What did Paula Deen say about Anthony Boursin? TV chef's comments about late star sparks outrage

Paula Deen recently called out fellow chef Anthony Boursin, stating that he "didn't like anybody. Not even himself, maybe," in her new documentary Canceled: The Paula Deen Story.

"God rest his soul. I felt like he didn't like anybody. Not even himself, maybe," Paula said.

For context, Boursin, who died by suicide on June 8, 2018, criticized Paula on several occasions throughout the years. For instance, in an X post dated August 18, 2011, Bourdain called Deen the "most destructive influence on FN [Food Network]."

Subsequently, in an interview with TV Guide, Anthony accused her of partnering with "evil corporations."

He also claimed that Deen was "proud of the fact that her food is f***ing bad for you," and that she was the "worst, most dangerous person to America."

"If I were on at seven at night [...] I would think twice before telling an already obese nation that it's OK to eat food that is killing us. Plus, her food sucks," he added.

Replying to Anthony's comments, Paula's son, Bobby, in the documentary, claimed that they are "inaccurate."

"I think both are inaccurate," Bobby said.

Paula also criticized Bourdain's show, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations and Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, a travel food show, stating:

"I don't know what he was off in these foreign countries eating. Bat brains or something like that," she says. "I think I'll just stick with my fried chicken," Paula said.

However, she also expressed regret over their public feud, claiming that Anthony started "something with me, and I'd never even met him."

Meanwhile, Paula's comments sparked outrage among social media users.

"Anthony Bourdain was a good man who brought joy to many people across the world..He is missed.. Paula Deen ruined her billion-dollar career for wanting private Plantation Parties in the South...," one user wrote.

"I think we all agree that we would rather have him back in her place," another user commented.

"She needs to talk about a dead man to stay relevant," another user wrote.

However, many users also came to Paula's defence, with one user writing:

"Is this a slam? Sounds like a reasonable statement to me, especially in light of his history of genuinely trashing her."

"That's not a slam. Sounds like the truth," another user said.

"I mean...he was kind of an a**hole. Nevertheless, he still made entertaining shows," another user remarked.

Why Paula Deen faced backlash

In her new documentary, Canceled: The Paula Deen Story, Paula Deen discusses her life before and after facing long-lasting public and professional backlash.

In 2013, Lisa Jackson, the former manager of Paula and her brother Bubba Hier's restaurant Uncle Bubba's Seafood and Oyster House, filed a lawsuit against the siblings for sexual harassment and racial discrimination.

As a result, Deen sat for a deposition during which she made certain racial remarks, leading to widespread and long-lasting public backlash.

During her deposition on May 17, 2013, Paula agreed to having used racial slurs in the past.

"Yes, of course. It's been a very long time. But that's just not a word that we use as time has gone on. Things have changed since the '6os in the South. And my children and my brother object to that word being used in any cruel or mean behavior. As well as I do," Deen stated.

One incident referenced in Jackson's lawsuit involved Deen's use of a racial slur during her brother's wedding preparation.

According to the lawsuit, when Jackson asked Deen what kind of wedding reception she would like to see, the chef replied that she would "want a true southern plantation-style wedding."

She added that she would like a "bunch of little n***** to wear long-sleeve white shirts, black shorts and black bow ties."

In response to her former employee's allegations, Deen said she remembered describing the restaurant she and her husband had visited, stating that she found it "impressive" to see that the "entire wait staff was middle-aged black men, and they had on beautiful white jackets with a black bow tie."

"And I remember saying I would love to have servers like that, I said, but I would be afraid somebody would misinterpret," Paula recalled.

Defending her past remarks, Deen further emphasized that the restaurant "represented a certain era in America," and that she did not mean "anything derogatory by saying that I loved their look."

Paula also denied using the racial slur.

As a consequence, in June, the Food Network announced that it would not renew Deen's contract.

Meanwhile, the lawsuit filed by Jackson was also settled two months later in August "without any award of costs or fees to any party."

In a statement at the time, Lisa Jackson stated:

"I assumed that all of my complaints about the workplace environment were getting to Paula Deen, but I learned during this matter that this was not the case. The Paula Deen I have known for more than eight years, is a woman of compassion and kindness and will never tolerate discrimination or racism of any kind toward anyone."

Canceled: The Paula Deen Story premiered at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday, September 6.