In case you haven’t heard, famous butter-and-cream Southern supreme chef Paula Deen has announced that she is a type 2 diabetic… and that she has partnered with Novo Nordisk in a campaign promoting their drug, Victoza. The way the Internet is all abuzz with this news, you’d think President Obama had been diagnosed with diabetes. But apparently the fact that Paula Deen, renowned for her carb-laden cookbooks and television shows, now has type 2 diabetes is a total “told ya so!” moment for everyone who doesn’t have type 2 diabetes and who’s poised to point their finger at the “culprits.”
The rumors started circulating last Friday, when news broke that Paula was going to make the big reveal about her Big D, along with a partnership with a drug company (the rumor mill fingered the wrong company). These rumors were laced with patient-blaming, fat-shaming accusations that Paula had caused her own type 2 diabetes and was now capitalizing on it by taking part in a Big Pharma diabetes campaign, along with her two sons, Bobby and Jamie.
Shame on the Blame
Considering we just wrote about the environment of hostility toward type 2 PWDs, we couldn’t help but think Ouch! But those who know what life is like with diabetes were much quicker to show their support, like DOC siren Kelly Kunik, never one to take an advocacy opportunity lying down. Kelly writes, “Type 2 has a huge genetic link, and while diet certainly can be a factor in developing it, diet isn’t not the be all, end all reason for type 2 diabetes. And if that is the reason why you or your loved one has diabetes — that’s OK, because I’m here to help you, not judge you.”
Paula’s own analogy for how someone can get type 2 diabetes seems apt: she told USA Today that it’s like Russian Roulette. Yes, the factors of heredity, obesity, race, age and lifestyle will up your odds considerably, but there’s still a little “something extra” that triggers the disease that doctors haven’t quite been able to pinpoint. Just like with most diseases: ya have some risk factors, ya take your chances. Some people get the illness, and some don’t.
How do we know for sure that it’s more than just being fat or eating poorly that gives you diabetes? We can see it played out. More than 30% of Americans are obese, but only 10% have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The French are well-known for their love of butter and pastries, but as Kelly points out, only 3.8% of people in France actually have type 2 diabetes.
In Paula’s case, she explains, “I’m the only one in my family who has it. My grandmother cooked and ate like I ate, and she didn’t have it.”
Dr. Robin Goland, endocrinologist at Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center in New York City, points out to MSNBC, “Now I’m not recommending this, but if you don’t have those genes working against you, you could gain weight and not exercise and your blood sugar would stay normal.”
Really, Ms. Deen?
Then there’s the ironic part of this story. The campaign Paula and her sons are working on is called Diabetes in a New Light, a “national initiative to help people find simple ways to manage everyday challenges associated with type 2 diabetes.” Check out the website here, complete with a smarmy video kicked off by what sounds like a banjo twang and Paula’s famous “Hey Y’all!” She proceeds to explain that “over the years, people with diabetes have often asked me for ways to make my recipes a little lighter…”
I guess it just wasn’t a priority until she got diagnosed with diabetes herself. Isn’t that always the case? Well… thank God she’s got religion now!
She also gushes in the video: “Now I’m takin’ more walks with my husband, and runnin’ after my grandchildren — and I’m loving it all!” Yes, because being diagnosed with diabetes is so much fun. And it’s so easy to change your lifestyle habits… er?
Paula admits that she’s long been aware her foods are not the healthiest, but she covers up by claiming they are treats that were “never meant for everyday consumption.” Still, she’s gone on record saying she doesn’t plan to change her own food choices, but simply eats in moderation since her diagnosis. Her son Bobby appears to be distancing himself from her fare by launching a new Cooking Channel show called, “Not My Mama’s Meals.” That’s telling…
The Drug Deal
Then there’s the issue of the medication she is representing in the Novo Nordisk campaign. The injectable GLP-1 drug Victoza is controversial, to put it politely.
Some of you may remember that the FDA issued a formal warning last summer over possible risks of thyroid cancer and pancreatitis from using Victoza. OK, no one is ever sure if what’s happening with lab rats will translate to humans. But still… scary!
The “Jury’s Still Out” post we wrote on Victoza in Spring 2010 has become a default user forum for the drug (and the most-commented-on post in ‘Mine history with 1,025 reader comments to date!) If you scroll through the comments — all 21 pages of them — you will see a lot of complaints about severe gastrointestinal side effects, including nausea, gas pains, and constipation. Yuck.
I wonder how long Ms. Deen has been on Victoza, or whether she’s even tried it yet. Somehow I’m sure it won’t mix well with her Buttermilk Fried Chicken.
Is She a Hypocrite?
Who’s to say? Some people blame her for denying her recipes caused her diabetes, or the diabetes of others. No one can say for sure whether that is the case or not. At least she’s been forced to come clean now and admit that her food is not the healthiest. Save it for special occassions, she says. Amazing what a wake-up call can do, and Paula may simply be on a journey of self-discovery, even at the age of 64.
Others are upset that Paula kept her diabetes a secret for the past three years. Some folks might not understand how someone can sit on this kind of news, or how Paula could continue “business as usual” while having this information in her pocket. I’ll agree, it is unfortunate that Paula chose to wait so long, or perhaps wait until she had some kind of monetary endorsement to make revealing her diagnosis more “appealing.” But I can understand how conflicted she may have felt. Building a food empire on unhealthy foods and then being diagnosed with a chronic condition with a known correlation to food and obesity has to be difficult, not to mention embarrassing. I can understand why someone wouldn’t be anxious to put themselves in that kind of spotlight — although it was inevitable eventually.
Paula herself says she wanted to wait until she was personally ready to reveal her diabetes. “I had to really get myself into a good place when I made the announcement. I would come with information, and I would be armed to be able to help others.”
She surely missed an opportunity to become a poster child for reinventing your diet, IMHO. But I guess what’s important to focus on — just like with diabetes — is what good we can do moving forward, rather harping on past mistakes. The country’s health spotlight certainly is glaring down on Paula Deen.
Apt summation, Amy. I do hope she does more than take Norvo Nordisk’s money.
A very nicely written commentary! But then, would we expect any less of AmyT We have sure come to look to DiabetesMine as an informative source of information and a “go to” place for the latest information and/or reviews of medications, new products, disease information and treatments and those stories that are “in the news”, like this one with Ms. Deen.
If Ms. Deen truly wants to make a difference to the masses, she has the greatest opportunity at this time to readjust her recipes, teach others the dietary changes that need to done, start a whole new show and rewrite cookbooks. As a non-diabetic, I am cooking for my husband and my mother-in-law and would LOVE to watch and purchase cookbooks of that nature.
Being one who questions one’s motives, especially when hiding the fact that one has diabetes for 3 years and lines up a deal with Norvo. Money is not everything … a little “paying it forward” and “helping others” would go a lot farther with me and give a lot better PR.
Keep up the great work AmyT. Would love to hear a follow-up on Ms. Deen’s experience with Victoza.
Best wishes,
Ranae
I like the comment you posted from Kelly Kunik–We (PWD) should be here to help, not judge. However, I do believe she has to bear responsibility for making an empire from teaching the public how to cook dishes that are the antithesis of healthy, diabetes-friendly recipes. I’ve never followed her show because I knew her style of cooking did not mesh with my style. But she and I do agree on one main point–enjoy everything in moderation. Granted she needed time to come to grips with her disease. But my question for Ms. Deen is this…Have you been promoting moderation for the past 3 years?
Thanks Amy, this sums up my feelings for the most part…
Nice report, Amy. Very charitable. Paula Deen is a culinary personality. The premise of her work is to influence people to cook and eat the way she does. Her producers, publishers and their advertisers’ goal is to capitalize on that formula. Of course, her fans have a choice and should absolutely think for themselves. Paula and her audience have choices. Alas, her choice to promote a drug company as a quick fix to her condition is her choice alone. But in her position, it would be tragic if she does not opt to research options beyond conventional medicine. I hope she will turn this around to truly research her condition in terms of dietary changes that are proven to be helpful to diabetics, and educate her fans to find ways to deal with diabetes via food choices. Wishful thinking….
Thanks for your point of view, Amy.
I will be interviewing Ambre Morley, Associate Director, Product Communications, Novo Nordisk, about why her company teamed up with celebrity chef Paula Deen as a spokesperson for type 2 diabetes treatment. See http://www.talk.pharma-mkting.com/show156.htm
Deen says “I had to really get myself into a good place when I made the announcement. I would come with information, and I would be armed to be able to help others.” I guess Novo will help her do that, but one wonders which came first? Her desire to help others or the Novo deal?
According to drug industry (PhRMA) guidelines for promotion of drugs (which is what the Deen Deal is all about), every promotion should include lifestyle changes that help improve the condition when treated by a drug. I’m not a follower of Deen, but she now says to eat her food “in moderation.” I doubt if she has ever said that before she teemed up with Novo. She certainly doesn’t say that in the video where she prepares a glazed donought-egg-bacon-burger “breakfast” sandwich! Find the video here: http://www.talk.pharma-mkting.com/show156.htm
The questions I will ask Ambre include:
(1) Why did Novo Nordisk decide to work with Paula Deen as a spokesperson? Did she or her agents approach you? Give us the history of how this relationship came to be.
(2) Doesn’t her “baggage” of being a chef who features foods like a fried-egg bacon burger on a glazed doughnut bun (see video above) make her a questionable spokesperson for type 2 diabetes for which fatty, sugary diets are a known risk factor?
(3) You said that Deen is using Victoza. Can you tell us how long Ms. Deen has been on Victoza?
(4) Are decisions to hire celebrities made solely by the marketing team or is upper management required to sign-off on such deals?
(5) How much is Paula Deen and her sons being paid by Novo Nordisk?
As a type 2 diabetic, I intend to find a replacment therapy for Victoza, as this smacks of the movie quote, “show me the money!” We are not and should not reward unacceptable behavior!
Think about how this news would have impacted her $4mil a year salary and endorsements! (http://www.forbes.com/lists/2007/53/07celebrities_Paula-Deen_14Q7.html)
After reading her recipe for bacon, egg & donut burger, I believe she is not a culinary expert, she is a fat pill. I love food, but love healthy eating so much more!
I think Paula Deen needs to spend sometime getting to know our very favorite t2 advocate, David Mendosa!
Blame is never productive. But we, as a nation, act as though those who develop type 2 diabetes need not take any responsibility for getting there. Then we promote folks becoming drug reliant rather that taking responsibility in managing their type 2 diabetes through true dietary changes.
We have our heads in the sand!
@Sean – my point exactly! A lot of folks are understandably disgusted with Novo Nordisk for choosing her as a spokesperson.
Peter W writes on our Facebook page:
“There are many celebrities who have diabetes who have been ‘out’ about it and had it longer than she has who would be better spokespeople than the woman who pushes Smithfield pork products!”
True that.
Paula Deen is exactly what this country does not need. She is an opportunist and money hungry woman with no morals and values. To be given the opportunity to be a row model to people as a home cook and teacher and use it in such a unhealthy and irresponsible way was just the beginning and now that she knows her cooking show is out the door she is using a drug company to make her next millions. Utterly disgusted by her and Novo Nordisk.
They should be using people that have lived normal healthy lives and have diabetes represent them not someone who has possibly encouraged many people to lead unhealthy lives.
My issue is not that Paula Deen has Type 2, but how the media are handling “diabetes” in general. I have already seen many recent news articles incorrectly combining Type 1 with Type 2 and how both are curable through diet and exercise. I’m sure there’ll be more of this naivete to come.
Why is Paula Dean going to be the spokeswoman for Type 2? Why is she rewarded for promoting obesity and unhealthful recipes (hers are so bad they are not even fit for occasional consumption). I saw her put a hunk of lasagna on a loaf of garlic bread and start eating the whole loaf! I believe there was some kind of cake for desert with that…..Surely the drug companies could choose spokesmen who are role models for their community. She hid her diabetes so she could continue to hawk her recipes on TV without the fact that she has Type 2 putting a stain on her image. Yes, it is genetically based, but since one in three may get it, it is a common gene. What about heart disease? Her food would certainly contribute to that. Our Type 1 girl could not even cover some of the concoctions she devises. There is simply either not enough or a safe insulin dose to cover the carbs in her food. I do like her and find her entertaining to watch her show at times… in horror.
Thanks for your post, Amy. Very balanced, as always, and it pretty much sums up my feelings on this. But I did want to say more: So many criticize her for waiting three years before announcing, and Novo for seeking her out as a spokeswoman for Type 2… but is that justified criticism? She said she waited so that she could bring more to the table and offer something, since she’d been uninformed about T2 overall. I actually think that’s pretty smart. Rather than just announce and then let the blame game ensue (which it has regardless), she came armed with information and a “plan.” Now, I think we can honestly say that her image protection was a part of it – that’s only natural and I’d think it’s a lie to say that wouldn’t factor into ANYONE’S MIND in a situation like this. But with both at play, I personally choose to believe and embrace in the goodness in people rather than the latter and that the “information-sharing” component was more important than the “image-protecting” to her.
Secondly, on Novo: Deen said the company approached her before even knowing about her T2, and that it was basically along the lines of “Hey, famous cooking lady, would you consider helping us create a more D-friendly meal planning campaign?” Whether one likes her cooking or not or likes how the Novo spokesperson relationship evolved, I think that initial contact speaks to the foundational motives more than anything.
Again, lots of issues here and you summed them up nicely, Amy. Thanks for doing what you do.
Like you Amy, I see both sides of the coin, thanks for a fair and balanced report. Pharmaguy, I would have to agree with you. I was actually taken aback when Deen said on the Today Show that she always says people should eat her food in moderation. I hate to admit it, but working at home, I got into the habit of turning on her show while I ate lunch. It was pure amusement, and I never heard her whisper to viewers to eat her fry and bake-ups moderately
1- Like most Food Channel shows, PD is on strictly for her ability to attract viewers with her showmanship and ability to entertain. The ability to intelligently cook and provide useful dietary input has never been a priority. Anyone watching the show should relize that immediately. 2- If Novo is willing to take the risk of the backlash associated with having a spokesperson who infuriates most of the DC that is their right. It will be interesting to see how long and successful this relationship proves to be!!
Miss Amy T needs to get off her high horse and ride side saddle. Your criticism and elitist mentality is a disgrace – especially to a subset of your reader audience. I’m unsubscribing because I can get my info from other more journalistic neutral sources. Shame on you.
Have y’all seen the scathing comments about Novo Nordisk made by David Kliff of Diabetic Investor on Pharmalot? http://bit.ly/wjRwrG
Do you think many other people in the diabetes online community agree that Novo Nordisk “could care less” about people with diabetes?
I don’t know if many of your readers know this so I would like to share. There is a product called the Vi-Shake from ViSalus Sciences that is doing amazing things for Diabetics of both the type I and II variety. Drastic reductions in insulin shots from taking this Nutritional Shake once a day all the way to not having to take insulin anymore. I personally have a family member who has nearly eliminated her need for shots. Please take a look at an article I wrote if you have time. Contact me directly if you have questions and I will be more than happy to answer any of them. I hope this helps. -Mary Lucas
The article is here: http://maryleelucas.com/visalus/visalus-diabetics-insulin/183/
[...] DiabetesMine talks about blame, drugs, and hypocrisy [...]
i DONT KNOW MUCH ABOUT MEDICEN BUT i DO KNOW THAT IF SHE KEPT IT A SECRET WE SHOULD RESPECT THAT. sHE HS ENOUGH WITH HAVING IT. wE ARE NO ONE TO JUDGE. SO KEEP YOU COMMENTS AND YOU CRITICS TO YOURSELF. wHAT WOULD YOU DO IF IT WAS YOU? wOULD YOU SAY IT TO THE WHOLE WORLD ABOUT YOUR LIFE OR WOULD YOU JUST DEAL WITH IT AND PRETEND THAT YOU ARE OK? NO JUDGING IS WHAT YU WOULD WANT SO STOP AND THINK. dEAL WITH IT AND LIVE.