The Today Show has done it again. Their infatuation with, and their alienation of, the gluten free community continues. We’ve got a target on our backs folks.
First, they called celiac disease trendy.
Then they called us picky eaters.
Then…well…they did this.
And now, to help us celebrate the final days of Celiac Awareness Month, they decide to ridicule us by calling us “turn-offs”.
Just watch the video HERE and you’ll witness ignorance is all its glory. I normally give a detailed breakdown of the video, but in order to do that, it means I’d have to watch it again. And I simply can’t stomach it.
First a few non-gluten related observations:
1) Does anybody think they’re funny?
2) I just love the drawings of Hoda and Kathy Lee that they use as a backdrop. I can only assume the drawings were done many, many years ago, pre-botox.
3) I feel bad for the people in the background whose job it is to laugh out loud at these two fools. The worst job on TV, by far.
4) No…really…does anybody honestly think they’re funny??
Ok…now to the gluten issue.
Maybe somebody out there in TV land can tell me how shows like this work. Do the hosts and producers discuss ahead of time what the topics of conversation will be? Did Hoda tell them that she’ll be making fun of gluten-free people and they gave her the green light?
Because seriously, how does something like this make it on the air?
How can you mock an entire segment of a population who deal with gluten-related health issues?
How can you compare people who cannot eat gluten to those who don’t eat pepper?
And why the hell do you imply that people who are gluten-free are weak or whimpy?
Gee…where have we heard this before? Oh yeah…just last week on the Disney Channel and on Chelsea Handler.
I’ll give Kathie Lee props for trying to rein Hoda in at first, but then like any other lazy entertainer, she decides to ridicule instead of educate.
At this point, all I can do is plead my case to the producers of The Today Show.
Dear NBC Executives:
Your continued abuse of the gluten-free community is both confounding and disturbing and we ask that you stop, effective immediately.
We also request a public apology to our community.
Perhaps you do not understand the seriousness of our disease so let me lay out a few facts for you.
Fact: Almost 1% of the population has celiac disease and an additional 5% of the population suffers from gluten intolerance. So, in essence, you are pissing off about 6% of your audience.
Fact: It is estimated that 42,000 children may die every year from undiagnosed celiac disease.
Fact: People with celiac disease have a higher mortality rate than those without.
Fact: People with celiac disease are 50% more likely to commit suicide than those without.
I could go on and on but hopefully my point is clear. There is absolutely nothing funny or entertaining about our disease.
Would you make fun of people with ALS? MS? Diabetes? Cancer? I didn’t think so.
We didn’t choose this autoimmune disease. We hate having it. You are making an absolute mockery of it. And we’d like you to stop.
Perhaps if you showed some compassion instead of complete ignorance, your ratings wouldn’t be in the tank.
Sincerely,
Gluten Dude
And to our wonderful, passionate community, please continue to make your voices heard. You can contact Hoda and Kathy Lee on Facebook here and on Twitter here.
Don’t be shy.
Oh…and a direct message to you Hoda. Since my disease is such a major turn-off for you, I’m cancelling our date for this Saturday.
That was completely out of line. The Disney thing made me sick, but for some reason this makes me even more mad. What a stupid effing c*#t!!!!!!!! I never use that word, but Hoda earned it!!!!!
This completely fires me up!! I left a nice note (insert sarcasm) on their facebook page, and it wasn’t even up for 10 minutes, and they had already deleted it, but that’s okay because I will post again! I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease over a year ago, now, and it has been a complete lifestyle change, and I just don’t know how the celiac community has became the target for put-downs and mockeries. These two people, especially Hoda, need to take a look at themselves. When did it become okay to make fun of other people’s diseases?!?! It’s like someone laying up in a hospital bed with cancer, and them laughing in their face! These two people simply don’t even need to be on the air!
And while they are at it, they should also pologize for the Chelsea Handler skit since NBC also owns E! Wow, they are surely on a roll.
apologize, not pologize…:)
Hoda shows just how ignorant she is about gluten, she doesn’t even know that meat is not gluten. She is passing on judgment about others – easy to do without understanding the problems.
I did visit their facebook page and post a comment. It’s unacceptable and Hoda should be called out for making fun of the only way to put Celiac Disease into remission, and that is eating gluten free.
Agree, Kudos for Kathy Lee to try and stop Hoda’s rant with some common sense.
Perhaps pictures of people that act like bullies, or do bullying to a group of individuals should have their pictures posted with the word – bully over them, but that would be wrong, insensitive and hurtful to them, right?
There is a reason that the Today show’s tatings are sinking fast. Perhaps we should try and get Ann Curry to come out in support of Celiac Awareness ?
Don’t forget that Comcast / Xfinity is the parent company of NBC, which can also be contacted via Social Media.
First, it was Disney, now Comcast….
that would of course be ratings 😎
Dude, I’m not a regular viewer of the comedy central show Inside Amy Schumer, but I just happened to catch the opening segment of this skit show. Amy is out on a date with her boyfriend and things are getting serious between them. The guy decides he should tell her about his secret. He’s got AIDS. She freaks out for awhile but then tells him they will work it out. Then she says something like “It’s OK, I’ve got a gluten allergy so I know what it’s like to be different”… At that point the boyfriend storms out of the restaurant and says he couldn’t deal with gluten free because he’s a big foodie. I guess gluten issues are worse than AIDS. You could probably dig it up on YouTube.
Thanks Zach. I’m not sure I want to see it at this point 😉
I find Hoda’s bad plastic surgery, ignorance, and pompous attitude to be deal beakers and turn-offs.
I could not bring myself the watch the clip because I cannot stand watching either of these two clowns. But, I will post on their Facebook page and Twitter page and will also write to NBC. It all makes me sick…I wish that there was a way that we could “gluten” Hoda, because I think that it could very effectively shut her up.
Thanks for letting me vent today!!
They already took down my comment from the Facebook page!!! I am pissed and fired up. Will comment again….
Fire away Jess…
W T F?
hey, Hoda? your ignorance knows no bounds, sweetie…meat is gluten free.
You wish you had a man like my big, handsome GF husband. 🙂
Nothing funny or informative about these 2 boozy tarts, Dude.
At least the other one tried, I guess. (half-heartedly)
I cringe when I even see them on one of the TV screens while I am at the gym. I would never watch this show myself.
They got rid of Ann Curry and kept these 2?? –geez louise. NBC deserves the low ratings it gets. I am surprised it is still on the air.
So completely ridiculous. Hey Dude… did you send that actual notice to the Today Show? Because if you didn’t, you should.
I did not, but they are getting sh*t from a lot of people today so they should indeed get the message.
Okay, had to watch it twice as I didn’t make it to the end the first time ‘cos my face went numb but I wanted to catch the meat eating reference. That’s 2 minutes I’ll never get back…..
Isn’t she, Hoda, a breast cancer survivor? She has first hand experience with a potentially life threatening disease and she still doesn’t get it.
There’s never any value added watching these two.
And Hoda wonders why she is single.
That was so unattractive for her. She likes a man who chews hunks of meat or some such thing. And the fake laugh. Oy. If she’s looking for a caveman, that segment was her winning ticket! At least she has a name that a caveman could easily pronounce. HODA. COME. MAKE. MEAT.
Apologies. I just watched The Croods with my son on the weekend. 😀
I don’t care if Hoda is a breast cancer survivor – I’m in active treatment for breast cancer right now on top of having this God-awful disease and a certain amount of sensitivity would be helpful. You would think that going through something like that would give you greater compassion and empathy for your fellow human beings.
Mock the gluten-trendies and hipsters if you must, but if I didn’t tell you that two of the top places on my list for relocating after completing my PhD are Portland, OR and Seattle, WA precisely for sensitivity on this very reason, I would be lying. Portland is the only place I’ve ever been where I can walk in pretty much anywhere other than Voodoo Donuts and be assured I can eat. Even the food trucks are sensitive…
We have a gluten free restaurant here in MD..They even cater to all food allergies…
This really just makes them look bad, especially Hoda. (I’m not sure someone with the name Hoda has the right to mock anyone. I’m just sayin’.) At least Kathy Lee attempted to redeem the segment. I’m actually starting to see these things in a new light. All of this negative attention, is actually increasing awareness of Celiac Disease through the masses who have come out to defend Celiac Disease sufferers against the ignorance. Doesn’t make it right, don’t get me wrong, but I am happy to see the support from the community and more and more people standing up to correct the misinformation that is being propagated out there.
While it may seem like a huge step backwards, we are indeed making our voices heard. That is awareness.
And loved your comment about her name 🙂
Wow that’s just pathetic. A show by idiots, for idiots.
Pretty much sums it up Alan…
Bullying is bullying. Call it like it is. These drunken hooligans need to be kicked off the airwaves.
KLG should stand up for what’s right if she is going to, not half – arse a response.
Just sent an email to NBC, for all the good it’ll do. What a horse’s ass. Ugly inside and out.
I just made a comment on their facebook page telling them they they were quite entertaining…showing us all what they don’t know on the topic of celiac disease and gluten intolerance!
I didn’t watch the clip — I already can’t stand those women. But I did leave a few choice words on their facebook page.
I’ve about had it with NBC….this is just the icing on the cake. I’m about to simply stop watching that channel altogether. And I told them so.
What gives NBC the right to air something as harmful as this? Don’t they realize that they are talking about 8 Million people in US alone who are either celiac or gluten sensitive or intolerant? If someone was diabetic or had peanut allergy they would definitely not air something like what they just aired.
Wow, good thing I got married before my diagnosis. Otherwise I might have been a huge turnoff.
So ignorant. Ugh.
Not sure why this is a big deal. The three or four times I have tried to watch these two, they haven’t made any sense. This one doesn’t make any sense either. They act like they are drunk all the time. I wonder who watches them? SNL and other shows are always making fun of them for drinking on the show and rambling incoherently.
🙂 you make a good point, bean. Really….why should we care?
It’s like listening to “Drunk uncle at Thanksgiving” ….
it boggles my head.. she is a breast cancer survivor and she pulls this. i gotta wonder if she would say the same if the guy had a peanut allergy. kathys son has it..
Hoda just looked ignorant, and it appeared Kathy Lee was trying to give her a chance to dig herself out of the hole she was digging herself into…but she just went farther. She didn’t just LOOK ignorant…she WAS ignorant…and unkind.
My only hope with this is that the same people watching this crappy television show are the same people that have joined the gluten-free trend craze and order gluten-free just because Miley (or some other star) does. Maybe after seeing this, they won’t think it is so hip to be gluten-free and they’ll fall of the gluten-free bandwagon. Hey, we can hope! Those gluten-free bandwagon folks & ignorant talk show hosts make it hard for people to take our medically necessary gluten-free diet seriously.
Didn’t Hoda have a bout with breast cancer a while back? What do you think would happen if Celiac Nation started doing television skits ridiculing breast cancer patients? Obviously, her brush with death wasn’t enough to knock some sense into her small little brain. I never liked these 2 clowns…it’s embarrassing to watch them, they are so bad.
huh. well, that explains why i am single. and why my man-bait recipes don’t work the way they are intended.
i guess it is time to start accepting the fact that my gluten issues will make me a spinster cat lady.
Don’t worry, I’m a single cat lady, too! At least we have our delish g-free food!
I helped found a cat shelter…then got another dog!! I sleep with 3 amazing loving men every night.
Its not their fault they are hairy & can lick their own butts! 😉
The new insult for this year…she’s a Ho, DA!
TX!
Thanks for the double morning snort and coffee spit on the laptop, sweets!!
🙂 :):
Would a vegetarian or vegan die if they ate meat? No. So let’s make fun of them? No. Give me a break. If someone doesn’t want to eat X it is uncool to ridicule. Period.
Obviously Hoda’s never had to make multiple trips to the emergency room with a kid experiencing severe stomach pains. The day our daughter was diagnosed with Celiac was bittersweet — no more ER visits (awesome)…no more gluten….UGH. Try explaining that to a 14-year-old, Hoda.
I wonder if this was an attempt to drum up a controversy to get media attention especially after the Disney show was pulled and the news was carried everywhere. Given the ratings, I would suspect that negative attention for these two is better than no attention at all. Of course, I just finished reading Dan Brown’s new book so my brain is overloaded with conspiracies.
Hey…you never know. I wouldn’t put it beneath them.
I am totally appalled at the segment. First off I never have liked Hoda and Kathy lee. Once they come on I change the channel but not after seeing this I dislike them all the more. I am a person with a gluten intolerance. I have Graves disease and have found that gluten affects my thyroid even worse and causing major side effects. This is not a joke and its nothing to make fun of.
The problem is, Hoda doesn’t see gluten as a health problem for 6% of the population. She sees it as people just being picky eaters, which is unattractive to her. That’s too bad. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t find extremely high maintenance people attractive either, BUT if it’s health related that’s an entirely different story. I have no problems with high maintenance health issues.
I could say a lot of mean, nasty things about her here, but I’m not going to stoop to her level. I’m better than that. I really am.
I’m not 😉
I’m not. She’s drunken mofo.
Lol, I ain’t scared to smack a ho. Especially a high maintenance ugly one.
Sad and pathetic. I do not have celiac’s disease, but I have been embracing the gluten free community and support its efforts. These two over-stretched idiots do not deserve a minute of air time.
I can’t believe you ( NBC) would let that woman make fun of Gluten and Celiac disease. I hope you never have to live your life.. day to day with a child with this disease. Everyone should post on their Facebook page a write to NBC. I think that it could very effectively shut her up. Good bye today show.. Hello GMA!
If the next thing I hear about coming out of the Today Show’s proadcast today is something on the order of “you can’t compare celiac to breast cancer” I will feel free to tell them a thing or two… since I”m presently living BOTH…
I keep leaving comments on their fb wall and they keep deleting, maybe they have some quilt…shame on the two of those drunken women!
I mean guilt…..lol
You’re the second person to say that today. That’s unbelievably petty. Perhaps if they had civil talkshow hosts, they wouldn’t have to delete everyone’s comments…
I understand why this irks you BUT you must embrace this sentiment “you cannot explain to an a$$hole that they are an a$$hole” and move on from there…. I mean really? you CANNOT possibly care what either of these buffoons understand can you?
Yeah, but while we think they’re buffoons, other people do not. And there have been enough social psychology studies done to show that Americans think actors and talkshow hosts are more trustworthy than academics and professionals. And this effects the transmission of both false information and the acceptance of rankly objectionable behavior.
Amen to all that, Claudette!
I know it is long, but I sent them this:
I am deeply insulted at the consistent lack of awareness you ladies show when it comes to Celiac Disease and the medical requirements of those with Celiac, Gluten Intolerance, and other diet and lifestyle affecting medical conditions.
As members of the media, and as figures in the public eye, you have the opportunity to spread awareness, compassion, and empathy. Instead you choose to use your forum to ridicule others and spread ignorance. It’s 2013… society has come a long way from picking on those who are physically and visibly disabled, and those with most major dietary issues (diabetes, peanut allergies, etc.). A disabled person does not choose to be restrained to a wheelchair, it is out of their control. And it is disgusting to ridicule them for it. A person who is allergic to peanuts has no choice in the matter, and could die from exposure. It’s not acceptable to belittle them for it. Why then, is Celiac Disease a target? You may not outright be aiming your comments at those with Celiac, but when you make fun of people who need to eliminate gluten you send a clear message. You tell your viewers that it is okay to mock people with dietary restrictions. It’s okay to hurt people for having to eat differently. It is okay to discriminate against someone for something they can’t control.
Is this the message you want to send?
Celiac Disease is not funny. It is not a joke. It is an incredibly painful disease that affects every aspect of the sufferers life. I have Celiac. If I eat gluten, I get incredibly sick. If my partner eats gluten and kisses me shortly after, I get incredibly ill.
This is the picture of my life if I ingest any gluten:
I’m exhausted. I could easily sleep for 20 hours and still not have any energy. I get a migraine so severe I usually end up hospitalized because nothing takes the pain away. My joints swell, making it painful to do anything. My chest gets inflamed and I can’t breathe comfortably. I can’t think clearly at all – names, faces, numbers, tasks… all are forgotten. Forming coherent sentences is difficult. I get stabbing pains through my stomach (which is swollen and bloated enough to resemble that of a pregnant woman), and I spend the majority of my time in the bathroom with horrible diarrhoea. Most times I get nauseous and can’t keep anything down. My toes go numb and tingle, like painful frozen needles being stabbed underneath my toenails. My body is unable to properly regulate temperature and I alternate from freezing cold to feverish. The pressure in my sinuses is almost unbearable, and I get rashes and skin breakouts. That is just the first 3 days. I don’t feel ‘myself’ for 2-3 weeks after being glutened.
Hilarious, right? The kicker is that my three year old suffers from the same disease. I would like for her to grow up in a world where people won’t make fun of her for eating safely, eating to avoid these symptoms. Because I guarantee you, if you had to face that torture after ingesting any food item, you would do everything in your power to avoid it. And it would hurt you immensely if someone made fun of you for it.
Great job Pixie. Thank you!!
Good for you, and THANK-YOU from the rest of us who suffer along with you.
What the hell was that? Do they really think it is funny? Why is she making fun of people who can’t consume gluten? Why is it funny to her? Gluten Dude. I only watched the video and I didn’t read yet what you said and I am going to do it now. But this is my first thought when I saw this clip. I hope karma is bitch and one day she will be walking in our shoes.
It was funny to her and the two interns who are paid to laugh at her in the background.
Great, now I can prematurely start worrying about my celiac son’s love life. :/
Oh, please don’t sweets… She us not “the norm” and any girl who loves your son will love him for HIM.
One of the best things I ever heard about having Celiac is..”.it comes with it’s own built in “Jerkometer”. 🙂
We find out right away who is worthy of being in our lives by their attitudes about this disease.
No worries now! 😉
Thank you, it’s just my boy is only 7 and you think as people grow up it will get better. You’re right though…he’ll see that right away, may save him some heartache 🙂
Only if you think he will want to date Hoda! And if that is the case…..you got worse problems than her Celiac bashing! 🙂
Haha! No worries in that case!
My son always says he’s never moving out because I cook all of his favorite GF meals, I tell him I am teaching him little by little then he can cook for his wife when he grows up 🙂
Nothing more sexy than a man who can cook!! 🙂
One that can cook and bake! I was lucky enough to snag one of those for myself!
Yes there is, one that can clean!!!
Man volunteering to do dishes or using the vaccume without being told HOOOOOT!!
Apparently, I’ve hit the mother lode here then, cuz my man does all of that …..and he’s GF too. (he did it for me)
You’re right…..man, he IS hot….hmm…..I wonder what he’s doing right now….’scuse me…. 😉
Gluten is a turn off to me
hahaha oh thanks so much, Phyllis…, I was just taking a drink and spit on my laptop!! 🙂
hey Dude…there’s another TEE SHIRT for us
“Gluten is a big turn off for me”.
Irish Heart;
Love the idea of the t-shirt, lets do it, yeah.
🙂
Dude?? can you make these??
I was JUST telling by BF I would buy a shirt that said that!
No education. People seem to think that gluten doesnt make anyone really sick and have impacts long term. We just have educate them. Its not great that they are making fun of this serious condition. All we can do is have conversations with the people who produce shows or on them. Thats the way things will change. I am out to do that.
Hello Sweet Gluten Dude;
First of all I would be lost without you. So everything that you put on the blog for us to read helps me and the rest of our celiac community survive another day.
Next, WTF. This two alcoholic clowns who think they can mock our pain, our struggles and our need to survive should spend a week living on bread and water and see what that will do to their bodies. But I’m sure they will rather have a cocktail and bread. I hate the show and don’t watch it ever, but an e-mail is on their way.
Last year Kathie Lee made such a huge deal about Taylor Swift crashing her step granddaughter’s wedding. Looking all stressed and sad and upset in the magazines,I guess we know what kind of heart this two have and who they cater to.
Shame on both of them if they dare to call themselves Christians. Shame on them if they call themselves good humans, shame on them if they call themselves understanding. Because what they really are is Shameless fake intolerable heartless Bxxxxxx. I was going to say women but that will be an insult to us Celiac Women.
I love your dedication to help us and I’m here to help whenever needed.
Squeezes,
Socorro
It’s hard enough to mentally deal with as an adult. I can’t imagine a child or a teen hearing this come out of someone’s mouth. Teenagers have killed them selves (or tried to) over statements people would consider less harsh. So ignorant it’s really disgusting >:\
This is just infuriating. My mouth literally dropped open as I watched and I felt this instinctive clench of my fists. I know the MLK Jr. quote at the start of this post is so true. Sad but true. But really, how on earth can this go on air?? This is not a joke here. I have nothing insightful to add here, just my anger and frustration at having something that is a part of my life, part of what I live with every day – and a medical thing no less – subject to such ridicule.
I posted on their facebook wall along with lots of others…I hope they see it
Wow… just wow… I posted this on the Twitter page:Miss Hoda-gluten intolerance= NO for you?Tolerance/concern for others? This Celiac-no longer a viewer.
You hit them where it hurts-watch for the apology to come at lightning fast speed… Still won’t watch even if an apology is issued. So sorry NBC, Today Show… it’s hard enough being a Celiac without ignorance, intolerance, and even discrimination being shown to be acceptable on a international forum such as this.
I couldn’t watch until just now. I cried. Call them what you want and it may or may not be true but the fact of the matter is these two women have a platform to SPEAK to millions. With that platform should come great responsibility. I am saddened to my core that such frivolous behavior could take place. I am also saddened that we celiacs keep having to beg, explain, question, scream and plead for basic understanding here. It is just not ok to mock people who are ILL! I have no answers and seriously no my words.
Jennifer Esposito
Jennifer, with everything you’ve gone through with your acting career you have all the right in the world to be pissed off – and you have my wholehearted respect. There’s a lot of power involved in being an actor in terms of what you say being presented as truth – and at the same time you can also be painfully maligned by the businesses. I can only imagine how torn and frustrated you feel.
However, the effects do trickle down. I’ve been pretty open here with my challenges related not only to celiac but also with breast cancer. Because of Angelina Jolie’s decisions (her situation is not mine and we shouldn’t be making the same decisions) people have been asking me about my decision-making process in my cancer treatment in a way where people ask if I’m second-guessing. When I have one of the best surgical oncologists in the world, probably the best BC radiation oncologist in the world and a damn good medical oncologist here at Michigan all teaming up for my care, I don’t need vicarious advice from AJ.
All this to say… media is powerful, and if you’re on the wrong side of the power it bites. Hang in there Jennifer…
Jennifer, you are wonderful! God bless you & everything you do!
Jennifer promise us your agent will find out when these idiots contracts are up. Maybe you could take their place? Several hundred thousand a year for drunken morons, you could easily justify more for having a brain!
supposedly they apologized the first 5 minutes of the show today. can someone confirm or deny this?
My own son will need to ask for a gluten free menu on his first date and every date after that..making fun of celiacs men or women is utterly despicable!
What a jerk! she is! Who lets her do these shows because apparently that person is also a jerk. Every time I go out to eat I have to ask for a gluten free menu or ask if gluten is in something. I am such an unattractive, loser date according to her.
I refrained from commenting earlier because I had nothing I could reasonably say, even here. I did however get it all out ranting to my husband who patiently listened to me this morning while he got ready for work.
I noticed that those dumb bitches have asked for a joke to tell as their Friday funny. I think we have a hell of an opportunity here and I think it we should all take advantage of this. How many terrible and insulting jokes about a couple drunk broads can we come up with before they take the post off asking for jokes?
For the record, no, I am not above this sort of thing.
This is just ignorant … plain ignorance. A public apology is required for these crude remarks about gluten free … it is no laughing matter. I have a son-in-law who was very ill when he was finally diagnosed with Celiac Disease and can now live a “normal” life but has to eat gluten free! It is not an easy illness to diagnose, nor is it an easy illness to keep in check. You have to read every label on everything to make sure there is nothing with gluten in it!
Brainless tv shows like this make me glad we do not have tv service of any kind in our home. Do yourselves a favor, just get rid of tv. If there is something you really want to watch there is always a way online. Then you do not waste your life on twaddle (Thank you Charlotte Mason for that term, it fits!) like this. 🙂
She is a drunk idiot.
This is what I tweeted and put on their facebook:
Hoda… you really take the cake – and that is Gluten Free Cake for the million (yes, not an exaggeration), million of Americans who suffer from celiac disease, including my 5yr old daughter. Maybe your date wasn’t trying to be picky about his food. Maybe you would prefer that he threw up all over you at the table or had explosive bowel movements in the car on the way home. I am sure that he is a lucky man to know that you won’t be on another date with him. HE IS DEFINITELY NOT the turn-off. When you and Kathie Lee come on air… it is the TV that gets turned off (or at least NBC).
Some folks are flabbergasted by these two however I see them for they are…bright lights, glitter, and idiocy. If one or both of them actually knew someone with Celiac or gluten allergy they might have approached the subject with compassion and understanding. However it is obvious that neither had a clue!!! I am not so much offended by Hoda’s stupidity as I am concerned that literally millions of American’s watch these two media clowns and an overwhelming number of their viewers actually believe every word they speak. The right and left wing liberal media talking heads, such as these two, can convince millions of viewers that CD and gluten allergies are hype or fad! Sad. Though they did offer an apology the damage was done on the initial broadcast. Perhaps we need to sent bus loads of folks suffering CD and gluten allergies to NYC and appear on the Today Show to make OUR statement!! Just saying.
Looks like 2 drunk old women spouting off a bar, with too much to drink. Seriously this show still a big need for education. These are two ignorant women!
Ignorant. Tacky. Demeaning. This was an awful segment-yes, like two drunks at a bar talking about men. Below is what I wrote on her Facebook page (I’m sure they’ll delete it-they only keep the praising comments up). This clearly shows a need for educating the public. This week I posted a blog: “12 Things You Should Know about Gluten”- a good start. But the next one will be sharper, based on this event. https://www.ivysgardenfood.com/category/blog-recipes/news-trends/
Facebook comment (below her latest post on a cute puppy and quote about “happiness”)
Dear Hoda…
What “happiness” is not is attacking people with misplaced humor-of course I’m talking about the sarcastic anti-gluten people comments on your TV show. In one swoop you just angered millions of people who are highly allergic to gluten (including my wife), and others who choose to avoid it for potential health issues. How people can support this behavior-even parents with Celiac relatives-is beyond me, perhaps blinded by celebrity worship. Hopefully you will do a show addressing this issue in a serious way and this time the producers will be on top of it and providing you information you need to come across professionally (you can delete this comment if you will,but I assure you it’ll show up in dozens of other food, health and celiac forums, which are already buzzing about your show, and I’ll soon be writing a blog about it-and pointing out the censorship). Cute puppy!
That sounds great but….” Highly allergic to gluten” isn’t the correct term. If we want to educate, we should use the correct term – Celiac Disease or non- Celiac Gluten intolerance.
Just one of my pet peeves.
and one of mine.
No such thing (technically) as a “gluten allergy” sorry!
You have Celiac or
You have NCGS or
You have a wheat allergy.
I, too, emailed the Today Show, and blogged about this issue. I’m still p*ssed off about this.
I just corrected it on my comments to their FB Page. Amazingly they haven’t deleted it yet (under the diets section and pic)
If they decide to do a show on this Dr. Peter Osborne in Sugar Land, TX would be a good one to interview. He does a segment on the local FOX news and several of those interviews have been posted online.
Their ignorance continues to astonish. Read a book. Educate yourself, and stop making yourself look like airheads. Shame on you.
I am absolutely appalled by their ignorance. I thought I was angry at Disney for their ignorance about Celiac Disease and GF, I am nearly brought to tears by how angry I am at Hoda and Kathie Lee. I am a blogger, and am definitely passing this news on to my followers. Educating the public about Celiac Disease is now more important than ever! I refuse to allow these ignorance c*nts to make the disease I have a joke. It is no joking matter. People can die from this disease!
This is why I don’t watch the main stream media. It is too hard to sift through the bs. Brian Williams also did a segment that I couldn’t wait to watch on Gluten. It was as bad if not worse than Kathie Lee and Hoda. It would be nice if they would educate themselves before reporting. So many people have health issues that are related to gluten, they don’t know what is making them sick and then they tune in to these shows. It is really sad that they are doing so much damage to society. Education is the key.
Actually the producers are supposed to arm the hosts with background information and facts to avoid these fiascos. Obviously it didn’t happen in this case, and the two hosts just sort of babbled on. The risk of using humor dealing with a subject like gluten/Celiac disease is very high. Someone was clearly asleep-the producers and the hosts.
I posted my comments on the Hoda and Kathy Lee Facebook page, and the “Ask Madelyn Fernstrom” section (“… your questions about losing weight and eating healthy..”
Surprisingly they haven’t deleted yet. In fact, there’s an earlier note from the two saying, ” Thanks everyone for all your great questions! Have a fun weekend.”
Looks funny right below my critical comments about the anti gluten people segment. Feel free to post there…
Alright, I’m just going to go ahead and say this: You are all acting like a bunch of whiny bitches.
I’ve been gluten free for the past 4 years because I realized that my chronic illnesses were caused by an allergy to wheat. This was confirmed after TWO positive test results from the doctor, so I had a legitimate reason to cut it out, much like you guys.
And then of course, once I bring it up in conversation, what do I hear? Skepticism, a few insults, and of course, the people saying, “It’s all in your head.” So what do I do? I calmly educate them a little about celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. And you know what? Most people respond well to this.
But YOU. YOU are all just acting like a bunch of self-entitled douchebags. Someone making fun of your celiac disease? SO WHAT? Are they somehow taking control of your brain and forcing you to eat gluten? No?? Are you sure?
Do you know what kind of stuff we joke about these days? I don’t know what you guys watch but South Park jokes about diabetes, AIDS, domestic violence, cancer, and more! Where are the pitchforks for these jokes? I’m not saying celiac disease is a fictional disease compared to other ones, but if you’re NOT willing to laugh about your own condition, then why aren’t you vehemently protesting against the people who joke about terminal illnesses?
Now, don’t get me wrong, I understand the repercussions of The Today Show’s actions. Maybe a restaurant might view gluten-related problems less seriously, and maybe they won’t be so careful with your food. So you want to know what to do? Stop going out to restaurants that clearly have no interest in catering to the few percent of celiacs and gluten sensitive people. Go to Red Robin, In ‘n Out, Five guys, Chipotle. Find restaurants that understand what celiac disease is, and eat there instead. I don’t know about you guys, but I see a lot of options out there.
Please PLEASE take my advice and stop making such a big deal out of these stupid jokes that don’t matter. Stop bringing out the pitchforks. The people at the Disney Channel did not attack your lifestyle by bringing out a whiny, gluten-free kid; they MIRRORED it. That kid is modeled after the self-entitled whiners who complain EVERY TIME someone makes fun of their disease.
So do you want to stop these jokes? Well, too bad, because they’re here to stay. When you look at things from a business perspective, most people don’t eat gluten. So they have everything to gain from bashing on the gluten sensitive. These aren’t going to go away, and you know what? They shouldn’t. If you lighten up, these jokes can be pretty funny.
So I beg you one last time to STOP MAKING PEOPLE ASSUME I’M ARROGANT JUST BECAUSE I’M GLUTEN FREE.
The difference between South Park and the Today show is that people who watch South Park expect off color jokes without regard to race, religion, medical issues, absolutely nothing is out of bounds for them. They make a living making bad jokes at the expense of anyone and everyone they can crack a joke about. The viewers KNOW THIS.
On the other hand, a large number of viewers of the Today show expect to get things like news and journalism from it. When they see someone who by all accounts used to be a serious journalist making fun of a serious medical condition, now that medical condition IS actually a joke.
The only way to stop these ignorant remarks by people who are taken seriously in the mainstream media is for people to stand up and make an attempt to educate them about why they are/were wrong to make the remarks they did. This is what many people attempted to do. Educate them about the seriousness of the issue and about why it isn’t some sort of morning TV joke between a couple of drunks. Which is exactly the same thing you just said you do. Educate people. If we don’t attempt to educated EVERYONE then we are failing. If we allow these people who can reach millions every day to say this kind of retarded shit without speaking up and telling them why they were so wrong, we allow millions to not only not be educated but to fall into the trap of ignorance being laid before them. We’re doing the same thing you are. Educating. Someone has to do this. Someone has to be the person who stands up and gets their hands dirty trying to change the world. That person obviously isn’t you, but many of us are those people.
If by get your hands dirty, you mean write angry letters or publish articles complaining about any instance in the media where someone jokes about gluten sensitivity, then of course I’m not going to get my hands dirty. Articles like these hurt my reputation more than the “gluten fad” does. They make people like us appear arrogant and self-entitling.
I admire that this entire web site is a support community for those who are recently diagnosed, but it’s starting to seem very segregated. The people commenting here are outcasting themselves by allowing themselves to get riled up by jokes like these. We are the ones alienating ourselves, not The Today Show.
And I actually agree with your opinion on South Park vs. The Today Show. I don’t really have a counter-argument for that. I still don’t think it matters, though, especially since Kathy was saying that people shouldn’t eat gluten if they’re going to die from it.
That’s enough debating for me. I really dislike this web site because it’s becoming a hive mind. You’re all feeding on each other’s anger, and you know what? It doesn’t really matter to me, just like other people’s opinions on gluten conditions don’t matter to me. I eat healthier because I can’t eat at most fast food places, I save money by making my own food, and I have hilarious stories to tell about people who don’t understand gluten-sensitivity. And if people are too stubborn to accept the diagnoses I was give, then I don’t let it bother me because I don’t need their validation.
I don’t think we need any more awareness. We have Udi’s, Schar, Red Robin, a ton of other places that are completely aware of celiac disease. And celiac disease is a widely known within the medical community as a legitimate, serious condition. Hell, some researchers are even trying to come up with a pill to negate the effects of celiac disease! I don’t know about you, but I think that’s plenty of awareness already, especially for a small percentage of people whose conditions aren’t (for the most part) life-threatening. Asking for more would only make you an awareness-whore.
Goodbye!
LOOK ! the Dude’s got his own troll!
Thanks 🙂 But I have to wonder, how am I a troll? I’m clearly putting a lot of thought into my responses, and I’m even agreeing with a few arguments that come my way. Do you understand what a troll is? A troll does not even try to contribute, s/he only tries to instigate. While I cannot avoid instigating with my thoughts, I do so with the intent to provide a different point of view, something which I feel is lacked on this web site.
Well.. This site certainly was lacking someone to call everyone names like ” bitches” and ” douche bags”. Not sure how that helps us see another point of view. Seems pretty “instigating ” to me.
This is coming from someone with the comment that I didn’t understand why anyone cared what those two silly people, who always appear drunk, say.
G Dude- if you want to take this guy’s posts off, even though he spent “a lot of thought ” into calling people names ( worse than someone who did it in the heat of the moment IMHO), I’m fine with mine going too. 🙂
We do need awareness. Why? Because of the number of people suspected to have celiac disease, not all are diagnosed. Did you even bother to read the post about how of all the failings in awareness that the medical community is failing most of all?
Newsflash on this one buddy: the people who make celiacs and others need to avoid gluten seem arrogant or high maintenance are the fad dieters. Not us. We are simply asking the ignorant with voices to stop spreading misinformation through the media.
If you understood the repercussions like you say you do, you would understand they extend to Red Robin, In N Out, Five Guys, and to every other restaurant that “caters to us” as you put it that has a human being with TV access working in it.
This wasn’t an instance of an article complaining or angry letters. It was an instance of a community coming together to make an effort to educate a person who has the ears of millions every day. Was I angry when I contacted them? Yes. But what I wrote was respectful and educational because if we want to be taken seriously and have people listen that is just how we need to be. You clearly have no interest though in listening to this sort of reason. Us wanting people to stop spreading ignorant untruths and lies about being gluten free makes us arrogant in your opinion. Fine. But it won’t stop, you simply don’t have to like it.
Ad, you are being too kind to this troll. He probably has already gone back under his bridge and is waiting for some billy goats to try to cross it! 🙂
Wow! I had know idea that Hoda was that Stupid!! For some reason I thought she just acted silly for the show, but what she said was ridiculously ignorant! She has no idea what gluten is – she thinks it’s in steak? Making a joke is one thing, but this time the joke is on her.
It goes to show you that these television people, just wake in the morning, have make-up put on their face, and say what ever little thing is in their little brain.
I don’t think Charlie is a troll. I think he is presenting another viewpoint that should open up a civil discussion between us all and take a look at perceptions. We all have our buttons that get pushed and obviously Charlie is no exception. I think the term “self-entitled douchebag” wasn’t necessary, but it actually didn’t offend me as much as another comment calling Hoda a cu*t.
Let’s discuss the points he made without jumping on a bandwagon to discount his opinion because he chose some unfortunate wording in probably a heated moment. I think he was also saying that we need to pick our battles or all the educating in the world will begin to fall on deaf ears as we’re just discounted as “the gluten people”. (Correct me if I’m wrong, Charlie.) That is a valid point that we should discuss.
Just my two cents…
In general, I think going around calling everyone who is in agreement with GD on this one a self entitled douchebag is going to set a lot of people off and that just because this is the internet that doesn’t make excuses to be an ass to people. My first thought when I read his post was that he was the whiny little bitch he was calling us, but did I come on here and say that? No. (Okay, so I went there now but I am simply saying that he really set me off by calling me names for wanting to stop the flow of ignorance.) I entered into civil discussion telling him that we were doing exactly what he was advocating. Educate. Only I did it without the name calling. When you stoop to calling an entire group of people whiny bitches and douchebags, you are in fact a troll… regardless of how well thought out the remainder of your post is.
You’re right, it was a bit out of line to start with the namecalling in the beginning. I don’t usually express my points of view on the internet, so I guess I got a bit carried away.
But I have business to take care of so I concede. I’m sorry for not acting like a gentlemen in the beginning! Next time I try to offer a different point a view, I will be more civil.
But here’s the thing: the jokes do matter.
Like you, Charlie, I hate the reputation for being a “glutenbitch” that a lot of people in our community have garnered even before we open our mouths. And the reality is that there are people in our community who are exceptionally rude to food service staff. When I am out in the community I spend a lot of time calmly explaining at grocery stores and restaurants what the problems are from the position of their own self-interest (the most notable example being at my local Whole Foods and the way they shelve their breads that could in cross-contamination).
But we know two things from social psychology research: one, actors and TV stars are seen as more “reliable” and “trustworthy” than professionals, even within their own areas of specialization; and two, if you give enough “data” (that really isn’t data), this reinforces stereotypes and false memes. We are watching this unfold before our very eyes as Angelina Jolie is now seen as a bigger expert on breast cancer than the doctors at MD Anderson, Sloan Kettering, Johns Hopkins, and the University of Michigan – four of the most important breast cancer research centers in the world.
I think what makes this all the more frustrating in the celiac community is that we are caught between three equally damaging poles: one, isolation due to our condition (because as sociology has shown us, there is a strong relationship between food and community development); two, the desire to avoid violently painful consequences that can knock us out for days, weeks, or even months; and three, the dependence on other people to be able to understand what we need and protect us in the great “black hole” of someone else’s kitchen. This is a perfect storm for all sorts of psychologcal responses, some helpful and some not so much. But making fun of it hits at all three of these points – and when the “perceived experts” make fun of it to the undiscerning, then this reinforces the concept that this is all a fad that should not be taken seriously. This leaves us with two options: speak up, or continue in painful isolation.
Charlie, I hear what you say and within certain parameters I agree. But at the same time no one likes feeling vulnerable, isolated, and/or at risk. There has to be some place to vent about the psychological sh*t that comes along with celiac/NCGS/NCGI. Because let’s be honest: it does suck
Adalaide, Claudette, and Charlie…this is the kind of discussion we need to be having.
Adalaide, please don’t think I was calling you out for your response to Charlie. I think your response was thought out and presented without any “poo throwing” which is what we really need to do. You were articulate and Charlie agreed with you on certain points. The two of you had a civil debate on it which is what I think we need. Unfortunately, if name-calling makes one a troll, then many of us here (including myself) could be considered trolls at times, too.
Claudette, I agree with everything you said. Bravo! Great post and a model for how we should be discussing these issues that affect us all. We all want Celiac awareness, but unfortunately we’re beginning to get more negative attention than positive.
Charlie, apology accepted. I hope you will feel free to express your opinions. It does open up a dialogue and hopefully will give others a sense of freedom to express their opinions openly as well. This community is still evolving and I think those with opposing viewpoints should feel free to express their opinions as in a “community” that is the only way we have dialogues.
.
There is nothing I can add here that could top what has already been said. Lima, Adalaide, Miss Dee and Claudette…I thank you.
Charlie…I don’t agree with you, but I appreciate your viewpoint. And starting off by name calling is the best way to get an emotional response and have things escalate into a war of words.
I blogged about this very topic today:
http://glutendude.com/celiac/are-celiacs-just-a-bunch-of-whiners/
I agree. If we want change, if we want people to empathize with and help us, we need to request this of them in a respectful way – in the same way that you raise up a child, by being firm but also kind – assertiveness combined with gentleness.
I think I understand where Charlie is coming from, because sometimes I too think the community overreacts, but Charlie also notes, and I agree, that this is an important place for this community to come together and voice their concerns in an open and honest way. It ain’t always pretty. And what may be seen as an overreaction is sometimes just the equal and opposing reaction to what’s come before. What we want to be careful of, because it’s in our best interest, is that we don’t start or fuel a war.
I’m reminded of what has now become a war on GMO foods. People on the nay side of the argument have valid points, but I don’t know that burning farmers’ fields to the ground as a statement or attempt at eradicating the problem was the way to go. Time will tell.
I don’t want to be part of a war. I mock the ignorant as much as the next guy to blow off steam, but I also recognize that I have been ignorant in the past (for example, with respect to most of my assumptions about parenting before I became a parent), and I am grateful for the patience of others in educating me.
I don’t want to be seen as a whiner, I don’t want to have eyes rolled at me at a restaurant because the waiter sees me as ‘another one of those gluten people’, I do not want to be part of an us versus them movement, BUT I do want to help educate and support the larger community that contains us all.
Charlie, you are one of us. You’re a part of this family. Families don’t always agree and there’s always that crazy uncle who drinks too much at Thanksgiving and says something regrettable, but families always look out for each other. That’s how I see this community. And I see this community as part of a much larger community that wants us to be well. All we need to do is to ask nicely. I don’t think that’s unreasonable,
Let’s hope these two never develop an allergy to Botox!!
hahahaha!
I have watched the today Show every morning for many years…and after these remarks in regards to gluten…I will never tune in again!!!! My son who will be turning 18 this summer was diagnosed with a gluten intolerance and suffers from horrible skin rashes on his arms and legs, headaches and fatique, yet he is a handsome,athletic respectful young man who was nominated Jr. Home Coming King this year by his fellow classmates…and his girlfriend of 6 months is crazy about him and doesn’t mind eating out with him at the only gluten free restaurant in town. My advice to Hoda is to educate yourself on celiac disease it doesn’t discriminate… Your life isn’t over yet you might have someone you love suffer from an auto immune disease someday and you will think back to your ignorance. We actually have something in commen I too have had breast cancer followed by a bilateral masectomy in 2011…which I feel has taught me many life lessons And has made me a better person…more humble and understanding of not only myself but others …I can only hope that this has been a life lesson for you. “Lose lips…sink ships”
Sent Hoda an informative message via Facebook. Ignorant a**hole.
People make fun of what they don’t understand. It is unfortunate that they chose not to educate themselves before putting their ignorance on air. God’s way of letting us know that this show and the information they provide is bogus. Thanks Kathie Lee and Hoda for the warning. I used to enjoy watching but since this episode aired we don’t watch your show and never will again…Brian Williams also did a bogus broadcast on this. I actually set my DVR to recored it because I didn’t want to miss it. Boy was he as far off base as these two. Good riddance to them all. They have hurt many with these broadcasts. It would have been a blessing if they could have helped and not hurt.
This gal seems oblivious to the fact that lots of men, particularly of the paleo persuasion, eagerly devour meat in the manner she finds appealing while at the same time avoiding unhealthy foods containing gluten.
Yes!!!
she wants a guy who will eat a big piece of meat!!! Most meat is gluten free!! IDIOT! Lol!
I soubt that anybody will actually see this at this point, but Ummmmm; ALL meat is gluten free, Heidi….unless its dipped into, say, some flour to fry it in, or accidentally cross-contaminated in a not-gluten-free environment, etc.. I’m sure that’s what you actually meant. 😉
I just stumbled across this feed. At this late date, you may want to know that the side-effects of Hoda’s and Kathie Lee’s idiocy is still rampant….and getting worse IMO. Twice within the past year, I was purposely contaminated by the hired help at an Olive Garden and at a Chipotle. Ass-hattery is alive and well in the American midwest and, I assume, other areas in the country. The lies and ill-will that these two women spewed from their mouths, daily, for god knows how long, have not been stopped. I want to gag whenever I see the self-righteous Hoda on the NBC news. She sits there so prim and proper with her oh so self-assured nose in the air, and acting like a know-it-all when she should be smacked up side the head. Better yet, someone should capture her and feed her daily doses of food with LOTS of laxitives mixed in. THAT is how my Celiac acts up if I accidentally ingest gluten. I lost my right ovary and my appendix because of all the gut-inflammation that was going on. When I was eating gluten (not yet knowing I am a Celiac), I had migraines often that meds could not help but the very ignorant doctors at the time had no clue as to why; I would get hot and sticky and felt like I had the flu, but had no fever. Over time, gut damage happens, and my thyroid has varied from hypo (los) to hyper and now its sliding back into hypo. And I don’t eat gluten at all; I do NOT cheat with any gluten food or drink; yet, my body is still “sick” from this DNA issue. Nausea for no apparent reason was rampant when I wa still eating wheat. Even having eaten none for literally decades, I still have Brain Fog that was and is my constant companion; the damaged thyroid (again, from inflammation from the Celiac) still gives a person Brain Fog. The damaged thyroid also involved anti-bodies that have caused damage to my eye muscles, causing Diplopia; and it has damaged the hairs and the little bones in the middle ear, so that I am now also profoundly deaf. All because of inflammation. The two times I was purposedly contaminated by someone in the restaurant kitchen, both episodes made me sick as a dog for days. The pain from it seems to settle mostly in my gut and it is excruciating, doubling me over. I’ve given birth to two wonderful sons, now grown men. I can tell you from experience that, for me, those Celiac attacks felt EXACTLY like childbirth – quite literally felt the same: excruciating and lasting for hours on end – the cramping feeling exactly like labor contractions – until my body purged itself of the poisonous gluten I’d accidentally ingested because of the people who purposedly contaminated my meal. Legally, this was Assault. There is SO much more that Celiac Disease causes, even if one does NOT consume gluten; staying away from it is necessary, but the issues themselves are still dangerous and the only way to lessen that danger is to quit the gluten altogether. For those of you out there just learning of your condition, just keep hanging in there. Ignore the naysayers and stay on your path to wellness, or at least feeling better. You can do this; just be happy that if you are new to your condition, then at least now you KNOW and you can do things to lessen the damage. Just don’t give up; you’re worth it.
Indeed Cheryl.