Paula Deen Shocked by Diabetes Backlash

by China DeSpain January 24, 2012
Categories: Eats, Lifestyle
Tags: paula deen.
Photo: Diabetes in a New Light

Food Network star Paula Deen caused quite an uproar last week when she announced that she not only has Type 2 Diabetes, but that she has also partnered with a drug company to promote her new diabetes website. While some fans were supportive of the butter-loving cook, many were outraged that she kept her condition a secret for three years.

And apparently her fans aren’t the only ones feeling betrayed. According to the Huffington Post, Deen was shocked by all the public backlash, but the biggest surprise of all was that none of her fellow Food Network hosts spoke up in support. The supposed reason for their silence? Because she kept them in the dark about her illness.

“The amount of chefs that would have come forward with public statements of support and sympathy would have been overwhelming if it wasn’t for the fact that Paula hid her diagnosis for three years. To only tell the truth when you have locked in a paid spokesperson deal for a non-insulin medication is just too toxic for anyone to want to be involved with,” says HuffPo.

And apparently it wasn’t just fans and other chefs who were kept in the dark about Deen’s diabetes. Until she made her announcement, not even the network knew her secret.

“You have heard correctly, Food Network learned last week about Paula’s diagnosis,” says Vice President of Communications, Irika Slavin. As for her take on the other chefs’ silence? “Each has their own team’s reps, who I imagine would be advising their clients.”

HuffPo reached out to representatives for several Food Network stars, but the only response was one off the record comment: ”So here’s the deal, none of our chefs want to go on the record saying anything about her. However, I heard someone say it would be news if she didn’t get diabetes. So I guess friend, butter is bad for you. Who knew?”

Yikes.

About China DeSpain

China DeSpain is a San Antonio-based writer and blogger. She loves pop culture, animal rights, health and fitness, international travel, books and wigs. Follow China on Twitter: @ChinaDeSpain

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Anonymous

She is shocked because Entertainers live in a fantasy world. They are spoiled and told everything they do is wonderful. Paula Deen is experience reality and this is what is bothering her. Paula Deen hid 2 big Facts

1. She knew she had diabetes and hid this fact from the public to keep the money rolling in

2. Her $500 dollar a month drug was beaten by a $20 dollar specialized diabetes diet in a study. She hid this fact from her viewers. This goes way beyond her terrible diet

just google SPIRIT HAPPY DIET
http://twitter.com/melro52 Valeria Rogers

Paula Deen seems like a perfectly nice woman but she’s lead the country onto horribly unhealthy eating habits and suffers the same because of it. Her endorsement of Smithfield was the end for me. A documentary on Smithfield;s horrific abuse of animals in CAFO’s that polluted the interior of N.C. all the way to the ocean was enough for me not to eat any more red meat, and only free range poultry. Smithfield should be strung up like one of his hogs.
- http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JXE2IXW3CTYRMRMZXQTYTW2JUQ veggiesoup
  
  Me too, I agree
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JXE2IXW3CTYRMRMZXQTYTW2JUQ veggiesoup

watch “Simply Raw. Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days”. It’s on youtube! Reverse Diabetes with FOOD, not Meds
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JXE2IXW3CTYRMRMZXQTYTW2JUQ veggiesoup

are red and sweet potatoes better than Grain damage? or about the same?
Anonymous

Everyone should have the right to choose whether, when and how to share important medical news. It’s no one else’s business so I don’t understand why chefs on a TV network are upset because they weren’t told.
http://www.facebook.com/cherylbalmas Cheryl Martell Balmas

Finally someone with common sense. I agree. I’m not going to point fingers about her deal with the drug manufacturer or whether or not she should have come forward with her diagnosis sooner. Its a free country, she can share or not share as she pleases. I am so disturbed lately at how people hold celebrities responsible for everything. No one put a gun to anyone’s head and said cook this. If you watched her show and made her recipes and ate them knowing your own health conditions then you have no one to blame but yourself. I get the impression that people act like lambs being lead to slaughter, follow the crowd, and then want to blame everyone else for their decisions. If you watched her show, thought her food was unhealthy and then cooked/ate it anyway, you are the stupid one.