Joy Behar: An Absolute Gluten-Free Train Wreck

joy behar celiac

My friends…there is no JOY in celiac-ville today.
We will not be taking any JOY rides this week.
The Morning Joe show is no longer my pride and JOY (not that it ever was.)
I will not be singing JOY to the World any time soon.
And lastly, when done reading this post, my guess is that you will not be jumping for JOY.

So let me give you the set up. Tom Colicchio and Joy Behar were on Morning Joe yesterday. Tom was there to discuss a new TV show about competing restaurants. Joy was there to be obnoxious I suppose.

The discussion was centering around Tom and then THIS happened:

(If you cannot see the above video, click here to watch it.)

Seriously…what the ever living hell was THAT?? I really thought we were past this, yet ignorance still rears its ugly head once in awhile. How sad and pathetic.

You know what this means, don’t you? It means it’s time for a Gluten Dude breakdown.

0:00-0:15 – I intentionally left this in so you can see that the ENTIRE conversation at this point was focused on Tom, the new TV show and the restaurant scene in general.

0:16 – Joy obviously feels left out so she completely interrupts the conversation with this gem: “How annoying are people who want gluten-free when they go into a restaurant? I just find it irritating.”

No…seriously…she said that. No one had even mentioned gluten up to this point so not only did she interrupt with her ignorance, but she totally changed the course of the conversation. The only word I have for it is…well I actually don’t have a word for it. Maybe you can come up with one.

0:22 – Mika, while eating a sandwich, nods and grunts in agreement, while everyone breaks out in perhaps awkward laughter. I honestly don’t watch this show but I watched most of this episode and found Mika to be awful. She had absolutely nothing to add to the conversation and she interrupted Tom so many times I’m surprised he didn’t walk off the set in frustration.

0:24 – While everyone is hooting it up, Tom says “You’re not in the kitchen when that happens.” but then catches himself and says “No, it’s ok.”

I honestly believe he was just thrown off, got temporarily caught up for a sec and immediately regretted his first comment. I’ve been to one of his restaurants multiple times, Colicchio & Sons, and they do gluten-free extremely well and take it very seriously. I actually tweeted Tom after I saw the show and simply said “What was that all about?” and he responded “I have no idea.” I’m sure even he was disgusted.

0:30 – The male host (don’t know his name) says “What if they have celiac?”

And I say YAY to that. These shows almost never bring it up so I was happy to hear it get a mention.

0:34 – Joy says “How many people actually have celiac?”

Well let’s see Joy. There are 318,000,000 people in the United States. An estimated 1 out of 133 people have celiac. That means about 2,385,000 people have celiac disease, many of whom are undiagnosed, suffer and won’t get tested for celiac because of idiot comments like yours. Add to that the number that have NCGS and I will conservatively estimate that over 12,000,000 people in this country alone have health issues caused by gluten. Still bother you Joy? Or because it doesn’t affect you personally, you simply don’t care.

0:37 – Joy says celiac is just a bunch of baloney. No comment needed.

0:39 – Joy continues to make an ass out herself with this gem: “My theory is that if you have a disease that a celebrity can pitch, then they will find a cure for the disease. So celiac is the new disease.”

Where do I even start with this one? There is no cure for celiac because a celebrity doesn’t endorse the disease?? And if one did, they would find a cure??? I am simply not following her logic. Perhaps because there is none. Note to Joy: There is no cure for A LOT of diseases. Plenty of celebs pitch for cancer and yet what do you know, no cure there yet. ALS…no cure. Diabetes…no cure. Should I go on?

And what does a celebrity have to do with finding a cure for a disease? What a bizarre and disturbed train of thought. I’m not sure if Joy is stupid, ignorant or a touch of both. But the fact that she is a public figure and can be so misinformed is beyond scary.

I will say this. Everyone on the set, except Mika, who is too busy eating to utter a word, seems to be against Joy during the conversation. I’m sure it was unscripted and they were thrown for a loop. You can see Tom a few times trying to speak up but Joy wouldn’t shut up. And the male host really is trying to give Joy a chance to make herself look human again but she just keeps digging herself deeper and deeper.

Finally…someone off stage, who has a look of utter contempt on his face, changes the topic and normalcy is returned.

But here’s some good news folks. I used to write articles like these all the time. Whether it was the Today Show (multiple times), Kathy Lee and Hoda, Jimmy Kimmel, or Jimmy Fallon, the anti gluten-free sentiment was in full force for a few years there.

But it’s been awhile since I’ve had to call a pseudo-celebrity out.

Thanks Joy for showing us that we still have more work to do.

(Dude addendum: I totally missed the fact that she worked with Elisabeth Hasselbeck, a fellow celiac, on The View for five years. Thanks everyone for the reminder. That just ups her ignorance ten-fold.)

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104 thoughts on “Joy Behar: An Absolute Gluten-Free Train Wreck”

  1. I wonder if her offensive comment about diseases and celebrity-pitched cures is a reference to Elizabeth Hasselbeck (they were on The View together for many years) and her G-free line of products and book…?

    1. Agreed Momandnana. I’m sure it had to do with Elizabeth Hasselbeck no question. I’ve never listened to anything she has to say and this is why. She is rude and obnoxious. I did watch the video and I love the look on the guys face at 1:11. His face is saying what we’re thinking……..”what in the hell?”

    2. Maybe? Who could stand Hasselbeck? Anyway, I was offended and thought her comment was ill-informed. I am sure she is getting an education now. Aren’t the stats 1 out of 133 in the US suffer gluten problems?

    3. I absolutely think that is who she is referring to. First thing I thought of. I have never, ever wished this disease on anyone, but I hope she gets it. Stupid Bitch!!

    4. There could be something to this. I don’t know a lot about JB & EH but from what I do understand they are polar opposites in their individual politics so they probably don’t get along well. So with EH being celiac, JB could be using “annoyance” at GF eating as a proxy for sniping at her. To which I say, if this is really about JB having an issue with EH (GF-related or not), she should just address it head-on and leave the rest of us out of it. We don’t need the collateral damage.

      This wouldn’t be unlike a few months back when that actress (name escapes me) made some dismissive comment about GF being the new low-carb or something like that. I recall there was some reading into this comment that it was directed at her boyfriend’s ex who happened to be GF.

    5. I just discovered this interesting plot twist.

      There was an article about JB in the NY Times last month:

      http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/14/realestate/joy-behars-big-mouth-and-her-apartment.html

      (How appropriate is it that she recently put on a one-woman stage production called “Me, My Mouth and I”?)

      But let me get to the REAL point — this article also happens to mention in passing that she is friends with actress Susie Essman, who plays the wife of Larry David’s manager on HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm.

      As some readers probably already know, Essman has long been on record as being celiac: since at least March of 2003, which is when this other NYT article in which she mentioned it was first published:

      http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/05/dining/at-lunch-with-susie-essman-eating-hollywood-style-with-thin-air-on-the-side.html

      (Check out how the word gluten appears in this nearly 12 year old article but there’s absolutely no mention of GF dieting as a trend. How times have changed!)

      So naturally, this makes me wonder what Susie Essman thinks when she hears her “friend” talking like this?

  2. Joy you really need to keep your mouth shut when you do not know what you are talking about. I have celiac sprue and it has no cure. All you can do is stay clear of all gluten. There are no real reason to go on a gluten free diet because there is more fat and sugar Just to try and make this food taste good.

    1. Gluten free diets certainly don’t have to have more fat and sugar. I’ve recently graduated from gluten free to cutting out most grains and sugar. It’s really not that difficult once you get used to it, and it certainly doesn’t taste bad. But I don’t use gluten free bread or bagels, because I can’t afford the prices. Meat, veggies, fruit and nuts don’t have any gluten in them. Just gotta get creative with them, even my 12 year old is starting to eating more like me because I’m getting damn good at making healthy taste good.

      1. I’ve started to distinguish between gluten ‘elimination’, as Kristin eats, and gluten substitution, which just subs a gf cupcake for a regular cupcake — definitely not a healthy substitute overall, but one which allows for a bit more normalcy in social settings at least.

      2. Here’s my suggestion: Email MSNBC and ask that the Morning Joe show host Dr. Fasano or another celiac expert on for a segment to explain the disease. Invite a patient-advocate (I vote for Gluten Dude) and maybe Tom Colicchio again to talk about how this can be managed successfully and tastefully in a restaurant. I say let’s give them a chance to do some good out of this mess.

        Here’s the email address that I found: msnbctvinfo@nbcuni.com or go to Morning Joe on Facebook

        Here’s what I wrote:
        I recently saw a segment on the Morning Joe program with Tom Colicchio and Joy Behar during which Ms. Behar referred to celiac disease as baloney, asking how many people actually have the disease, etc. etc.

        As a parent with two young children among the estimated 3 million in this country who have this lifelong autoimmune disease with no cure, I was astounded at her ignorance and vitriol. To the credit of your host, he mentioned celiac as a real issue, and your other guest, Chef Colicchio, spoke about managing customers who request gluten free in his restaurants.

        I suggest a follow up segment to this one, exploring celiac disease, its only known treatment of a strict, lifelong, completely gluten free diet, and the impact of both on patients, our culture, and the medical industry. Invite a panel to talk about the disease, the importance of the diet to patients and those with other gluten-reactive illnesses, and provide real information to help inform not only the millions in this country who are still not diagnosed, but the millions who play a role in the treatment, such as those in the food service industry, family members, etc. The panel can include:
        – A medical expert, such as Dr. Alessio Fasano from Massachusetts General Hospital
        – A patient-advocate such as Gluten Dude
        – A food service industry executive or chef, such as Mr. Colicchio or Emeril Lagasse, whose own two daughters have both been diagnosed with the disease.

        The segment that you aired was incredibly offensive and defeating to the patients and loved ones of those suffering from this disease. And while you could not control or suppress your guest’s ignorant diatribe, you can take this opportunity to inform the public with scientific information that can save lives.

        I appreciate your consideration of this suggestion, and look forward to your response.

        Thanks…

        1. @Amy
          Thank you for that lovely letter you emailed MSNBC! Awesome! I can’t wait to see them follow through and actually do a segment on Celiac with educated people! I never really liked JB. Now I cannot stand her as I cannot respect such an annoying ignorant loud mouth.

  3. Well that’s put me in a bad mood first thing in the morning 🙁

    The male presenter (I don’t know his name) really should have called her out on her offensive and erroneous comment, he seemed to understand that Celiac was different or he wouldn’t have asked his question, and yet he said nothing while she opened her nasty little mouth and started spouting drivel.

    In the words of Buzz Lightyear (and I’m sure he was THINKING of Joy Behar when he said it! )
    “You are a sad, strange little (wo)man and you have my pity”

  4. Thanks Dr. Joy, if I had only known that celiac and NCGS is all bull crap I guess my joint pain, fatigue, etc would have just magically disappeared because clearly I was imagining it. /sarcasm

    Groan…… to say I never could stand her in the first place is an understatement. It’s one thing to have an opinion about something and follow up with a reasonable (even if incorrect) argument. It provides a teaching moment. But all she does is mind vomit nonsense for one reason. To make herself somehow seem relevant.

    I’m in the middle of reading Dr. Fassano’s book Gluten Freedom so her comments are even more aggravating. She should read it and learn something. Oh wait, she probably can’t read anything that’s not about her.

      1. It’s my new favorite term, too… I have Celiac disease. Last week eating a high end restaurant I somehow ingested gluten (probably cross contamination) and became violently ill! How nice it would have felt for JB to be the recipient of my vomit 🙂

  5. Out of all the cackling hens on The View (not including Meredith Viera, who I actually like) she has always been by far the most annoying. Everybody on the set of this show seemed to agree that she is completely bat sh*t as well. That’s about all the thought I’m going to give to this ridiculousness today. Carry on….

  6. I am a huge Top Chef fan. Spouse and I never miss a season. This season the contestants teamed up and opened their respective restaurants and one of the guest judges required a gluten-free meal. (One course was tainted.) I was hoping they would discuss it further, but they only touched on the subject. Due to the seriousness of chefs understanding Celiac Disease (and so many future chefs/home cooks who watch the show), I would love to see an entire Top Chef challenge devoted to an entire gluten-free meal, the prevention of cross-contamination, and (most importantly) WHY it is important. Teaching what consuming gluten does to a Celiac/NCGS sufferer would highlight the seriousness. What an awesome learning experience that would be for the entire country! Are you listening, Tom? Have Emeril Lagasse as a guest. Both his daughters have Celiac. Add up the number of potential viewers who require that meal plus how many friends/family who may not need it, but must feed them and you have a HUGE number that would tune in for at least that episode even if they aren’t regular viewers.

    1. I keep wishing that the Food Network would do a whole week devoted to Celiac awareness, maybe sometime during Celiac Awareness Month. Gluten free Chopped, Cutthroat Kitchen, etc – It would be AWESOME!

      1. I think that would be awesome. I’ve always wanted to see what the chefs would make on those shows if the pantry had all gluten free ingredients stocked in it.

      2. I’m 100% with you, Jess! Maybe that would be something we could lobby for on The Kitchen – the show with Sunny and Geoffrey and others where they are basically live and they have different ideas they use to all make their version of something. It’d be cool if they did one with food allergies in mind and discussed cross-contamination and reading labels.

        Let’s all make a gluten free breakfast. Let’s all make an allergy free brown bag lunch that can be taken to work or school and eaten cold. Let’s discuss the things in your kitchen that can make someone sick. I cringe when someone is making me a meal and following all the rules, except there’s a wooden spoon in the food I’m supposed to eat. How clean is that thing? Did you stir pasta with it when you made it last week?

    2. Angie from the Land of Oz

      Great idea Miss Dee Meanor! I’m a huge Top Chef fan too – time to rally the troops. I’m going to start sending emails and tweets to Bravo Network, Tom Colicchio and Padma!!!

  7. I’m glad that Tom made SURE to point out that they keep gluten free pasta on hand in his restaurants. He’s a professional in the industry, he gets it.

    1. (different John here btw!)

      When I first saw this clip yesterday (the entire segment was uploaded to msnbc’s website and also now posted on youtube as someone noted elsewhere ion this page), chef Tom C’s comments about the GF pasta actually rubbed me the wrong way. Not sure if anyone else saw it this way, but at first, it almost came off like it was the *only* dish they were willing to prepare at his restaurant to accommodate GF diners.

      Now having said that, I’ll quickly add that I’ve also since seen GD’s positive comments about eating there. If GD says Tom C does GF right, then AFAIC Tom C does GF right. I went back through some old posts here and GD even gave his NYC resto a hearty thumbs-up in a Nov 2012 review.

      I totally believe the chef was caught off-guard by the GF comments. If he’d known GF were going to be addressed in the segment, I’m sure he would have gone in completely prepared to discuss everything else his restaurant does to keep GF diners safe. It’s just that this was never supposed to be the focus and with the limited airtime for the segment, his attentions were rightly elsewhere.

      I hope that anyone with gluten issues who only had this segment to go on doesn’t retain the same wrong first impression I first had about the GF pasta.

  8. How irritating and annoying to have diarrhea for 4 days. What an uneducated fool, and im being nice. Who the hell do you think you are?? you are not entitled to you opinion on something you know NOTHING about.

  9. Here’s a longer version. The whole interview is a mess. First off, the blonde lady is only interested in the sandwich’s and is completely ignoring the guest Tom Colicchio. I’m also confused as to why Joy Behar is there at all as she contributes nothing of any value to the interview. Narcissism is the word you’re looking for GD. I find it funny and ironic that she finds people who eat gluten free to be annoying as if that isn’t the pot calling the kettle black! She has to be the most annoying person on television.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMGAM-r4FQ8

    1. This was just one segment from a much longer show (an hour or more?) so I wonder if JB was there for just this segment, or rather for much/most of or perhaps even entirely the duration of the whole show with the other two co-hosts. If the former, then I find her presence rather puzzling.

      If the latter, then re: the relative silence of JB and the female co-host — who it seems only bracketed the segment with an introduction and then wrapped it with some closing comments while mostly just eating in silence in between — I think that’s just part of the multi-host talk show format. Not everyone present will necessarily have a lot to contribute to every segment over the course of the show. We’re only seeing one segment here. Nonetheless, whatever contributions they do offer, they ought to be germane to the discussion and keep it flowing — rather than completely derailing the proceedings as JB did here.

  10. Colette Sullivan-Ledoux

    As I’ve oftentimes said, misinformation regarding celiac disease is passed along faster than a bong at a frat party. I’m dreadfully “tired” and “sick” of how this has affected my life as a celiac – from having to constantly defend my bonafide illness, to suffering the consequences of cross contamination when dining out, undoubtedly brought about by the genius know-it-alls that constantly undermine my safety with their blathering gluten-laden word salads – words which tend to poison the prospect of proper diligence from an already frazzled chef.

  11. Wow, just wow – how sad and infuriating. What the hell even made her bring it up??? I don’t expect every restaurant to have a full menu of GF options, but I sure as hell appreciate the ones that offer good, safe GF food to this celiac sufferer. It certainly isn’t in my head nor do I choose to eat GF because it is a fad or fun (who the hell would do this voluntarily!?!) or endorsed by some celebrity. And WHY do people care so much about the food choices others make if it makes them feel better???

  12. Oh geeezus! I knew this was gonna be bad, but this was worse. A part of me wants to say, perhaps this was partially the result of her not liking Hasselbeck, who is a celiac and now she is taking her hate out on everyone with the disease? Even if that is the case there is no excuse for this sort of behaviour, it is extremely unprofessional and outright offensive.

    I am usually not one to get very upset when celiac or the topic of gluten is discussed in the media in an incorrect way, or in an attempt to make humour of it.. but this just enrages me. This was not simply the result of not having any knowledge about the disease (she used to work with someone who has it), because ignorance is annoying but can be forgiven..

    This on the other hand is nothing but a sad, grumpy old woman trying to get the spotlight on herself by complaining about how people with celiac disease (who aren’t even the ones who are gluten-free to be trendy!) are annoying her. She has definitely crossed the line with what she has said, and I hope she gets fired over this. If she said people with cancer/diabetes/ALS/(or any other chronic disease) are annoying I am sure she would not still have job right now.

  13. I am thinking I will tweet Joy Behar, something abbreviated to the following, in 140 characters or less.

    I am gluten free, not celiac. How about every time I get sick, often infections, I call you, you can drive me to the doctor, to the pharmacy, pay for both of the above. Then, you can sit in my house, doing very little, until said infection is resolved and I return to my life. Then, you can return to yours.

    1. You get infections from eating gluten? I have never heard this before but I get strep throat at least 3 times a year. I wonder if it is related….

  14. OH MY! I wanted to jump through the computer and strangle her! I want to introduce her to my daughter who has celiac and struggles with this. KUDOS to that male host who actually gets it! And that chef who got it after his little snide comment, but then remembered people were watching him on TV.

    JOY YOU’RE A FREAKING IDIOT!

  15. I just don’t get it. Why is gluten free irritating to anyone? Before I was diagnosed I knew 2 people with celiac and 2 people with non-celiac gluten sensitivity over the course of my life. Not once was i irritated with what they ate. Maybe it’s being judgmental, lack of knowledge, or who knows what. Im just baffled that so many people make fun of gluten free or are annoyed by it. Is sugar free annoying? Is peanut free irritating? I think everyone doesn’t have such an opinion on everything, especially when you are not educated on a subject. She made her self look like a self-centered ego maniac. As a huge fan of top chef, I’m glad that Tom was the voice of reason.

  16. Joy’s incomprehensible statements immediately brought 3 thoughts to mind:

    1. Dan Ackroyd’s SNL oft-quoted condemnation “Jane, you ignorant slut.” http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=k80nW6AOhTs
    Where’s Dan when you need him?!?

    2. The Irish writer Brendan Behan’s memorable variation (“There’s no bad publicity except an obituary notice.”) to the quote often credited to American showman PT Barnum, “I don’t care what people say about me as long as they say something.”

    3. Since Joy was so obviously and sadly trying to stay relevant by openly expressing her hatred for EH and Joy’s own ignorance to create controversy, it is best for us to not waste any energy and emotions on Joy’s stupidity. As our Mom’s have all advised us & Joy should always obey, “If you don’t have any thing nice to say, then don’t say anything at all.” However, that admonition doesn’t work for TV people these days which is exactly why I don’t watch very much TV, and when I do, it’smostly only sporting events.

    I think our advocates, like GlutenDude, can use Joy as a “teachable moment”, which will eventually help us continue to overcome such vitriolic and ignorant statements like Joy’s because no reasonable and intelligent person would want to be cast in the same pitiful mold as Joy. Such mean & outrageous comments like Joy’s will actually enlighten wise citizens concerning the uphill battle persons with Celiac Disease and NCGS face everyday. The “jokes” will eventually only be expressed by ignorant people with which intelligent people will not even want to be in the same room much less on a nationally televised program.

    I’m embarrassed for Morning Joe, their producers and sponsors by allowing such drivel on their program, which sure repels me from ever watching or even wanting to watch.

  17. That was simply pathetic. Just another reason why we don’t watch TV at all. So glad to see many people have not lost their ability to think and realize this “entertainment” is merely garbage spewing.

    1. So his, “you should be in the kitchen, hehehe” joke was not offensive? Is that because he quickly added, “no, it’s okay” after he remembered he was on national TV? Not trying to be confrontational at all, just wondering why he would be excused from making a gluten joke. I know JB was totally obnoxious about it, but he still joked about non- gluten eaters.

      1. I think we can forgive him for one minor isolated slip of the tongue from which he instantly back-pedalled (although someone else here in these comments has put forth the thought that that particular remark was meant in a “what’s it to you if you’re not the one cooking for them?” manner, and one could read it that way).

        He not only doesn’t have a track record of slamming the GF community, but according to GD he is serious about catering to GF diners in his restaurants and serious about doing it right, and he added remarks to that effect soon thereafter. I also saw on twitter that he responded promptly to GD over the incident.

        JB on the other hand deserves NO slack. She’s made these irresponsible comments before and to my knowledge has never apologised for them, nor has she apologised for this latest outburst, even after receiving a barrage of comments on social media telling her that she screwed up.

        She really needs to makes at least THREE apologies: one to the GF community for obvious reasons, and then another to the chef for her rude, non sequitur interruption that completely derailed a segment having absolutely nothing to do with GF that was supposed to be all about promoting his entrepreneurial projects. Then a third one to MSNBC and/or the MJ show for the way she dragged them through the mud with her. The guy off stage seemed none too impressed that the segment was derailing and was forced to intervene to get it back on track. This is probably the last time she’ll ever appear on this show and maybe even the whole network. Or so I would hope.

        Apparently JB was a fill-in guest host for several hours on someone else’s radio talk show in NYC the very next day after this happened. If she had instead directed disparaging comments toward the gay community or any ethnic minority, that radio station would have immediately cancelled her appearance and scrambled to book a last-minute replacement. The fact that they did not go this route over this incident and her complete and continued lack of repentance shows, as GD mentioned in his closing comment, that the GF community still has some work left to do.

  18. I don’t wish celiac disease on anyone… however, I do wish that Joy could live a day in the life of one and truly understand. We are NOT attention-seekers, sometimes I would rather curl up in a ball and hide before I have to explain for the millionth time that I am not gluten free just for kicks or to annoy people, this is real life. It’s not the hosts’ job to defend, they were in no position to and I don’t blame them. It came from absolutely nowhere. The spewing just needs to stop. Period. I’m tired of ‘their’ attention-seeking tactics.

  19. GD – you are right that she was there only to be obnoxious. I know that Tom Colicchio and his team gets it… it may throw off a chef’s game behind the faced-paced line, but any chef that respects their food, and more imporantly the guests that come to enjoy the food – and will come back if they are happy, knows how to do it, and do it right. At least the male host did try to get her to differentiate between the fad and those with a disease – but her nonsensical diatribe (mind vomit – good one!) is disturbing. Her whole comedic schtick is to be ubsurd and obnoxious. I guess some people find it funny?!? Maybe not… she is pretty unrevelant these days.

  20. I am not sure I would EVER wish Celiacs on another human being , but in her case I might make an exception. But Hey I am not sure she can be classified as a human being. Moving on..

  21. Her comment was probably due to her thinking that regular people want to be like stars. And she thinks most people who claim to be Celiac just want to be like Elizabeth H. and she is jealous of that. You know, it’s like how people say they have Parkinson’s because of Michael J. Fox. Yeah. Ok Joy. She doesn’t bother me. It’s the doctor who wants me to prove I have Celiac with my biopsy report that gets me going. I keep a copy in my purse, now. As a side, people with NCGS should get checked for fructan intolerance. Sometimes it isn’t the gluten in the food but the fructan that is the culprit. Non gluten containing foods can have fructans, too. Back to the Joy Bs of the world … Why are some people so angry over what other people eat? Because we are different. And different, in many tiny minds, doesn’t fit. Different draws attention away from them. And comedians love to use different in their acts because different makes other people laugh. Joy used to be a comedian. People who are “perfect” just love to put others who aren’t like them down. It is called bullying. But it’s real name should be insecurity. “Haters gonna hate”. And that’s life.

  22. Well……. I wish Joy would walk a mile in my shoes. Especially last Friday when I ended up at the ER due to cross contamination. My face swelled up and my left side went all Bells Palsy on me. Then add on the diarrhea, vomitting, etc.. But I suppose it was all a dream Joy, like In Dallas. ( ” who shot JR?” ). Just goes to prove that some people mentality and some of a certain age can’t accept change. Sad sad sad……

  23. Her comment is so out of left field. WTF? Where did that even come from? The only good I can take from this is everyone already thought she was a blowhard and no one listens to the crap that comes from her mouth. Shut up Joy. Shut the Eff up.

  24. Geez, lady. What is wrong with your brain?

    If Celiac is in fact a bunch of baloney, why…why would people be looking for a cure? Is it a bunch of baloney in that it “doesn’t exist” or that it DOES exist and they are “using celebrities to get a cure”?

    It can’t be both!

    If you believe #2 then you agree that it’s a real disease and then you should shut up about it being irritating that people want gluten-free in restaurants.

    I think the answer is #3, that you just want attention, as GD points out.

    It was nice to see the some of the other people standing up for Celiacs, though. That was kind of heartwarming.

    Thanks GD for your GD Breakdown! That was a doozy!

  25. That makes me so angry! As a mom of a 1st grader with celiac, it’s an education battle we fight any time we are out; every school event; every food centric school project; every birthday party. I never liked her style before and now I really have no reason to give her the time of day.

  26. One of the people on the show has their own food issues(I say what kind of issues) so you’d think there would be some more empathy. I’m not saying who, but let’s just say it’s out of, hmmmm, empathy.

  27. So glad you included the video, GD, as I had to rewind it a few times to see where in the H her comment came from (left field). I kept thinking the recording skipped or something. It feels like she had been storing that one in her back pocket when she knew she was coming on the show and no one mentioned it so she just had to blurt it out.
    So uninformed. So uncalled for. So obnoxious and yes, so narcissistic (as another commenter mentioned). And sad to say, for someone with narcissistic personality disorder, they won’t care whether all the press about them is good or bad — it’s attention, and that’s clearly all she’s after.
    It’s really too bad she has to pick on people who are just trying to take care of themselves, most often NOT trying to draw attention to themselves. (People who are diagnosed with a very real disease, no less.) We’re not forcing ourselves on anyone else or making their lives inconvenienced in even some trivial way. People in the restaurant industry are there to SERVE customers what they want/need. Special requests are commonplace, expected and should be tolerated if not welcomed.
    Everyone else mind your own business. What we do for our health is none of yours.

    1. As appalling as her comments about celiac and gluten were, it’s probably even worse that she rudely interrupted and completely derailed someone else’s conversation with such a boorish, non sequitur rant. Left field, indeed. I mean, you can see the (justifiably) perturbed expression on the guest’s face long before she reaches the word gluten.

      And let’s be clear about something else — she’s not “annoyed”. If she were, why is she sporting a big smirk on her face immediately afterward? Annoyed people don’t look like that — this was something intended with more than just face value.

      It put me on a real high yesterday morning to see GD’s last post about the 12 year old celiac girl who keeps it all so real. Such a great way to start the day, but you just knew that something else would soon come along and be a total buzzkill. If you haven’t read it yet and this JB episode has you put off, go check it out.

      Too bad that 12yo wasn’t part of this segment, too. She would have taken JB and totally wiped the stage with her.

    2. Amen! If eating any food makes you sick, and you feel better when avoiding it, why is that bullshit? I no longer have asthma or eczema, and I’m sad that it took so long to find a doctor who gets it: food and nutrition can heal you. The wrong stuff can do great damage.

  28. Shame on her!!! Tsk, tsk. For the record, it is 1-100 people have or will be diagnosed with celiac disease. My family has 3 members, my mother, myself, and my granddaughter; probably others, but they are too scared to get tested!!! We have two options with people like Joy, ignore them and hope they die from their own ignorance, or we can give them more fuel for their fire by keeping this going. I say shut her off and shut her up. Ignore her. P.S. I was diagnosed 14 years ago long before anyone really ever heard of celiac disease. There were no know “celebrities” with the disease at that time who were speaking out.

  29. How dare her speak about something she clearly has no clue about. If she thinks it’s annoying that people ask if food is g.f. she has no clue how hard it is for us who have no choice but to ask. What a self centered hypocrite. 1 in every 133 people have celiacs and how many others who have no idea. She herself could have it and not even know. It’s not a fad for everyone and there is NO KNOWN CURE FOR CELIACS. Even if Celebrities are going gluten free, it doesn’t mean that there will now be a cure. The chef on the video said “you should be in the kitchen” after she made a smart comment about us being annoying and then he realized what he had done and corrected himself by saying “but it is okay”. Yeah at least he knew when to stop. Shame on her, she needs to appolgise to us all. With her logic, I could easily say…. ” how annoying is it that businesses and chefs are uneducated and easily annoyed by our medically necessary requests.” Celiac the new disease my butt! PEES ME OFF!!!

  30. Surely somewhere in the world there is someone better educated, less abrasive, and more entertaining than Joy.
    This segment and her comment is so insulting to the moms who on a daily basis try to keep our celiac children well and alive. If she had ever seen children suffer the way mine have, she would change her mind. I would love to see an expert such as Dr. Fazano update these people in a reversal of these views. If my sick children had cancer and I refused them treatment I would be in deep trouble. Is the same thing not true of mom’s of celiac’s? Should we poison our kids so Joy won’t be annoyed? I feel so unbelievably insulted by her statements.

  31. I did not hear Tom’s first remark as at all snide – to me it sounded more like “You’re not in the kitchen, so how could it possibly irritate you?” Immediately followed by it is not a problem in his kitchens at all. In effect, I felt that he politely told her she was rude and over stepping and that is is a part of restaurant life and not irritating. Maybe it is just that all of them seemed a bit appalled at her classless, pointless comments.

    1. That’s true, Linda. Viewed in isolation from his later remarks, that comment could probably be read either way. Me, I actually missed it first time around as I was still so shocked by JB and how she triggered the entire incident.

      Either way, I think the totality of the chef’s comments make it quite clear that he was batting for Team GF in this conversation.

  32. It is my understanding that Elizabeth Hasselbeck did not have Celiac Disease. Rather she hyped the GF lifestyle as a trendy thing.

  33. Once upon a time I liked joy Behar, she was funny. This changed when she started ripping Hasslebeck about Celiac. Elizabeth has to be the happiest sick person I’ve ever seen. I wish one could know her true story. 10 years she was sick, which is awful, stopped gluten and all back to normal! That’s how I thought it would be, right back to normal, have a 75% of any complication associated with.
    Anyway, Joy, who I cannot watch or listen to , sees Elizabeth climbing mountains, marathons, full time job, kids, family……and thinks how bad can it be????? That’s just a thought, however, WHAT A DOPE HEAD!
    In fact, this disease and other things has brought me to a place where I’d rather watch parts of our society live like beginning of mankind and slaughter others for same reasons……
    Jimmy Fallon, I loved! I can’t believe his past commentary, and no longer watch.
    It’s a changing, people are starting to take seriously, unfortunately not enough.
    I recently read, you probably posted it, scientist s who study the depths of brains and bodies, think in the future Celiac will change from a disease of the gut, to disease of brain. The gut will be one of symptoms of disease. Studies in process. This disease is so complicated and they feel we are in early stages of understanding. Believe or not, but after I read explanation, it made so much sense.

    I still cannot get that doctors do not believe, friends, etc. Then comes celebrities, who have loads of money that could Help.
    Besides Twitter, how can one get a message to celebrity or publicist. Joy is an embarrassment to comedy with her ignorance, AGAIN.
    I AGREE WITH THE SIMPLE POST OF VOMIT!
    PS. Jennifer’s Way should be mandated to celebrities….

  34. Ridiculous. Slap in the face not only to all who suffer (including me), but to her former co-host, Elizabeth. It’s so easy to say something is bullshit when you don’t suffer. Gluten is only one issue: many suffer from reactions to dairy, soy, corn, peanuts, shellfish. When someone is sick, and they feel better after eliminating that food or allergen, it’s not bullshit. I have two doctors in my corner on this. Avoiding what hurts me is making me healthier in many ways. No more asthma, no more eczema, to name a few.

  35. I never watched her show anyway, but I know she had a beef with Elisabeth Hasselback, who is well-known for being celiac and gluten-free; so there may be something to it being a dig at her; and how childish and immature.
    Oh, wait a minute, that describes her abhorrent behavior on the show.
    The other hosts look like they were in on whatever the “joke” was, but Tom looks uncomfortable and as if not sure what to say.
    I’ll say this- what a load of s*** Joy Behar is. People like her is why we’re all fighting so hard to be taken seriously; it makes me sick. Celiac is NOT a “celebrity disease”, I doubt any of us (outside of you, Dude) are a celebrity and we all have it….so where is the logic in that? Missing. Like half of her brain obviously is. It’s not something to joke about; as all of us who have been through the pain and digestive layers of hell that gluten brings us. People like her are what’s wrong with the world and its perception of the celiac community. It makes me ill.

  36. I’m anaphylactic to gluten and wheat. I have permanent damage to me from that and surgeries for that before they figured out what was causing it. They’re pretty sure I have celiac too but what does that matter since I can’t ever eat it anyway. They said ever-forever. It’s none of her business. Her mother never taught her the “if you don’t have anything nice to say…” line obviously. Then I feel bad for wishing they had problems so severe that they unfortunately had more insight on what an absolute a*&^ they are.

  37. Have you seen the 2 recent comments from Seth Meyers? He just makes me want to punch a wall. I just included my two videos shared from my iCloud in the website area, hope if you haven’t seen them, you can take a look at that asshat too.

  38. What I have learned as a recent diagnosed Celiac is the wrong coralation people have with “carbs and gluten” When I go out, I first appologize for my challenging order, explain that it is not about carbs, that I have a disease that requires no gluten cross contamination, thank servers etc over and over and then worrry if they really get it. Joy loud mouth Baher would be blabbing a different tune if she or one of her family members had this disease. What gives anyone the right to dish someones elses health challentes becasue they themselves do not suffer from it. BEfore I was diagnosed, I had never heard of Celic, in fact, when they told me I had it, I asked if I had to have Chemo! Oh my, now I know everything about it, because I live it everyday. I hope the loud mouth reads these comments and just maybe she will feel SOME need to apologize to the million of children and adults who have this lifelong disease. Thank you Gluten Dude, you gave us another platform to be heard.

  39. I agree with others – she was once a pretty funny commedienne.
    Now she’s just biter and mean, and a real ass.
    Your breakdown had me cheering in my own house (Sorry, kitty!) Point for point – YES!!!! Colicchio has many times talked about how happy he is to help people eat well when they have challenges.
    I’m not even sure why Bejar was there!!?
    Anyway – thank you, THANK YOU.

  40. Just unbelievable – I truly have no other words! At least the male host and Tom were really trying to calm her down, and it was great that both of them were informed about Celiac.. that’s about the only positive thing I can say! Just shows there’s more work to be done spreading awareness..

  41. There’s something positive that should be pointed out from all of this.

    And it’s the fact that JB’s comments seem to have been COMPLETELY IGNORED by the mainstream media.

    I googled her just now and looked under “News”; there was absolutely nothing about this to be seen. All I could find as far as recent news coverage was one or two articles about how she criticised some politician on another segment of the same episode of this show. That was pretty much it — nothing about this. I even tried adding the word gluten to the search string and still got nothing. Then I tried adding celiac instead, same thing. In fact it seems like the only attention she gained for this childish outburst was the discussion on this page, and some further disapproving commentary in social media from the GF community.

    A far cry from all the run that Jimmy Kimmel got last year from his “What is gluten?” stunt, and I’d say that’s a good thing!

  42. What an ignorant tit. I’m blown away. I have celiac and it almost killed me! I had multiple pulmenary embolisms that covered over 80% of my lungs and it took us over a year to figure out it was gluten (I do have celiac). If I could give her I peice of my mind I would.

    1. Wow! I too had multiple pulmanory embolisms in both my lungs a year before my celiac diagnosis. Did they connect the dots that gluten was to blame?

  43. I remembered she worked with Hasselback on The VIew and wonder if her contempt for GF is related to her contempt for Elizabeth?!

  44. As someone who has watched Morning Joe most mornings for over 5 years, has a gluten sensitivity & watched The View when Joy & Elizabeth were hosts, let me give my opinion on this clip-for what it’s worth:

    **I missed Wednesday’ show because, ironically, I was @my doctor’s discussing this very topic & getting blood work done.

    1. Please don’t disparage the show or Mika over this 1 clip….Mika is a huge health advocate, has authors on frequently who support healthy eating/lifestyles & I have never, ever seen her “stuff herself” like this. Usually she refuses most foods on set & not having seen the whole show I have no idea why she was eating like this. It is very atypical of her. I do know that she has been hosting by herself for weeks because her co-host, Joe Scarborough, has been out with the flu so maybe she’s a tad stressed?

    2. Those of us who suffer from gluten sensitivity or celiac disease don’t need anyone telling us it’s a myth or fad, we know the truth because we live it. We don’ have to defend ourselves, either-it’s no one’s business & I simply do not care if anyone scoffs at my diet restraints. Why do they care anyway? I think one day in the near future the topic of gluten sensitivity/celiac disease will become similar to the topic of peanut allergies: as more & more people become victims of this awful health issue there will be more awareness & hopefully more understanding of this health issue & therefore, more tolerance. I would be willing to bet that it’s going to become an epidemic one day due to our nation’s horrendous eating habits.

    3. Joy is a comedienne….as some have said, maybe this was a subliminal rant against Elizabeth? All I know is that it’s sad she chose this topic to throw her barbs at if she indeed was dissing against Elizabeth…..this was a serious illness that caused severe issues for Mrs.Hasselback & although I may not care for a person’s politics or personality I’d never disparage their illness as Mrs. Bayer did ranting against celiac disease.

    That’s my 2 cents worth.

    P.S. Thomas Roberts was the man some of you saw in the clip who was doing the interview & he is a super nice guy….I’m sure he was flummoxed at Joy’s remarks.

  45. It is nothing new to me to see ignorance like this towards people who have food allergies, intolerance, or disabilities! I have raised a son for the last 12 years with allergies and intolerances to gluten, peanut, dairy, soy, egg. It has been a challenge, and he has been or would have been left out of many things along the way, if I hadn’t went out if my way to provide substitutes for him. I think there will always be ignorant people out there because if you don’t live a life with allergies, intolerance, or a special diet you really don’t have a clue what it is like, to live a day in the life of someone who does!

  46. I have had Celiac Disease since I was about 7 years old. I wish there was a cure for it and I wish it was just a fad.
    Because of celiac disease, I have osteoporosis, multiple vitamin deficiencies, I am at a very high risk for cancer and not to mention the fact that I have to pay an extra charge any time o get a sandwich on gluten free bread or order gluten free pasta at a restaurant.
    My grocery bill sure would be a lot less if it weren’t for celiac disease.
    People like Joy Behar really irritate me, they think that gluten free is a conscious choice for those of us with celiac, it’s not.
    I would give anything to be able to eat regular food whenever I want.
    Her comments just make her look like an inconsiderate idiot, especially considering she worked so closely with someone who suffered with Celiac Disease.

  47. Joy Behar is probably one of the greatest waste of space in the entertainment business. She has zero purpose in news, compassion, acting, reporting, entertaining–all she does is take up space and add to the air pollution. I would love to have Joy here cleaning my bathroom after I have been accidentally glutened if she doesn’t believe celiac is real. She belongs locked in a room with Rosanne Barr and Whoopi Goldberg so they can all act ignorant together.

  48. My 5 year old who has been suffering literally for 3 years; stunted growth, made fun of, insecure around his peers about food, afraid of eating–does not need to hear comments like this. Shame on people like Joy Bahar and Jennifer Lawrence for not recognizing the global stage and power they have. We live in Istanbul and people just say (for anyone, with anything) “hasta”. If you have anything–you are “hasta”, a catch-all label for ‘sick’. I thought that was hard enough for a child to hear, but this? Really? Does it get any uglier than this?

    You can put a girl in a major-million-dollar-movie [who didn’t deserve an oscar I’m sorry], or out for all the world to see on daytime American TV… but you can’t take the idiot away.

  49. Ugh… the stink from this JB outburst has barely died down and now there’s this GF-bashing ad for NASCAR to air during the Super Bowl on Sunday, preview here:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FK4VzKHJmw8

    “America, it’s time for a gut check. If the founding fathers saw us huddled in our little cocoons, texting each other smiley faces, they’d hang their powdered wigs in shame. When our idea of danger is eating gluten, there’s trouble afoot. Yes, we the people have gotten soft and all the likes in the world aren’t going to save us now.”

    Oh well, it’s not like there’s going to be over 100 million people watching this.

    ****FACEPALM****

    1. Animal activists got Go Daddy to pull a commercial from the Super Bowl because it promoted buying dogs over the internet. Maybe we could get this pulled. JB bashing gluten non eaters didn’t get to me much. Super Bowl commercials? Hell no!

      1. I’ll respectfully disagree and say that JB bothered me. Because the constant chorus of such comments we keep hearing in the media creates a climate that fosters the creation of ads like the NASCAR one. If her irresponsible comments (and those of countless others before her) had been met with some sort of punitive action it would make advertisers take notice and check themselves. But instead we get this self-perpetuating cycle. Where does it end?

        Looking at the bigger picture, it’s kind of crazy how so many people have been brainwashed into not merely caring about, but actually getting EXCITED over a bunch of commercials. I’ve never understood this. Maybe it’s because the game itself is so often such a turkey?

        Here in Canada, anyone with a cable TV subscription gets all of the American over-the-air networks. But there’s always a Canadian network that broadcasts the game, and as such they have the right under the regulations of the CRTC (our FCC counterpart) to air their own Cdn ads instead of the US ones, and they pretty much always do.

        Not only this, but they also have the right to override the US channel feed coming into Canada with its own, which means that viewers here will see the same Cdn ads whether you’re tuned to the Cdn or US channel (the only way to watch the US ads on TV in Canada is if you have access to a satellite dish, which can pull in the US signal directly).

        And there are people up here that actually get bummed out over this. I find it all rather pathetic.

        1. I don’t think there is disagreement. Just because something didn’t bother me because I feel very few people watch Joy Behar doesn’t mean it won’t bother someone else. She should not have said what she did. We agree. I don’t disagree with you about her words being wrong. As to Super Bowl, I hate football and I do not watch it. I find it sad that so many people in this country have so little else to focus on. Regardless of how I feel about it, and I dislike Nascar, as well, and rarely listen to commercials, millions of Americans will be watching as this commercial airs, and probably half of them love Nascar, as well. So, I feel it is a bad message, in this kind of arena, where millions will be watching especially, for anyone to say that a person who cannot tolerate gluten is just a weak person. This commercial could be stopped from being aired, but only if enough people with Celiac and gluten intolerance care about it being aired. We didn’t have the opportunity to stop JB from speaking those words, but we can sure go forward from her ignorant words united in stopping any further attacks against people who have ill health due to gluten.

          1. Thanks for those well thought out comments! Yeah I guess technically there’s no disagreement after all as you say, so I was wrong about that.

            BTW, from what I’m reading on twitter and elsewhere today, turns out NASCAR has two drivers who are celiacs.

  50. Oh, yeah, we who get sick from gluten just love being annoying! NOT! Joy is just plain ignorant. I agree that eating gluten-free has become a fad. However, celiacs is a serious disease and, Joy, dear, no one likes having it and being different. I wish I could go into a restaurant and just order off the menu without being “special”. Thank goodness not all chefs and restaurateurs feel the same way she does. What an idiot! I hope her comment generated a lot of mail for Morning Joe. She should have to publicly apologize just like people who make racial slurs! After all, possibly millions of people have celiacs and don’t know it!

  51. My mom died from celiac disease after wasting away to nothing. The doctors couldn’t figure out what was causing her to be ill, and I found out at her wake she carried the genes and the tests had came back positive for celiac. I would really like to thank Joy for clearing up this matter, this whole time I thought she had died from celiac disease, but she really had died from ‘baloney’. This woman disgusts me.

  52. How about paying more for food. Like at P.F. Changs where they charge $1 to $2 more for gluten free offerings – EVEN when the plate as made for the general public is already gluten free essentially charging Celiac’s more just to use a different plate.

    Yes, this is why we all adhere to this diet…. so we can be put down, abused and charged more for the same foods.

    1. I’ve never been at a PF Chang’s but wouldn’t they still have to take precautions to avoid cross-contamination of their nominally GF dishes? I’ve heard of places where vegetables are often prepared in the same water in which they cook pasta and then handled with the same utensils, which offers some expediency in the busy kitchen environment. But if they have to start with a clean pot, clean utensils and fresh water, this will increase their cost of preparing the food, which gets passed on to the consumer. What you’re paying for with the surcharge is basically the added quality control.

      It might actually be a good thing that this charge is being explicitly identified on menus as this would make it more clearly eligible for the gluten-free tax credit (notwithstanding the flaws of the GFTC), and easier to claim. The menus could also remind diners that applicable GFTC paperwork can be provided upon request. It might also help stigmatise faddist GF dining, as such faddists would be unlikely to want to pay extra for a nominally GF dish just to have it un-cc’ed.

      As people who must legitimately eschew any trace of gluten and who can encounter hostility in having our dietary restrictions respected (as the Super Bowl NASCAR ad fallout so greatly illuminated), we should perhaps take care in picking our battles. There are plenty of other diseases out there that require medications and treatments that aren’t always cheap, so this is one where we should probably just bite the bullet. It can’t always be about just us.

  53. I used to like Joy Behar til I saw her remarks on Today MSNBC about “baloney” celiac disease. It appears she’s NOT the intelligent woman she had appeared to be all along. Uneducated jap!

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Who I am. And who I'm not.

Who I am. And who I'm not.

I AM someone who's been gluten-free since 2007 due to a diagnosis of severe celiac disease. I'm someone who can steer you in the right direction when it comes to going gluten-free. And I'm someone who will always give you the naked truth about going gluten free.

I AM NOT someone who embraces this gluten-free craziness. I didn’t find freedom, a better life or any of that other crap when I got diagnosed. With all due respect to Hunter S. Thompson, I found fear and loathing of an unknown world. But if I can share my wisdom, tell my stories and make the transition easier on you, I’ve done my job.

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