her business. And whether people choose to be influenced by her, well that's their responsibility. I get why people are upset but I just don't get that angry about what other people do, especially people that I don't know/like and who have plenty of money and enough education to understand the consequences of their actions. Personally, I think people should be educated and then whatever they choose to do with their body is their business. It's not like people don't realize that her cooking isn't healthy.

reese66

What stinks about the situation though is that she waited, reportedly, some three years to reveal her diagnosis until she had a plumd eal to make money off pharmaceuticals. She has SUCH a huge audience and such wide reach that she could be discussing the important of moderation, increased activity, whatever.

But instead, she is choosing to make a wad of cash off drugs, and the implicit message to her fans is, "Don't worry about making yourself sick through your lifestyle; here's some pricey medicine to deal with it." It's terribly sad she's skipped what could have been a great public education opportunity and instead opted for even more profit.

^this.

She is donating a lot of that wad of cash to research.
She is not obligated to come out about having diabetes.
The website that she is now featured in is geared towards the education of diabetes.

vingogly

Do you think Paula Dean voted for Obama? :huh:

Michelle Obama actually appeared on the Paula Deen show (though she may be regretting it now )

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2047901/Paula-Deen-Michelle-Obama-ate-guest-Ive-show.html

BTW, Southern white woman doesn't automatically mean racist or politically conservative ... just sayin'.

VVEXVVEX

Paula Dean perpetuated a fraud and now intends to be a paid spokesperson for some pharma company with no repercussion from the american public whatsoever! Personal choice is an entirely separate issue from a promoting a food lifestyle that you personally know to be one of the main contributing factors to very disease that you suffer with. This whole thing is really lame. Anyone who thinks Paula is some type of "victim of circumstance" or without fault in this matter should really take a closer look at the timeline involved and the facts as they have been released. I think most reasonable people can smell a racket when they see it from all sides.

Precisely this. As the OP, I did not blame her for making America fat. I blame her for taking buckets of money from a drug company. The hypocrisy is just disgusting.

rachemn

http://www.forbes.com/sites/olgakhazan/2011/08/11/why-americans-arent-responsible-for-fat-french-people/3/

I just hate when America gets blamed for everything. And the French people aren't as skinny as they once were either...in fact a lot of cultures are struggling with obesity.

And the British two fat ladies are dead???? I'm so sad cuz I love watching that show and I had no idea...but their food always look so gross...almost as bad as a bacon, donut burger...except it's thinks like salt crusted cod. Gag!

rml_16

And the British two fat ladies are dead???? I'm so sad cuz I love watching that show and I had no idea...but their food always look so gross...almost as bad as a bacon, donut burger...except it's thinks like salt crusted cod. Gag!

Many, many years ago. They were a hoot, though. Loved the little motorcycle with the side car!

mommypennylane

Paula Dean perpetuated a fraud and now intends to be a paid spokesperson for some pharma company with no repercussion from the american public whatsoever! Personal choice is an entirely separate issue from a promoting a food lifestyle that you personally know to be one of the main contributing factors to very disease that you suffer with. This whole thing is really lame. Anyone who thinks Paula is some type of "victim of circumstance" or without fault in this matter should really take a closer look at the timeline involved and the facts as they have been released. I think most reasonable people can smell a racket when they see it from all sides.

Precisely this. As the OP, I did not blame her for making America fat. I blame her for taking buckets of money from a drug company. The hypocrisy is just disgusting.

If you have ever watched her show then you would know she doesn't promote a lifestyle. She has said on many occasions that she doesn't eat that way and to be moderate and her son goes on her show and he makes healthy recipes. I see no fraud at all. Honestly I dont see how her having the disease is anyones business but if someone wants to use her to possibly help others then great. I guess we are suppose to believe that you would represent a company and not ask for any money at all??? The hypocrisy is coming from yall. Sounds like jealousy to me, plain and simple.

reese66

Paula Dean perpetuated a fraud and now intends to be a paid spokesperson for some pharma company with no repercussion from the american public whatsoever! Personal choice is an entirely separate issue from a promoting a food lifestyle that you personally know to be one of the main contributing factors to very disease that you suffer with. This whole thing is really lame. Anyone who thinks Paula is some type of "victim of circumstance" or without fault in this matter should really take a closer look at the timeline involved and the facts as they have been released. I think most reasonable people can smell a racket when they see it from all sides.

Precisely this. As the OP, I did not blame her for making America fat. I blame her for taking buckets of money from a drug company. The hypocrisy is just disgusting.

Shocked or whatever? .... because she is now taking money to become a spokesperson for treatment of a devastating disease that is caused by behaviors she's been promoting. Shocked or whatever? .... because she has led people over a cliff for years and now she gets to get paid for what? Shocked or whatever? .... because "moderation" when it comes to her style of cooking is a cynical joke.

This comment seem vaguely familiar? The second line stating she led people over a cliff does indeed imply that you are blaming.

I for one is happy she is getting that money, for the simple freaking fact that she is donating a good amount of it for to the research of diabetes, money they would not be receiving if she wasn't making it.

engineman312

this thread is what's wrong with america.

savage22hp

this thread is what's wrong with america.

Oh no ! Now we both have contributed to whats wrong with America !

PandaofDestruction

"Paula Deen represents everything that is wrong with America"

I always thought that was the Kardashians
But they are all related since it's clear all they all live with the montra, "if you pay me, I'll do it".

LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!! Not just because we are friends on here, because it is true! LOL