Television personality Luisa Zissman has labelled people who eat McDonald's as 'lazy sloths' during a rant on her LuAnna podcast on Tuesday.
The 39-year-old former Apprentice star branded the American fast food chain as 'gross' while co-hosting the latest episode alongside presenter Anna Williamson.
Speaking on the podcast, Zissman expressed her frustration with people who indulge in fast food, targeting breakfast items in particular.
'I think if you eat McDonald's and fast food, that means you're lazy,' Zissman said. 'I just feel like you're lazy and unhealthy and you're a sloth. I think badly about people that eat McDonald's, especially McDonald's breakfast, it's just gross.'
Co-host Anna Williamson, who stars in Celebs Go Dating, defended the menu during the episode. 'Sometimes though Lu, a little sausage McMuffin in the morning hits the spot,' Williamson said.
Zissman rejected the suggestion, replying: 'It doesn't hit the spot, it's rank. It can't hit the spot, that cannot fuel you effectively for your day ahead.'
The podcast hosts captioned a social media clip of the discussion: 'Sorry if you're eating your McFlurry.'
Zissman's opinion proved unpopular with McDonald's enthusiasts, who took to the comments section to slam her for making rude and judgmental remarks.
One critic wrote: 'You don’t have to eat everything for fuel, you can eat food for pure enjoyment, this mindset is disordered.'
Another commenter posted: 'I wish Luisa would try to get her point across in a less judgmental manner. She has such a superior attitude and is always so patronising.'
Other social media users highlighted her wealthy lifestyle, writing: 'Coming from a rich person who doesn’t work all hours under the sun and can hire a private chef; Are people that have personal chefs, Nannie’s & cleaners lazy too?'
A fourth listener added: 'It’s so easy when you’re talking from a place of privilege….; Use are really funny but it’s getting a bit rude now.'
Controversy Over Daughter's School Play
This is not the first time Zissman has faced criticism from fans over her podcast comments. She recently came under fire after stating she planned to skip her daughter's school play because the child had a 's*** part' that was 'not worth her time'.
Following that rant, the podcast host had to publicly apologise to her daughter's school after discovering that her nine-year-old daughter Indigo and all of her teachers had seen the scathing remarks online.
Zissman revealed her comments backfired when Indigo confronted her directly, asking: 'Mummy did you say my play was s***?'
Recalling the conversation on LuAnna, Zissman expressed her horror and offered a public apology. 'I want to issue a public apology,' Zissman told listeners. 'I didn't want to go and watch Indigo's show but I think my rant was probably a bit aggressive, some might say, in its tone.'
When Indigo asked about the video clip, Zissman recalled telling her daughter: 'Well darling it wasn't that good was it? You didn't have a main part.'
Indigo explained that a friend's mother had seen a clip on Instagram and showed it to her child, who then informed Indigo at school. Zissman recalled replying: 'Well darling you know sometimes the reality of things is...'
Indigo then expressed distress about facing her teachers. Zissman said her daughter told her: 'I can't ever go back to that school now, it's good that we've got to go back to Dubai because I won't be able to go back to that school, because the teachers all watched that.'
Addressing the teaching staff directly, Zissman added: 'Do you know what I don't want to take it away from the teachers, that clearly do work so hard at these things and it's not your fault that you're dealing with below par talent but yeah I just wanted to say sorry to the school. I was very stressed!'
Skipping Non-Speaking Roles and Music Recitals
In her original rant about the school performance of Mary Poppins, the content creator gave a brutally honest explanation for why she initially planned not to attend her daughter's non-speaking ensemble role.
'I'm not f***ing going because she's got a s****y ensemble part, there's no air con in there, it's a non-speaking part and I'm not going,' Zissman said during the podcast recording.
She explained that work commitments made attending stressful, detailing an 8:00 am to 9:30 am conference call followed by podcast recording and filming extra content. She added that her nanny, Nat, attended the show and reported: 'Honestly, it's s**t.'
Zissman continued: 'All she does is sing in a s****y bonnet and it's f***ing hot in there and it's not worth your time going. I'm not interested in going to see her unless she's got a main part.'
She also admitted to skipping a woodwind recital for her nine-year-old daughter Clemmie, explaining that she does not like the noise of the instrument.
Zissman later clarified in the comments section that she did end up attending the school play 'for ten minutes', before dipping out to take work calls at a nearby Costa Coffee shop and returning for the end of the show.
Parental Backlash and Online Reaction
Her remarks triggered a visceral reaction from other mothers online, who argued that parents should support their children regardless of the size of their role.
One critic commented: 'It's not always about you seeing her and everything about HER seeing you! Totally understand it's not always possible for workers but it's the attitude here that stinks.'
Another mother pointed out: 'Content can be done anytime. Your kids are only young once.'
A third parent wrote: 'Saying something we all want to say but also the look on their face knowing you made the effort to go when they know you're busy. My kids are more grateful knowing I need to take the day off work for their school things than me not turning up. It's about how they feel you being there not what they are doing.'
A working mother added: 'Yeah not feeling this one. I missed my daughter's one line in her class play because my car wouldn't start and the heartbreak on her face. I work 60+ hours a week and cannot relate to this.'
Another user shared: 'I'm no contact with my mum and these are the sorts of decisions she would make. Me me me. I'll be there every single event for my 3 boys, I don't care how insignificant to me it is.. when they look up at 100 faces they will see me there supporting them.'
A commenter added: 'Oh this is so sad. It doesn't matter if it's good or bad it's about your daughter seeing her mummy in the audience.'
A single parent wrote: 'I'm a single parent, I've showed up EVERY DAMN TIME. Nothing does more harm to the early memories of a child than that of a parent that didn't show up to your biggest events, because, as a child, these are the biggest anxiety inducing events they have ever experienced... And the beaming smile they give you when they look into the crowd and find you, you can't ever get that back from something else.'
Despite the backlash, some social media users saw the humorous side of Zissman's comments. Love Island series one winner Cara Delahoyde left a string of laughing face emojis under the post.
Other supportive followers commented: 'I'm glad someone said this, I'm the same with sports day I can't stand it,' while another wrote: 'You're so funny. You say what everyone else is thinking.' A third fan posted: 'This is so me, mummas got shit to do.'
Family Life and Career
Luisa Zissman first gained public attention as the runner-up on the ninth series of BBC reality show The Apprentice in 2013, before going on to appear on Celebrity Big Brother.
She is married to her husband, Andrew Collins. The couple share daughters Esme, 10, and Clemmie, nine, as well as nine-year-old Indigo. Zissman is also mother to 16-year-old Dixie from her first marriage to Oliver Zissman.
