Anthony Bourdain calls Paula Deen ‘the worst, most dangerous person to America’
Anthony Bourdain is happy to smack down celebrity food personalities. CREDIT: AP
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Anthony Bourdain has never been shy about his opinions. Just read his book “Kitchen Confidential” or listen to him on his Travel Channel show “No Reservations.”
In the current print edition of TV Guide magazine, he also sounds off on various celebrity chefs, including Savannah’s own Paula Deen, whose buttery blood might boil if she read this:
“The worst, most dangerous person to America is clearly Paula Deen. She revels in unholy connections with evil corporations and she’s proud of the fact that her food is f–king bad for you [...] plus, her food sucks.”
“No Reservations,” Mondays 9 p.m. Travel Channel
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By Rodney Ho, rho@ajc.com, AJCRadioTV blog
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369 comments Add your comment
Bubbles???? Give Me A Break!!!!
August 17th, 2011
5:07 pm
Bubbles – your name must be short for my a$$ is three times as wide as Paula Deen’s and I eat butter by the stick……….that is why I think her food is AWESOME….Get a life and loose some weight!!!
Han Solo
August 17th, 2011
5:08 pm
Paul’s food has always been more about fun than cuisine. I gave up most old style southern cooking years ago to get healthly; and most adults who watch her show do it for the enjoyment of a cooking style they remember from years past. Most – if they could, would love to eat what she displays weekly.
Bourdain is a liberal hack (every international show – his narration highlights the problems of the foreign country usually at the expense of the U.S.) on the tail end of his “career”, and has to continue to try and keep his name out there. Can’t disappear soon enough.
paula deen
August 17th, 2011
5:09 pm
hey yallllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll stop talking about me yalllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll..i’m a dumb hick yalllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll…yes i’m a fat,phoney,phoney,redneck,hick yalllllllllllllllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Janet
August 17th, 2011
5:10 pm
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE Bourdain!!!!! I have never eaten at Paula Dean’s personally, but everyone, and I mean EVERYONE I know (in Atlanta metro area) says that you only go to Paula’s for the “tourist factor” just to say that you did. I have been told that the food is not good and it’s truly not worth the time/money. I always thought she seemed like a nice lady until I read that she repeatedly turned down a request from the same kid who wanted to meet her thru The Make a Wish Foundation. How awful is that!!!!
Greg S.
August 17th, 2011
5:12 pm
Bourdain…what an effing pig! Over confident, over billed and he should get over himself!
kevin
August 17th, 2011
5:12 pm
Actually, Bourdain was a chef for years. And, while pretentious, he is totally right. In a society wrought with obesity, diabetes and heart disease, culinary “experts” have a responsibility to present healthy options. Paula Dean adds a stick of butter to everything she cooks. Anything is good tasting with a stick of butter added to it. More difficult, is to make something both tasty and healthy.
MrDan
August 17th, 2011
5:12 pm
Paula Deen went from a psycho neurotic afraid to leave the house to enormously successful and filthy stinking rich. Way to go Ms Deen, and God Bless America!
K@atl
August 17th, 2011
5:13 pm
Anthony B is crazy as hell!! I guess all of the drugs he took in his early years has fried his brains..where he thinks he can just talk about people that hasn’t said or did anything to him..I hope the next time he meets with Sandra Lee she slaps him!!!!
paula deen
August 17th, 2011
5:13 pm
i admit i am a fat,disgusting,phoney,lard a$$,pig……well at least i admit it.
Greg S.
August 17th, 2011
5:13 pm
As what team I’m on neither. Food is not as big a deal as the “Foodie’s” would have you believe.
Artery Attack
August 17th, 2011
5:13 pm
Hunnnneh, how ’bout some mora biskit with yo’ buttah!
pogo
August 17th, 2011
5:14 pm
Paula Deen and her overplay of the Southern accent is totally sickening. I was born and bred in the deep South and nobody speak as she does. The “yawl” thing, while used by many of us “natives” everyday down here, is phony and overused by Deen. That being said, some of her recipes are good and some are bad. Bourdain is nothing more than a NYC snob who probably detests anything Southern (unless of course you are black). He is just as phony as Deen. He uses his “eccentricity” as his calling card (as if he knows better than anyone else what is good or bad). No. he is just another smuck out there trying to make a buck by whatever means he can.
yeah c'mon
August 17th, 2011
5:15 pm
That’s all he’s got to say about Guy? Come on, Tony. You’re losing your edge.
Savannah Native
August 17th, 2011
5:15 pm
Paula Deen’s food is crap now. It’s all made by Sysco and line cooks. It used to be good when the place first opened and had only one buffet line in a space no larger than a small apartment. It’s all mass produced commercial crap now.
MerryMary
August 17th, 2011
5:16 pm
Anybody who has known of P Dean for very long can see how she has “ballooned” over time. Must be eating her own cooking which is ‘way too high in fats to be healthy. Eat like that everyday and you’ll “balloon,” too.
Dr. Kenneth Noisewater
August 17th, 2011
5:19 pm
Bourdain went to the CIA- one of the most prestigious culinary schools in America. Trust me, he’s no hack. Agreed with Brett- i’ve met Alton Brown is he’s a huge d-bag a-hole. Not a fan of Paula Dean either.
bamabelle2000
August 17th, 2011
5:19 pm
I love Paula Deen because she is REAL she doesn’t get on her shows and pretend she is a self-asborb know it all like Anthony Bourdain. I use to like him, but his attitude has turned me off. Seems to me, Bourdain is a hater. He is big, but most of the names he has dogged out are BIGGER then he is and that would make anyone bitter.
Savannah Native
August 17th, 2011
5:20 pm
And right on, pogo. You are 100% correct.
apsdecatur
August 17th, 2011
5:21 pm
Check out “Paula Deen Riding Things”
http://pauladeenridingthings.com/
Roger D Smart
August 17th, 2011
5:22 pm
I am appalled at his comment, because I usually watch him just about every night, but “Who does he think he is”? He is not the almighty “Greatest Chef”, so he can keep his damn trap shut! Damn these New Yorkers!!!!!!!!
blackbird13
August 17th, 2011
5:22 pm
“He is big, but most of the names he has dogged out are BIGGER then he is and that would make anyone bitter.”
Paula Deen is definitely BIGGER than he is. Way BIGGER.
padma's boy
August 17th, 2011
5:23 pm
All Paula does is dip everything in mayo, lard and fry it up. Total Crap. Finally glad somebody called her out.
RAY D ATOR
August 17th, 2011
5:24 pm
Wonder how many of these earlier commenting folks have ever seen Paula other than when she does he show on TV.. most I would guess!! Probably most of them are $%^& Yankees to boot. I watched his show one time and that was enough…. This lady is first class (yes I have met her personally) and she is a hoot. and yes I am a Rebel and proud of it.
Brogens Hero
August 17th, 2011
5:24 pm
Anthony makes a living off of ripping other people, not cooking. I saw an episode of No Reservations in New Orleans were Tony was kissing Emeril’s ass after years of ripping the man. He play’s the part of the angry brooding self righteous chef. He hasn’t lifted a pair of tongs in years.
Paula Deen’s food is crap but she is laughing all the way to the bank. She is the redneck who won the lottery and bought all her children Rolex’s. All cash no class!!
Looma
August 17th, 2011
5:25 pm
Umm, he is right. Her food is not that good and not good for you. It is “Southern Cuisine” but that is not saying much since it is really not that unique or interesting.
Cecilia
August 17th, 2011
5:26 pm
I get scared in the grocery store check out when I happen to glance over and see Paula Deen’s face on a magazine. She looks like she is made out of plastic, and butter.
I love Anthony Bourdain. He’s not a teddy bear and he’s very sarcastic. Awesome!
Also, he is a chef. He’s not just some random guy on a tv show. So he doesn’t do a Julia Childs type show… who cares?
ozzfest
August 17th, 2011
5:26 pm
PAULA DEEN = PHILIP MORRIS. THEY BOTH KILL YOU…BUT ONE WEARS A LOT MORE MAKEUP THAN THE OTHER.
…AND CAN SOMEBODY EXPLAIN THAT BLANK STARE AND FAKE SMILE ON THE COVER OF ALL OF THE MAGAZINES IN THE CHECKOUT LINE AT KROGER. DO THEY JUST COPY THE SAME PHOTO OF HER FACE AND PLACE IT ON SEASONAL OUTFITS. HER EXPRESSION NEVER CHANGES.
YUCK!
bamabelle2000
August 17th, 2011
5:26 pm
For Bourdain to say this is just mean-spirited and unnecessary. The dude is jealous because he had his chance to be the next Gordon Ramsey type and f it up. So what does he do, go on the Travel Channel and whine about others because he is hater and that’s what haters do.
Southern Bella
August 17th, 2011
5:29 pm
I’m a native Georgian and I can tell you that P D does indeed exaggerate the pronunciation of the word y’all. We natives may say it every once in a blue moon and we certainly don’t drag out the vowels as if it’s a taffy pull.
P D says it as if she’s Chuckles the Clown looking for attention and a cheap laugh. It’s not in the least bit funny or cute. It’s sickening and embarrassing. (And the butter schtick is very old, to say the least.)
Ms. Dean, I used to be a fan several years ago, but your (AND your sons’) 15 minutes needs to be up now.
Alesia
August 17th, 2011
5:29 pm
Paula Deen taught me how to make the BEST CATFISH EVAH!!!
KD
August 17th, 2011
5:29 pm
She’s only dangerous to the idiots that eat that kind of food 3 times a day. Survival of the fittest. As long as you aren’t stupid enough to eat that way all the time, then she’s just a mediocre cook. If you seriously think she’s a better chef than Anthony Bourdain, well…you’re probably also the person who uses Rachael Ray’s cookbooks. He wasn’t talking to you. He was talking OVER you to the people who might actually comprehend the message he was trying to convey.
I Hate Foodies
August 17th, 2011
5:31 pm
Bourdain is right – but bless his heart for that foot he stuck in his mouth. Sometimes a person can be their own worst enemy.
Sure Deen has had well over her 15 minutes of fame, but I think that what has pissed Bourdain off. You wannabe snobs commenting on here are a hoot! Most vegans and “healthy” epicurians that I know are well on their way to health problems – very unhappy souls that will probably drop dead long before a Lady & Sons customer ever will. Loosen up with a stick of butter!
Dr Happy
August 17th, 2011
5:32 pm
Fat free and sugar free will kill you quicker than a stick of butter! Pretentious buttholes du jour on served on this blog today
MeaneyMouse
August 17th, 2011
5:32 pm
HEYYYYYYY YOU DANGED WOODCHUCKS…..QUIT CHUCKING MY WOOD /(*. .*)\
Goose
August 17th, 2011
5:33 pm
Seriously people, these comments dissing Anthony are crazy. He has never proclaimed himself one of the greatest chefs out there, though he has worked at some very well respected restaurants, such as Brasserie Les Halles. Secondly Paula Dean’s food is terrible for you. Yeah there is a line out the door but seriously anything with that much butter and fat in it is going to taste somewhat decent. I think what Bourdain is getting at here is that these chefs on TV really don’t have that much talent. Sure they can cook certain things, but its not like these people are winning Michelin Stars. Plus I haven’t read the whole TV Guide article, and I bet most people on this post haven’t either, so I won’t make a final decision on what he meant by these comments until I do. And just to state it, I have lived in GA my whole life and grew up on the kind of food that Paula cooks. I have also been to her restaurant and its pretty good, but not any better then what my Grandmother use to cook.
FEAR
August 17th, 2011
5:35 pm
Tony is 100% spot on. Dont get mad because he told the truth on a fellow Georgian. The truth hurts.
bamabelle2000
August 17th, 2011
5:36 pm
Anthony Bourdain can’t talk about anyone being healthy; how many packs he smokes a day?
FEAR
August 17th, 2011
5:37 pm
Oh and I like unhealthy food but all the cooks he has mentioned their food sucks!
JMetz
August 17th, 2011
5:39 pm
It’s cute that all the Bourdain haters/Pro-Deeners whine about his pretentious attitude, etc. That’s fine…at least the man knows how to cook without a god damned stick of butter every 3 minutes. So, if that’s pretentious then so be it. I love him and I loathe Deen.
Laura
August 17th, 2011
5:39 pm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smithfield_Foods
ENOUGH SAID
Tom
August 17th, 2011
5:49 pm
Maybe that is why Paula has a long waiting line to get in to her place because her food is so bad.
Well, let’s be fair. There are also long lines to watch professional wrestling and tapings of “Springer”.
Carlaruth
August 17th, 2011
5:51 pm
Bourdain is a classically trained chef with years in the trenches, a smart mouth and a taste for illegal substances. I spent a lot of years in food and beverage and pretty much everyone I know in the business is just like Tony. Even the nice ones you see on the television tend to have nasty tempers, swear like sailors and drink like… well, chefs. That’s what makes them so brilliant. Bourdain is the truth. Paula Deen is the TV Land version.
Another Savannah Native
August 17th, 2011
5:52 pm
OK let’s start with this little-publicized fact – Paula is NOT from Savannah, she is from SW Georgia (Albany, I believe). Her food has very little in common with classic Savannah cooking. Paula is a nice person, she has worked hard, and has been the beneficiary of a very smart marketing and management team. Her restaurant is a tourist haven and an asset to the city…BUT locals rarely eat there, unless their out-of-town company insists. The food is below-average and resembles “pre-fab mobile home out-of-a-can” food more than “fresh-from-the-farm” Southern country cooking. It’s not as classy as true Savannah-style cooking, not as fresh or high-quality as true Southern country cooking. In summary, her food a bit like Paula herself…more of a caricature of a Southern lady than a portrait. Nothing wrong with her success or food, if that’s what people want…it’s just a shame that it perpetuates a bit of a “Dukes of Hazard” or “Beverly Hillbillies” image of Georgia and the South. But, as many locals have already said…for much better classic southern food, go to Mrs. Wilkes, go to Sweet Potatoes, or any number of other places.
LL
August 17th, 2011
5:52 pm
Living in Savannah, the locals don’t eat at Paula’s restaurants…we know better. Also, ave you ever seen how un-healthy/obese the majority of the people waiting in line are? The food she cooks on tv is never the food in the restaurant….hell, PAULA is never in the restaurant!
FEAR
August 17th, 2011
5:52 pm
Oh and Sandra Lee…..I’m pretty sure she is a terminator or something. That broad aint human
Deen is a hack
August 17th, 2011
5:52 pm
Obviously most of you are completely ignorant to what Anthony Bourdain is about. He tells it like it is…sorry if that hurts your feelings. He is currently chef at large at Brasserie Les Halles in NYC although spends most of his current time writing and traveling.
I have seen the guy brag plenty of times about Southern Cuisine and he has traveled to well over a hundred different countries to experience their food and culture all without one iota of political BS which some of you mentioned here.
Paula Deen couldnt hold his jock strap in the kitchen.
RealityPeople
August 17th, 2011
5:53 pm
PEOPLE, Paula Deen’s food is a good thing once a month or two. No one can eat that all the time, but it is ok once in awhile. Why people need to openly berate others is beyond me. When people start being more concerned about fixing their own issues then pointing out other people’s problems, we just may get somewhere in this world. Grow up.
sonj
August 17th, 2011
5:54 pm
I can’t understand why Anthony, or anybody for that matter be so mean. First of all, Paula Deen is a southern cook. She cooks the way my mother, grandmother, and aunts do. Yes, it is unhealthy food, but every once in awhile there is nothing wrong with eating this type of food. I am an originally from Georgia, and I have heard people say y’all all of my life. If you don’t like her show, don’t watch it!! Why be so mean by calling her names!! Anthony Bourdain is a show that I watch, but he can’t talk about anyone being unhealthy, as much as he drinks on his shows!
Billy
August 17th, 2011
5:56 pm
Yet another blowhard liberal health nut. Eat your sprigs and shut up, AB…
Football Fan
August 17th, 2011
5:57 pm
We cooked some stuff out of the Lady and Sons cookbook and it sucked.