Gwyneth Paltrow ‘broke down and ate bread during quarantine’… and Twitter has a LOT to say about it

Mention her name and you’re sure to be met with one of two responses. The first characterised by exaggerated eye-rolling and deep sighs that translate as “not her again”, the alternative a slightly defensive need to stick up for her oft whacky California lifestyle choices.  

Both parties are needed for the debate to rage on, and while I don’t have overwhelmingly strong feelings either way, I usually tend to count myself within the former group. I fall closer to “bemused onlooker” than “scathing critic”, but I definitely take her with a very generous pinch of salt. 

Known to ruffle some feathers with the things she says, one need only think back to 2014 and her infamous “conscious uncoupling” comments. Seven years on and we still throw the phrase around in conversation… so much so that the Shakespeare in Love star was prompted to pen a reflective essay on how it has “permeated break up culture” for British Vogue last September. 

Unsurprisingly, there have been many other eyebrow-raising moments since then, with the most recent involving an interview Paltrow gave to the Smartless podcast. A podcast with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett at its helm, the trio spoke to the Goop frontwoman about a number of different topics earlier this month – with conversation inevitably turning to Covid-19. 

Admitting that she is certainly not above feeling the effects of a global pandemic, Gwyneth told listeners that quarantine absolutely took its toll on her, revealing that she pretty much “went off the rails”… her version of which involved drinking quinoa whiskey cocktails and eating carbs. 

“I drank alcohol during quarantine. I was drinking seven nights a week and making pasta and eating bread. I went totally off the rails.

“I mean, who drinks multiple drinks seven nights a week? Like, that’s not healthy. I love whiskey and I make this fantastic drink called the Buster Paltrow, which I named after my grandfather who loved whiskey sours.

“And it’s this great quinoa whiskey from this distillery in Tennessee with maple syrup and lemon juice. It’s just heaven. I would have two of those every night of quarantine.”

Quickly grabbing the attention of the media, several publications picked up on the story with the Guardian since publishing an article headlined “Gwyneth Paltrow broke down and ate bread during quarantine. How did you surprise yourself?”. Riling the internet up with her remarks – a pool of people notoriously easy to agitate – Twitter has had a lot to say on the matter… most of which condemns the actress for trivialising the effect Covid has had on the world. 

Gwyneth Paltrow after eating some bread and pasta: pic.twitter.com/H8Qv4CULTK

— Ryan ?? (@RyanS_UK) May 10, 2021

Hi if you could offer me a little extra support and love right now I just found out Gwyneth Paltrow ate bread.

— Bess Kalb (@bessbell) May 11, 2021

That Guardian Gwyneth Paltrow story is super relevant because it highlights the different universes, not worlds, the elite live in.

In 2020, for 99% of the planet, breaking down =emotional collapse at loss of loved one, livelihood, home.

For Paltrow it meant eating bread.

— Shiv Ramdas Buk Riter (@nameshiv) May 10, 2021

Is the internet being too harsh? Probably, but is this exactly what we would expect from the internet (and frankly a welcome distraction)? Absolutely.  Admitting to eating and drinking (quinoa whiskey, no less) things she wouldn’t indulge in regularly under normal circumstances, it’s probably fair to say that her comments have been taken slightly out of context. And yes, way worse things could and have happened than eating bread, but that’s how far outside the realm of the normal people GP’s life has become… which is fine too I guess?

Feature image via @gwynethpaltrow