The Perfect Baby Blog

New York Times food critic comes out as a “baby bulimic”

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

Or, more precisely, a “toddler bulimic.” In this Sunday’s New York Times Magazine, esteemed restaurant critic Frank Bruni confesses, extensively and juicily that, from an early age, he was an insanely motivated eater.

Bruni

BRUNI: As troubled blob.

And a violently needy one. By Bruni’s account, adapted from his forthcoming memoir Born Round: The Secret History of a Full-Time Eater, if denied a third hamburger or a 144th cookie, he would work himself into a tormented tantrum and throw up —more or less on his mother.

…I’ve always wondered, in retrospect and not entirely in jest, if what she had witnessed was the beginning of a cunning strategy, an intuitive design for gluttonous living. Maybe I was making room for more burger. Look, Ma, empty stomach!

Though traditional bulimics are a tad more furtive about their purging, Bruni clearly realized that his piece would generate more buzz (and web-traffic) with the headline “I Was a Baby Bulimic” instead of “I Was a Kid With Bizarre Eating Issues.”

Calculation aside, the story (and companion audio-slide show) is fascinating. According to to Mediabistro, Bruni is quitting his Times’ post to promote his book so if you were hoping to see him projectile vomit at The Four Seasons while gorging himself critically on grilled octopus with minted eggplant, sorry, you’re out of luck.

Related Stories:
Wow, that’s one overpriced “rocking sheep”!
Which baby names ensure success?
Will Michael Jackson’s daughter achieve distinction?

What people are saying

  1. I think it is very wrong to use bulimia to describe Bruni’s childhood eating issues. An eating disorder is a serious mental illness with physical manifestations. It ruins people’s lives and is NOT something to use for publicity or to poke fun at. I have struggled with bulimia for some years now and the recovery process is grueling. If the first part was not insensitive enough, the part that says “…so if you were hoping to see him projectile vomit at The Four Seasons while gorging himself…” is out of line and truly hurtful.

    Frieda
« Previous Post  |  Next Post »