Jonathan Gold On Paula Deen As Rose Parade Grand Marshal: "Absolutely Horrifying"

The Tournament of Roses announced Tuesday that Paula Deen will be the Grand Marshal of the 122nd Rose Parade, an honor which also includes tossing the coin before the 97th annual Rose Bowl game on Jan. 1, 2011.

The Pasadena Star News asked Pulitzer Prize-winning food writer Jonathan Gold of the LA Weekly for his reaction, and he told them over email:

"Paula Deen? That's absolutely horrifying. Julia Child grew up on Pasadena Avenue, just a few blocks from the start of the parade, and practically everything Ms. Deen has done both exploits and despoils the culinary movement Child did so much to prod into being.

"As a food person and as a Pasadenan, I should be proud that the committee is honoring somebody in my profession, but the news makes me cringe."

Gold also tweeted the following regarding Deen's selection early Wednesday:

Comments

[dsw70]

04:24 PM on 11/02/2010

It should be a native Californian or at least someone that is well known, liked or associated with CA.
I liked her for a slight bit. But her voice started to wear me down.

Remember when she got hit in the face with an ham?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btq3u7oi7K8

[Schottey]

01:18 PM on 11/02/2010

I LOVED watching Paula Deen and have some of her recipes on my shelf, but I stopped doing so when she continued to be a shill for Smithfield ...she's not just some "Aw Shucks" home cook, she's a business women who'll do anything for another piece of the pie.

[OnTheCusp]

08:43 PM on 11/01/2010

"POW-La" is just scary. That's all there is to it.

[Debbe Lewis]

03:57 PM on 11/01/2010

I have to say that, despite her food looking and sounding incredibly, decadently GOOD on her show, I just get the feeling that this "sweet Southern gal" can turn into a total b!tch behind the scenes. No one can be that nice all the time.

[love5pets]

09:16 AM on 11/01/2010

I can't stand hearing "ya'all" any more.

I can't stand hearing "EVOO" any more.

So, I no longer watch Paula Dean or Rachel Rey.

[stencil62]

06:13 PM on 10/31/2010

lIghten up people, she cooks like an American. We like crap food or the microwave with be in your trash.

[antaeus]

01:44 PM on 11/01/2010

But you make Gold's point: Deen turns a buck by pandering to the lowest common denominator (emphasis on lowest), while Child tried to teach, to improve, to inspire us to be better.

[hauruck]

04:59 PM on 10/30/2010

Purge it with fire.

[GeoToronto]

05:00 PM on 10/29/2010

For Pete's sake, its Paula Dean, she's a wonderful person. My mom and dad only cooked what they knew, which was mediteranean, so Paula's food is a bit much for me, but, it's love on a plate.

[janereally]

09:52 AM on 11/03/2010

yeah your cardiologist LOVES it

[wisdominsight]

12:50 PM on 10/29/2010

Pasadena...be afraid..be very afraid...

[Rand]

10:13 AM on 10/29/2010

Sorry, Mr. Gold, but you are not the final word.... Neither on food nor parades

[Michael Owens]

09:01 AM on 10/29/2010

She can cook for me...anytime

[sherri4real]

07:32 AM on 10/29/2010

It's only fitting to have the queen of butter, refined sugar, and gravies be the queen of an Americana parade - because nothing is more American than obesity and type 2 diabetes.

[hauruck]

04:59 PM on 10/30/2010

What, we can't aspire to something better?

[MajorKong]

02:21 AM on 10/29/2010

I think she tries waaaaay too hard with the "Aw shucks I'm just a down-home gal" schtick.

[Ark Trucker]

01:53 AM on 10/29/2010

After reading some of these posts it has occured to me that most of your mothers didn't cook for you, and if they did, it was from a box.

[robbor]

12:08 PM on 10/28/2010

They'll make her a special float made with butter

[jozie]

09:03 PM on 10/28/2010

And mayonaise...

[BigShotBob]

10:59 AM on 10/29/2010

Don't forget the lard.