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
seer
August 18th, 2011
12:41 pm
Difference between Paula and a chef, a chef will cook a snail and try to make you like it. Paula knows to just pour salt on it.
idiot rednecks
August 18th, 2011
12:52 pm
keep eating garbage and getting fatter. There’s a reason the North won. Retards.
Marsh
August 18th, 2011
1:07 pm
Do tell me more, “idiot rednecks.” That’s an interesting moniker you’ve got there. Maybe you could take that name and your snotty attitude and stick it right where the sun doesn’t shine? Bless your heart.
Tony: maybe you’re a product of Pennsylvania’s school system, or New York’s, or god forbid California’s. Get your glasses, son. There’s not one error in that post. Also: scouring comments for spelling and grammar errors is positively pathetic.
And Bob: we care. You could never possibly understand that because you have no sense of place. Your McMansion’s and your crappy Cheesecake Factory could be anywhere on the map, you see? Pick up some Faulkner. You may learn something.
Judge not lest ye be judged.
BTW, the only thing remarkable about either one of these people is that they worked hard and earned what they have. If only half of you were working instead of posting on a comments section, we might actually pull out of this recession.
Dr. Parker
August 18th, 2011
1:54 pm
As a natural medicine doc, a former chef and a believer that delicious food can actually be nutritious and healthful, I agree! While Paula is witty, kind and charming, her excessive butter, bacon grease and love of deep fat frying everything (including, to my horror, green beans) is irresponsible and dangerous. I believe that celebrity chef’s should be held to a higher standard . . . one that includes a view of food that promotes it’s fresh, health giving properties. As Hippocrates said, let food be your medicine.
Shawn
August 18th, 2011
1:57 pm
Excuse me? Product of PA’s school system? Get a life.
Joel Deen
August 18th, 2011
3:02 pm
Good lord, some of you Southerners actually think Paula Deen makes “us” look bad? Better nourish that self-esteem a bit.
inkedAG
August 18th, 2011
3:47 pm
It’s amazing how much ahole can fit into one person. And Anthony Bourdain is one HUGE ahole!
Amy
August 18th, 2011
3:53 pm
Couldn’t agree more!
CJS IN CA
August 18th, 2011
4:41 pm
Tony stirs the pot again. First off, he’s a CIA trained chef who did run the kitchen at Les Halles for many years. Second, he doesn’t go out seeking bugs and crap to eat. He is a big proponent of, “if you’re going to kill it, eat the whole animal.” movement. Paula Deen’s is excellent in front of the camera and crowds, but her cooking is BS (butter slathered). Guy Fieri’s restaurant is also mediocre at best. Check yelp.com for the stellar reviews. Rachel Ray as TB said admits she not a chef or a great cook. Like PD she good in front of the camera and is at least trying to be educational. Sandra Lee slaps crap together out of cans, but is the “Martha Stewart” of the Food Network and like Martha not to be f(&&*ed with. If the people who don’t see Tony’s show for what it is, a travel to far places and eat really f*&(&ing excellent food, don’t travel or understand cuisine and how it relates to and is shaped by local culture. Tony can be over the top, but he says sh8t that most of us with any culinary knowledge would like to say.
plow
August 18th, 2011
4:49 pm
Mr. Ho,
If you’re listening, your colum is so bogus. I try to vote on it only to be told that I have already voted. What a bunch of crap. Your articles suck btw.
Tmichaels
August 18th, 2011
4:56 pm
Anthony Bourdain meet OJ simpson, OJ simpson meet Anthony Bourdain
Beth
August 18th, 2011
5:18 pm
Anthony sounds like an extremely caustic individual who is unhappy with himself. It’s sad to see an adult man who is so insecure that the only way he can build himself up is by tearing down others. Gosh, don’t we all learn that in elementary school? Perhaps he never finished school. He calls Paula Deen and others evil. I think he should look in the mirror. It’s evil to diss others. Oh, and by the way, I have never cooked a Paula Deen recipe that was bad. NEVER. I have, however, tried other chef’s recipes and can’t say the same.
Tammy
August 18th, 2011
5:20 pm
I know for a fact she’s a fake with her stupid accent. My Mom went to school with her in Albany Ga. She said Paula Deen never talked like that! No one I knew talked like that when I was growing up there either.
Tammy
August 18th, 2011
5:27 pm
Yeah Anthony Bourdain says mean things. It’s funny. It’s entertainment. And most of it true. Rachael Ray is annoying. Her laugh grates on me. Paula Deen is as fake as the butter she slathers on her food. I like Guy Fieri though but what do I care what Bourdain says about him?! It’s an OPINION people. Geeze.
G the torpedo
August 18th, 2011
5:44 pm
I have always believed PD is acomplete fraud. Right down to that fake drawl and phoney southern tow-alk she throws around.
fluffy
August 18th, 2011
5:47 pm
He’s just jealous he’s not on Food Network – who the hell watches the Travel Channel? Or cares about his opinion?
MICHELLE
August 18th, 2011
7:23 pm
@Brett ITA about Alton Brown! That guy is a total douche. I also agree with Tony B about Paula Deen. Her food not only looks disgusting but also tastes bad.
Fredt
August 18th, 2011
8:27 pm
I have never heard of any of these people except the little fat girl that Oprah sponsors. Who has time to watch this crap? None of them hold a candle to Colonel Sanders- there was real cook.
Paula Deen's whipped husband
August 18th, 2011
10:03 pm
Paula Neck and her sons Bobby Neck & Jamie Neck are overrated rednecks. You Paula Neck lovers can have her & her neck sons!
wake up America
August 19th, 2011
12:43 am
If you’ve seen the film “Food Inc.” you know about Smithfield. If not, please do yourself and your family a favor and become aware. Paula has promoted Smithfield ham and not sure what else on Food Network channel. Maybe she is unaware or ignorant. If you immediately jump to her defense w/o knowing the facts, maybe you are as well. I love Paula Deen as much as the next person, she reminds me of my Mamaw, lol, which made it all the more disappointing when I learned she .endorsed such a dirty, greedy company. In any case, Anthony know his shizz and is calling it like he sees it.
PTC DAWG
August 19th, 2011
7:38 am
Just a rude crude crass yankee, nothing more to see.
Peggy Heredos
August 19th, 2011
9:29 am
What IS the big deal? We’re all free to choose. Just live your life and let others live theirs.
GardenTheManger
August 19th, 2011
9:36 am
Bourdain’s spleen comes not from the consumption of same, but the inevitable build of bile suffered by all thoughtful, open-minded people trapped in the idiocracy of modern American culture. Sure, Paula Dean’s food’s *real* good … just feel the butter dribble down your chins.
Hammer
August 19th, 2011
9:39 am
Paula and Bourdain are both horrible at least guy is entertaining and informative!
bamafan
August 19th, 2011
10:17 am
Her recipes are great Granny’style,her products excellent and she treat anyone very well.I have found them to be economical ,efficient,helpful,healthy and generally easy to work with .I rely on them (Holidays and special occasions) and they never let me down.
I tought it high time to stop envying her and star taking advantage of her expertise,specially Anthony Bourdain.Paula is great person ,full of generous.
Gentle Paula ,
You did nothing wrong ,and certainly nothing to merit the criticism Anthony B made.Do not allow his remarks any anxiety or irritation..As usual come though with high spirits and good humor.
SMILE ,your best recipe
amen brother
August 19th, 2011
11:40 am
I have to agree with him. I live in Savannah and the only reason the line is so long outside her restaurant is because is the tourist that have this blind worship thing going on with her and her brother Bubba. I’m not so sure either of their places would still be open if not for the tourist. Most local don’t eat at either establishment. I for one get sick of hearing the “hi y’all” crap everytime she opens her mouth! Talk to her in the grocery store and her southern twang isn’t half of what she makes it out to be on TV.
Irene Gemelos
August 19th, 2011
2:27 pm
OK…I had to weigh in on this one. The truth is I love Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservation. He’s soooo much more interesting…discussing food, life, politics, local customs, local celebs famous and infamous…all that stuff. Bourdain is smart. I love his edginess and salty personality… It’s what makes him interesting. As for Paula Dean…ah? I lost interest with her and her high fat recipes (too much budder and erl ya’ll). But she is what she is …a southern country cook…and thats OK. I admire her hardwork & rise out of poverty as a single parent with 2 sons. But, the food channel has become boring & insulting – nothing but damn stupid competitions and All American pigouts! …..what’s with the “cupcake wars” crap and that bulemic guy with the big gut! I switched to the Travel Channel. ANTHONY BOURDAIN IS THE KEITH RICHARDS of CHEFS!!! He rocks!!!
Leo
August 19th, 2011
2:40 pm
She is not Chef material she’s simply is your run-of-the-mill home cook with an annoying voice. I watched her *desecrate* a simple turkey stuffing by adding around 20 ingredients, way too many IMO, an absolute over-kill. When she pulled it from the oven it was watery and looked like upchuck. Infact, she tends to over-kill every dish she makes!
Hey, it’s only stuffing! 7 to 8 ingredients at most.
celebrity gossip
August 19th, 2011
2:57 pm
[...] “wiggle around” certain questions in interviews — this after he’d eagerly jumped in with both unfettered feet about Food Network folks Guy Fieri, Sandra Lee and Rachael Ray as [...]
Mel Philbrook
August 19th, 2011
3:12 pm
Anthony Bourdain is spot on, Those that he mentions are not cooks Strictly TV personalitys who got lucky. Paula probably the worst and phoniest of them all..
huh
August 19th, 2011
3:21 pm
he didn’t say anything about that big brusier on that chews people out when he’s fixing up teir resturants…that dude would pinch Bourdains neck off
Mandy
August 19th, 2011
3:25 pm
Maybe he should listen to the Taylor Swift song “Why do you have to be so mean?” It all comes down to respect of you peers. Let him self- destruct.
lordjim
August 19th, 2011
3:52 pm
Yes, there is a lot of hype about cooks and cooking shows but Paula Deen created her empire from less than scratch as did Rachel as did Lydia etc. I give Paula credit for her guts in overcoming serious fears of of public appearance and she deserves the glory! Bourdain has now become the Sarah Palin of sour grapes who feels he will increase his limited popularity by taking pot shots at others. Really, are your ratings that bad? As Paula said, get a life moron!
Melissa
August 19th, 2011
4:10 pm
Yeah, Tony is a snot. Brilliant, but a snot. However, his comments about Paula Deen’s connections with evil corporations is dead on. Smithfield treats its pigs and its employees equally horrendously, not to mention the massive pollution they generate. (Do some research, seriously. It will appall you.) While I get her appeal to the home cook, there is no excuse for her constant heart-attack-on-a-plate dishes. Can’t she cook something even remotely healthy once in a while? I like her personality, so I don’t hate her, and since I’ve never eaten in her restaurant, I can’t comment on her food. But her corporate connections and her fat-laden meals are, I think, perfectly fair game for criticism.
As to the other 3 – they are also encouraging the home cook and not attempting to be chefs, so of course Monseiur Bordain will not approve. However, I will say, I liked Rachael Ray before she blew up and became ubiquitous and annoying…there was a time in between her stiff beginnings and her manic happy-ness-on-crack stages where she was warm and likeable. Too bad she gives her dishes stupid names, they are pretty good and deserve better. I like Guy’s personality but not his cooking show, and absolutely loathe everything about Sandra Lee. She’s really pulled a snow job on the masses – yeah, she cooks with part prepared and part homemade foods, implying she’s reaching the regular joes – but how many of us regular joes have the entire decor of our kitchen change every time we cook? And I’m not talking about those damn tablescapes, either. Watch her show just twice – the curtains and everything in the background change color scheme for each show. (That’s why the whole thing is white – so she can keep changing the rest of the decor and it will look good.) I know her background and she didn’t come from much, but she sure is an elitist now that she’s had a wealthy husband and fame of her own – even though she tries to wrap it in a “I’m just like you” menu. Blech.
LaughingMike
August 19th, 2011
4:12 pm
Out of all of them, he’s afraid of Sandra Lee. That’s awesome.
arlen marks
August 19th, 2011
4:14 pm
1st I love Paula and sons. She never claimed to be a chef she is a home cook with simple, modified recipes for easy meals. Ive tried some and they were great
They are not long and involved like Im used to cooking, but people dont spend time as much cooking like that. she fills a need for working moms and people who cant cook Just like Rachel and Sandra
who are great all in there own way I think Anthony is a donkeys behind I challenge him any day and lets see who can cook. If you want healthy cooking on Paulas show wait till Bobby orJamie is cooking with her.
hdj1701
August 19th, 2011
4:31 pm
Spot on… food TV SUCKS!!! Most of that is due to Paula Deen. I’ve watched her cook up some of the most disgusting crap I’ve ever seen. Food TV started like the shows on PBS which were great! Now it’s all about being a celebrity. Bordain rules!
Wayne Pellerin
August 19th, 2011
4:37 pm
Ha Funny, My Hero! Great Show. I would love to tag along on one of His adventures.
Bunny
August 19th, 2011
5:44 pm
I like Anthony he tells it like it and some people can’t take that, I also think Paula is entertaining, but as far as knowledge of food I think Anthony has it on the money, I like watching is show it gives us a lokk into how other cultures live and eat and he is also very funny, he also is a chef in his own right, and with credit to Paula just because you own a restaurant down not make you a chef, I agree that she has made something of herself by being a self made cook but there is big difference between a cook and a chef.
FryCook
August 19th, 2011
5:57 pm
I would like to point out that of all the “Celebrity Chefs” on TV, Bourdain’s the one who did time in the trenches at Le Halle, working the line for 10 hour days, day after day, while managers screamed, waitstaff whined and turned out consistent solid food.
Any chef can cook a good meal. A good line-cook (Bourdain) can turn out good food time after time.
er martin
August 19th, 2011
7:30 pm
It was bad enough Paula talking so uneducated like—-all for oil, spatualer for spatula, & the God awful you’ll a million times—-now when she has her two sons on it is more you’ll’s (The Neeley’s should take heed also—-I counted on a show at least 15 you’lls in less than 5 minutes. They also need to keep the sex in the bedroom. Best of all Food Network should get smart & send them to English lessons. I am from the South & they are all overbearing with the phony crap!
numerology for Anthony Bourdain and Paula Deen « numerology behind the news
August 19th, 2011
9:01 pm
[...] “wiggle around” certain questions in interviews — this after he’d eagerly jumped in with both unfettered feet about Food Network folks Guy Fieri, Sandra Lee and Rachael Ray as [...]
Hook 'Em 83
August 19th, 2011
11:22 pm
Wow. I’m shocked at the idiocy on this comment board. Bourdain does not cook? Are you serious? Get your facts straight, homie. And no one who has actually had good southern food thinks Paula Dean’s is good; actual southern food has something more to it than just enormous amounts of butter. If you enjoy Paula Dean’s cooking, chances are you’re at least 20 lbs overweight and think Outback Steakhouse is where you should spend your anniversary. I betting you also think Obama was born in Kenya.
I used to somewhat enjoy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives,” until he did one on the Magnolia Cafe, in Austin. For those of you who haven’t been to Austin, Magnolia is one of those places that has 50 menu items, two of which are worth trying (most notably, the loaded queso). And only when drunk at 3 AM. After watching Fieri oooh and ahhh over the “food” there, I pretty much stopped trusting his roadtrip recs as well.
Mason
August 20th, 2011
12:16 pm
BTW Her Name is Paula DEAN not Paula DEEN!
Lynn
August 20th, 2011
1:44 pm
Paula Dean is a doll! and so are the other people ripped on in this article…What ever happend to ….if you dont have something nice to say dont say anything at all!! I hope you all have a wonderful day inspite of your behavior!
)
Terd Furgesun
August 20th, 2011
2:04 pm
We all have a choice to eat or make what we eat in this country. Anthony is a classless jerk whose ratings will go down further then they already have. Loved the Deen interview on Fox yesterday. The lady has class while he is an ass.
Goldielox
August 20th, 2011
2:06 pm
Anthony Bourdain is a badass, and I would much prefer to have him representing the US abroad as opposed to Paula Dean, who waddles around with her screeching, grating, embarassingly exaggerated southern accent waxing on about the pork products she promotes. Smithfield, one of the corporations she is sponsored by, steadily drives incredible quantities of our natural resources to sh**. Greedy and irresponsible. Cheers to Bourdain, he makes quality TV.
Terd Furgesun
August 20th, 2011
2:07 pm
Hook ‘em 83, you are in the same class as Bourdain which means you have none. By the way not all of us think Obozo was born in Kenya or are 20lbs overweight or think Outback is the place to go for a steak. Gee, could you be another liberal racist? Your comment says yes.
Joy Enterkin
August 20th, 2011
2:55 pm
Paula Dean put on a good show and I love her. No one should talk about her. They should move on with their life. She make the world go around with happiness. Her food ideal look good with the southern
American way. I wish I could meet her and go to all event she has. She make many & many people feel right at home. God bless her for her ways. Any one that hate her should find another route cause they will lose.
LWells2000
August 20th, 2011
3:16 pm
Clearly he has it in for some celebrities…but who is “he”~? Anthony Bourdain~? Never heard of him.