Rumor: Paula Deen Has Diabetes, Will Pitch Medication

A little less than a year ago, a story began circulating that Paula Deen, peddler of delicious and horrible Southern comfort food, had diabetes. The National Enquirer was the first on the scene, but the cookbook author refused to address the claims. After awhile, the whispers kind of just died out, but now they’re back in full force with allegations that Dean will finally make public her ongoing struggle.

According to The Daily, Deen is planning to partner with a pharmaceutical company called Novartis. She’ll reportedly out herself in exchange for a multi-million dollar endorsement deal that will see her advertise the diabetes drug she’s currently taking. In an age where celebrities implore the public to buy everything from yogurt that improves the digestive system to medication that hardens the penis, it’s not a surprise someone famous would speak of her own medical condition, but given what Paula Deen has made a career of doing prior, this particular instance is definitely noteworthy.

As more and more chefs have toned down their use of butter and other unhealthy ingredients, Deen has continued pushing the other way. Her famous restaurant features everything from a burger with a fried egg and bacon between two donuts to cheesy meatloaf. If the reports are to be believed, she hasn’t been able to eat any of that for some time. That doesn’t necessarily mean she shouldn’t continue selling her deliciousness, but it does seem a bit unfair given how many times she’s backed her food without speaking of the consequences.

At the end of the day, people are responsible for what goes into their own bodies, but there are downfalls to those decisions. Apparently, Deen is finding out the hard way. No word on how this might change her recipes, but one would imagine this potential deal would involve some new food for those who share her diagnosis.