Barbara vs. Paula: Is Paula Deen to blame for childhood obesity?
When the ultimate SouthernMama Paula Deen appeared on “The View” on ABC Tuesday, host Barbara Walters questioned her about pushing fattening food for children. Deen was on the show to plug her book, “Paula Deen’s Cookbook for the Lunchbox Set.”
“This is a cookbook for kids. Obesity is the No. 1 problem for kids today. Everything you have here is enormously fattening,” said Walters as she sat by the famous chef. “You tell kids to have cheesecake for breakfast. You tell them to have chocolate cake and meatloaf for lunch. And french fries. Doesn’t it bother you that you’re adding to this?”
All things in moderation, counseled Deen. “No, I’m not saying they should eat like this every day,” she said.
Walters said Deen’s book is hardly a lesson in moderation. “Not when you’re giving them this!”
Sounds rough. But if you actually watch the clip, Barbara’s comments don’t sound nearly as scolding. Still, some are making a big deal out it and saying Walters accused Deen of contributing to childhood obesity.
Perhaps Barbara was just using the childhood obesity questions as a way to pick on our homecooking queen for another reason: the report that Paula Deen shot the pilot for an in-the-works syndicated talk show that will have a format similar to the “The View,” but with a focus on parenting and motherhood. Paula is supposed to be in the matriarch role on the show, similar to Barbara’s role.
What do y’all think?
Was Barbara right to ask some tough childhood obesity-related questions?
Or did Barbara appear a little bit hungry and perhaps a tad jealous about the possibility of having Paula Deen as a daytime talk-show host rival?