Posted on 09/06/2001 7:34:30 AM PDT by HAL9000
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Justin Wilson, the Cajun humorist and chef whose distinctive accent delighted viewers of his "Cookin' Cajun'' television show, has died. He was 87.His daughter Sarah Sue Easterly said Wilson died Wednesday in Baton Rouge. She would not give details but said more information would be released later Thursday.
Over Wilson's career, he released five cookbooks, 27 albums of short stories and an album of Christmas songs. He was host of several cooking programs, including "Louisiana Cookin'.''
He referred to himself as JOOS-tain and became known for the expression: "I ga-ron-tee!'' (guarantee), from the Cajun "J'vous garantis.''
"Cajun cooking is the ability to take what you have and create a good dish and season it right,'' Wilson told The Associated Press in 1990.
"It isn't all that hard, but so few people know how to take what they have and put it together and season it properly,'' he said. "It's creative cooking -- that's all it is.''
"I am a gourmet, but I am more of a gourmand,'' he explained. "A gourmet is somebody that's an epicurean. But a gourmand is somebody that's a P-I-G hog and that's what I am.''
A native of Amite, La., Wilson had lived in Summit, Miss., for about six years, his daughter said.
His last syndicated series of shows was titled "Easy Cooking.''
Wilson called himself a "half-bleed'' Cajun. His father was Louisiana's commissioner of agriculture for 32 years, and his mother, Olivet, was Louisiana French. She taught him how to cook.
"She was a great improviser,'' Wilson said. "She'd cook a dish and we'd go 'Mama, w'at's this here, hanh?' And she'd say, 'Children, that's a mus-go. It mus' go down yo' t'roat.'''
Some Cajuns found his fractured language annoying, but Wilson insisted he didn't mean to ridicule. He said his critics were "people who take themselves too seriously.''
Originally a safety engineer, he was inspired to pursue a career in public speaking after he met Will Rogers in the 1930s.
"He told me always to tell 'em clean, and always tell your audience something serious -- or they'll think you're a complete fool,'' he recalled.
Survivors include three daughters.
Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
I had a Great-uncle that lived a long, full life. When his doctor retired, a young MD took over the office. As part of the initial interview, Uncle was asked to describe his usual diet. The 89 year of man told of bacon, eggs, and biscuits every mornining.
Why, Mr. Chaney, what would you do if I told you must stop eating that high fat and cholesteral breakfast!
Well, young man. I'd be looking for me a new doctor.
That youngster looked up from his clipboard. "You just keep on doing whatever has gotten you to this point.
We fianlly lost him at the age of 94.
There is a difference in attitude and lifestyle between the people of north and south Louisiana, the differences being too great to list in this post. Let's just say the whole state parties, but the south does it a lot better.
Another Ju-stan joke.
What do you call a south Louisiana man who's this tall?
Hand about 4'6" above floor.
A full-grown coon-ass.
GOD bless ya' Mister Wilson...you've brought happiness to countless numbers of your fellow humans. I'm pretty sure GOD will have been pleased by the life you also seemed to enjoy.
I am now back in east TX and even, egad, north of I-20.
Does not matter, once an RCA, always an RCA, call me coon-ass anytime.
Can't help myself, excuse me one indescretion fellow Texans.
What's the difference between a coon-ass and a dumb-ass?
The Sabine River.
That's waaaaaaaaaaaaay up north, but, as a graduate of Gettysburg College in PA, I dare not use the, "Y," word.
Good bye, Ju-stan.
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