Bizarre Foods host Andrew Zimmern will put anything in his mouth, so perhaps it’s not a huge surprise that he’s not afraid to open it when it comes to Paula Deen. Deen’s controversial decision to hide her diabetes from her fans, then reveal it only in conjunction with shilling a diabetes-fighting drug, hasn’t sat well with many. Anthony Bourdain , for one. Zimmern, for another. The Travel Channel star revealed his thoughts on Deen to Anderson Cooper, saying the circumstances surrounding her diabetes diagnosis speak for themselves. “I famously came out last year against a whole bunch of cooks – not just Paula Deen – and what they cook and what they stand for,” Zimmern told Anderson. “I have a tremendous platform and responsibility to talk to people about issues, about sustainability and about health and wellness when it comes to food.” “I think it became a much more personal thing when she found out she had diabetes. I can’t judge what you do when you get that news, that’s up to Paula.” Asked if he would keep cooking fattening food, as Deen did for years, if he had received a similar diagnosis, the Bizarre Foods host answered diplomatically. “Personally, I change my diet every time I find out something new,” he said. “I famously tasted shark fin soup many years ago before we knew exactly what was going on with the harvesting of sharks. I’ve consequently come out against it.” “I make personal choices in my life and stand behind them.” “I am very much a person who likes to change with the times. Education is what it is all about,” he explained, declining to publicly condemn Deen. The general public, by and large, has not reacted as evenly. Deen is reportedly incredulous over the backlash she’s received since coming clean earlier this month, which has been considerable to say the least.
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Andrew Zimmern, Bizarre Foods Host, Weighs in on Paula Deen
