Barbara Walters Says Paula Deen Makes Kids Fat

by Tom Henderson (Subscribe to Tom Henderson's posts)
Sep 24th 2009 9:37PM

Filed under: Adoption, In The News, Weird But True, Diet & Fitness, Research Reveals: Babies, Research Reveals: Toddlers & Preschoolers, Research Reveals: Big Kids, Research Reveals: Tweens, Research Reveals: Teens

When cookbook author Paula Deen appeared on "The View" on ABC Tuesday, host Barbara Walters lashed out at her for pushing fattening food for children. Deen, a zaftig, Georgia restaurant owner, was on the program 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," scolded 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 snapped that Deen's book is hardly a lesson in moderation. "Not when you're giving them this!"

We have two words for this. Awk. Ward.

And speaking of childhood obesity, our chubby brethren on the other side of the Atlantic are tipping the scales as well.

A Scottish couple reportedly lost custody of their two youngest children this month because authorities considered the kids to be too fat.

A family has been torn apart because the children are overweight. Credit: STV News

The couple, of Dundee, Scotland, has six children ranging in age from 3 to 13. WorldNetDaily reported that Scottish social workers told the parents last year the children needed to slim down or they would be taken into state custody for their own protection. At the time, the youngest girl reportedly weighed 56 pounds. The oldest boy, according to the online news service, now weighs more than 220 pounds.

The couple's 3- and 4-year-old children are now in foster care. Meanwhile, the mother is pregnant with the couple's seventh child.

"This whole case has been dreadful," Kathleen Price, the couple's attorney, told Scotland's television station STV. "Neither of these parents take drink or drugs. They have a big, happy, noisy family, which is prone to being overweight."

Social workers ordered the parents to enroll their children in dance and soccer classes last year while paid monitors watched the family's progress, WorldNet reported.

"They keep making an issue about the kids' weight," the mother told reporters last year. "I didn't even own a deep-fat fryer. All my food is home cooked and my kids are not fed junk food."

In Scotland, child welfare decisions are often made at the city council level. Tam Fry, a member of the National Obesity Forum, told STV that "more councils are now viewing obesity as an abuse issue."

Last January, Fry spoke out in the British newspaper The Sun in support of a decision by the city council in Leeds to deny a couple from adopting a child because the husband was overweight. Overweight parents are poor role models for children, he told the the newspaper.

Have we gone a little nuts in our concern about child obesity? Or are we setting our kids up for cream-filled doom?

ReaderComments (Page 5 of 61)

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9-25-2009 @ 6:45AM

meleagrid said...

I didn't know Barbara Walters is still alive; maybe it's just an archived holographic image with a sound track? Just guessing. Hope Oprah and Whoopi are taking notes. BTW I sorta think it odd as I write this that there's an ad with the Pillsbury doughboy showing a Toaster Strudel and the line 'The one kids want to eat.' Holy caloric-input Batman, I'm havin' a strudel-stuffin' moment.

Lily said...

I am not a great fan of Paula Deen, but I think Walters should have restrained herself. After all, if it is a cookbook for kids then they are old enough to cook and know what is good and bad for them. If their parents didn't make them fat, a cookbook certainly won't.

9-25-2009 @ 7:19AM

G. Roberts said...

Paula D. may make kids a little pudgy - but BW makes kids, adults and the elderly sick to their stomachs. The minute she opens her big trap nothing of value comes out. She is always being critical of someone for something that is so very non important it is not funny. This view person and the rest of the unholy five should not be on the TV anymore - cancel the freakn' show already -- its making America "a little" sick, UGH!!!!

9-25-2009 @ 6:48AM

Joyce Ball said...

Barbara WaaWa is a good one to council anyone on anything.
All she understands is screwing around w/married black men
and then bragging about it in her bio. book. She is obviously
jealous of Paula. I mean....look at the two of them..Barbara looks
like the wicked witch of the east, west, north and south.

9-25-2009 @ 6:47AM

Walt H said...

Outweighing this alleged situation is the fact that Barbara Wahwah has given hundreds of thousands of ulcers to listeners as she tramples the news to make herself "look good" in the TV rating mirrors.

9-25-2009 @ 6:50AM

bev said...

Where did Barbara Walters get her Nutritional Degree? All the people on the view are nothing but no it all big mouths. Can't imagine why anyone is still watching that show.

9-25-2009 @ 6:52AM

paulfiquet said...

BARBARA WALTERS IS A KNOW IT ALL AND NEEDS TO KEEP HER MOUTH SHUT MOST OF THE TIME..SHE REALLY NEVER HAS ANYTHING WORTHWHILE TO SAY ANYHOW. PAULA DEEN AND HER FAMILY HAS GREAT AMERICAN RECIPES FOR FOLKS TO TRY AND KICK UP THE MENU ON THEIR TABLE. RETIRE BARWA WAL......TER !!!!!!!!

9-25-2009 @ 6:58AM

Margie said...

Barbara could take some lessons from Paula in manners! Paula turned a bad situation made by Barbara into something kind.

Paula Deen is not a doctor. She is a wonderful person teaching cooking methods and sharing good food recipes with the world.

9-25-2009 @ 6:57AM

Rainy said...

Barbara Walters you just opened up a can of whoop a** and I don't mean Goldberg, you don't ditz a Southern Lady like Paula Dean with your yankee liberal comments. If Paula's cooking was a factor in the obesity war than her two sons would be aout 600 lbs each. Obesity in children is because they sit in front of the boob tube watching stupid shows that have no meaning, staring at the idiot box playing video games, not getting off there lazy butts going outside to play, parents affaid that if a child gets hurt in there yard that they will be sued, (DA kid was probably doing something they shouldn't have been doing in the first place). Eating chemicalized processed food with ingredients you can't pronounce unless your a PHd. If you can't say it don't eat it. Use some common sense you don't have to use Paula Deans cookbook there are thousands of other cookbooks out there and miles of recipe web sites. If you where so concerned about these kids you'd be getting back into schools the Presidental Physical Fitness program, getting any kind of exercise program back in school, why not take some of that 12 million you made in 2007 and starting fat farm or sponsoring one. Barbara you're 80+ years don't you think it's time to retire.

9-25-2009 @ 6:59AM

Maggie said...

This is just another reason why I do NOT watch the view anymore!!! Barbara Walters is an a** !!!!! She sits on that stage like she is a freakin queen....like she is above all of us 'little people'. Paula Dean has never been in the tabloids for anything that I can remember, she is just a nice lady. Get off your high horse Babs!!! Being a parent, I think I have enough brains to not allow my child to sit down and eat a ton of junk. Everything in moderation. Should we take chocolate off the shelves too?? If you didn't like this cookbook, then why book her on the show? The reason...so you could blast her about it on tv!!! Shame on you Barbara....please retire and go slither away somewhere!

9-25-2009 @ 7:01AM

Well Said!!!!

9-25-2009 @ 7:07AM

Zark said...

Barbara Walters, like Jimmy Carter is beginning to wallow in senility.

9-25-2009 @ 7:03AM

TwinsMom said...

Yeah, ok... this from a coniving, backstabbing, adultress who seems to always have her panties in a wad. Paula Deen came from the bottom and worked her way up all the while having a dibilitating phobia. Barbra Walters on the other hand feels it is always necessary to remind us of her rootie-pooh upbringing with her father's nightclub. Hmmm, I'm guessing Paula has more in common with real food as well as real folks. Babs like most people would rather point the finger at someone else, rather than looking in the mirror. Parents are responsible for obese children, but it is work. Babs on the other hand admits to having been an absent mother to her daughter, Jackie. And when Jackie was out of control instead of doing the WORK of a parent, Babs shipped her off to a behavioral hospital. Nothing like passing the buck. It's probably Paula Deen's fault that Babs' daughter hated her for most of her life. You see Paula Deen's son's have never had anything but praise for their mom; Babs can't say the same. Green eyed monster is amok on the View.

9-25-2009 @ 7:06AM

Wow Bill!!! That is a nasty comment! Are you maybe a little bit jealous of the woman's fame???....Nasty...Nasty

gchjr said...

Last time I checked, this was America, you know...land of the free, as in free to choose. Those of you who think we need to do the same social/government controls here are whack-job liberals. Less govenrment, not bigger government is the only way to avoid this big brother in your livingrooms and bedrooms and making decisions for you and your family. Who wants that, other than some mindless and weak numbnutts who cant think for themselves? Barbara Walters is just the face for this type of government-control kind of thinking. And friends, when this train comes to town, it aint' leaving. Get out of my life Barbara/ Obama/government! Socialism is or has failed everywhere it has been tried..but it sounds so nice to dreamers, hippies, and lefties. Freedom, democracy and capitalism believes in you...socialism believes only in government!

9-25-2009 @ 7:09AM

LeeAnn said...

My mom was a stay-at-home mom - all moms were home in the 1950's and '60's. We grew up enjoying homemade cakes, cookies and pies. Every night we ate at the dinner table. No fast foods or pizza. I was skinny then and I'm skinny now (55 years old) The difference these days? Moms are working all day outside the home. They get home at dinner time only to have to rush kids to their activities. The only solution is take-out and burger joints.
The other modern day problem is kids don't run around, ride bikes or jump rope, climb trees. They are home on the computer. Back in the 1950's and '60's we all had a great gym program at school. Anyone remember "Go You Chicken Fat Go Away"??

9-25-2009 @ 3:21PM

Sunfaccra51 said...

I'm mostly agreeing with you LeeAnn, EXCEPT! Back in the 50's & 60's ALL moms were NOT stay at homes! My momma left for work before we kids were even up, and often didn't get home till about dark. She came from a farm family, and continued to help work the family business, while our poppa worked TWO full-time jobs clear up to my senior year of high school! We kids did most of the housework, did the prep work for dinner, cleaned up after and still had plenty of time to play, do school work and just be kids!
We ate really well (as most farm families will). Momma had a weight problem her entire life, and it wasn't from eating! When she was sixteen the family doctor tried to force her weight way down. She got to a specific weight and when he tried to force her below that she got deathly ill! Grandma was large, my oldest sister was also, and she was a great deal more physically active than I!
There are LOTS of factors in weight, not all are from overeating, what you're eating, or how much or little physical activity you're involved in!
And frankly, while I agree there IS a serious problem with obesity in the world, I'm sick and tired of hearing about how it's ALL from people overeating and lazing around!

9-25-2009 @ 7:24AM

Larissa Fulkerson said...

Let's start by looking at schools - when I went to school in the 60s and 70s, there was no pop machine, no snack machine, there was no pizza on the menu, there was no hot dog on the menu and there were only two specials but you also had fruits, small portions of deserts and plenty of water if you got thirsty. You walked to school, you had after school activities AT school, you didn't have ready made everything under the sun that is full of preservatives and chemicals that no one can even begin to pronounce. Eating Paula Dean's food in moderation would probably make you healthier than eating at McD's, etc. on a daily basis and drinking pop.

Writers are right - with so little money, people gravitate to cheap, processed food and kids are mostly latchkey kids who come home to sit and watch tv, play computer games and fill up on fast snacks.

downema1160 said...

Wow, you knock Paula Deen and in the next breath, tell us about your big fat ass. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

9-25-2009 @ 7:14AM

Barb said...

Wanda dear, I think that would be Bush! LOL

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