Paula Deen: Love Her or Leave Her?

April 25, 2009

Earlier this week Paula Deen made an appearance on Rachael Ray's daytime talk show. When I was watching the segment where Deen discusses her wig, I couldn't help but cringe. Something about the Southern queen of butter rubs me the wrong way. Still, her shows on the Food Network are among the most popular. I'm wondering: how do you feel about her?

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65 Comments

2 years 1 week

I think she's a hack -- it does not take talent to make high fat food taste good. And since she does nothing else, she's irresponsible to boot. The fake southern accent and the cackle, and the constant interruptions (she can't even let her own son stuff a strawberry without getting a word in) is grating. Nails on chalkboard indeed.

3 years 33 weeks

Paula has become a caricature of her very own self. She behaves like an out of bounds cartoon character. Put a lid on it and leave the second stick of butter out.

3 years 41 weeks

I like the recipes in her cook books, those I have tried so far. I have heard mixed reviews about her restaurant in Savannah. Some people love it, some people say the food was horrible as well as the service. I have never been there myself. As for her personality, she is a bit too loud mouthed for me and her cackling "witchy" laugh often un-nerves me.

4 years 2 weeks

I think Paula is terrific. Love, love, love her. And she knows food. Frankly, if it came down to a meal at El Bulli or a meal at Lady and Sons, I'd go with Paula. Look, I anyone apart from Elvis every ate this way on a daily basis and that isn't the point. I'm a bit surprised by the (presumably) foodies here complaining about butter and cream. Haven't you heard about *substitution*? The pleasure of cooking is adapting recipes to suit your own tastes. Lastly, I've yet to see any of Paula's dishes on the famous "Eat this, not that" lists. Fast food is the source of obesity issues (along with lack of exercise). Paula's food is the opposite of fast.

4 years 2 weeks

Absolutely CANNOT STAND HER!!!! I have no idea how such an anooying woman could be se popular.

goddessru 4 years 2 weeks

I find her extremely obnoxious. Ok- so you like to use butter in everything, I get it's my responsibility to "reduce" that and also that she's doing southern cooking. BUT what really annoys me is when she claims she's making a diet dish because its got ONE healthy ingredient in it. Come on Lady!! Are you serious?

4 years 3 weeks

I like her as a person but I can't STAND her food!!

bvfashion 4 years 3 weeks

While I definitely can't hate on Paula Deen, because she is to be admired for making something out of nothing, I don't love her. Or at least, I don't love her food. I'm just not that into super buttery fatty style of cooking that she seems to love. The woman deep fries her bacon for christs sake!

SecondCitySoiree 4 years 3 weeks

Just like Rachel Ray, I used to like her, but then the Food Network PR machine took her personality, amped it up, and made her into a "brand". I was really turned off after seeing her at the 2008 South Beach Wine & Food festival...she seemed so fake, and so packaged. Not at all like the Paula Deen from a few years ago. It makes me sad. :(

gothamgal 4 years 3 weeks

I would say "like her" but her style of food isn't to my taste. She seems warm and genuine, a great host.

aimeeb 4 years 3 weeks

She's okay, a little TOO much personality sometimes but otherwise okay.

bransugar79 4 years 3 weeks

I used to be a middle of the roader on this issue. I don't think her cooking is innovative, and as several people have mentioned it's just regular Southern cooking, so what's the big deal? My mom or aunts or grandma could out cook her any day of the week and they don't need 12 pounds of butter to do it. Now I actually live in Savannah and the Paula Deen craziness is just unbearable. It's like she owns the whole city. I'm not jealous I just wish she'd go away, or that people would stop drinking the butter laden kool aid already. I admire people who pull themselves up by their bootstraps but no matter what anyone tells you this woman was never destitute. She may have been an average middle class housewife but she wasn't hurting for anything. She decided she wanted to start a business and she did ;like so many other people have in this country since forever, I don't think that makes her a revolutionary. All I can do now is sit back and wait for her 15 minutes to be over and hope that the next "it" personality is from a different part of the country

Leilanic1 4 years 3 weeks

i'm somewhere in between love her or leave her. i watch her sometime but some days she can get on my nerves. that being said i have used some of her recipes ~ just modifying them to be healthier. :)

gab6784 4 years 3 weeks

I love her! She has an infectious personality and all her food looks delicious!

LaLaLaurie06 4 years 3 weeks

I think she'd be great to have as a grandma. Think of holidays at her house! Yum, food. I had no idea that she wore a wig, though! No wonder I always thought her hair looked sort of fake in certain pictures.

tlsgirl 4 years 3 weeks

I love her. She's totally unapologetic and hilarious, and her red velvet cupcake recipe is the best I've ever tried.

mollyparnis 4 years 3 weeks

I admire anyone who has a dream and goes for it

4 years 3 weeks

LOVE paula deen, but HATE her recipes

4 years 3 weeks

I may not exactly agree with the amount of butter she puts on things, but I love her. Shes funny and knows how to have a good time. p.s. shes really funny to watch if your high.

xxstardust 4 years 3 weeks

I love her to pieces. I try and cut back on the butter (sometimes, anyway. Butter *is* delicious, and I go to the gym so I can eat it if I want, lol!), but seriously? That lady has some serious kitchen skills.

mwmsjuly19 4 years 3 weeks

I live in the South and have HAD IT with Paula, same as I did with Emeril and also with Rachael Ray. OVERexposure and little diversity in cuisine, and not much healthy to eat. Blech. I'm sick of sour cream, butter and garlic. Bring back Sarah Moulton...

Ashybaylor 4 years 3 weeks

If you have issues with her, it's more than likely because you are not from the South. Her food is very home-style southern cooking, which is wonderful. She uses recipes we all use down here, and the ones we don't have that we get from her are awesome. If you think her accent is phony, you have never been to Georgia...enough said. She seems very warm and loving, as well as cooking from the heart. I don't see how it could get much better

SublimeChica 4 years 3 weeks

I find her to be pretty obnoxious and I normally avoid her recipes due to the fact that each one seems to call for 1lb of butter, but the woman certainly can cook!