My Weekend Crush

Am I the only one who still feels unsettled by the sudden death of Anne Burrell this June? It wasn’t necessarily that her death was ruled a suicide, which is of course tragic. And I hope anyone contemplating the end knows you aren’t alone. Nor should we necessarily be surprised that the circumstances of her passing seemed at odds with her public persona. I’m not even truly talking about the fact that it was only posthumously that I realized Anne was actually bi (or pan, however she identified) and not lesbian as I had assumed since she first entered our collective consciousnesses with that female Guy Fieri hair. What makes me feel weird and hasn’t ceased to seem off is how the Food Network has basically not handled her death or memorialized her in any way. They just keep plugging her final season of “The Worst Cooks in America” as if nothing has happened. And I say this as a person who watched the so-called “memorial” to Anne that the network aired right after her death which was just a random assortment of “Guy’s Grocery Games” where she appeared and, again, never mentioned her death. What a sad, unceremonious ending for someone who was as much a face of that network’s early success as any dude who ate on camera. Put some respect on her name, Food Network. And rest in peace, Anne. Happy weekend, all.