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Guy Fieri of the Food Network has drawn a lot of attention over the years for his bold recipes and his distinctive look and style.

Fieri’s even become something of an internet punchline, with many people speaking derisively about him due to his wardrobe and approach to the culinary arts. But taking a step back from mere superficial observations of Fieri reveals a much more complex personality than people realize.

There’s good reason to believe that Fieri doesn’t deserve most of the hate he receives, in large part due to his charitable efforts. 

Guy Fieri’s career

Chef Guy Fieri
Chef Guy Fieri | John Lamparski/Getty Images

In the world of celebrity chefs, they don’t get much more recognizable than Fieri. With bleached blonde, spiked hair, anyone could spot him from a mile away. According to his bio on the Food Network website, his first show came in 2006.

It was known as Guy’s Big Bite. In 2008, he wrote a book based on his show titled Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: An All-American Road Trip…with Recipes! Fieri came out with his own line of food products under his Flavortown banner. These included frozen/refrigerated products as well as sauces and salsas. 

Fieri has had multiple TV shows and owns numerous restaurants. He’s toured the country for a tour that mixed food with music, selling out shows across the nation. Throughout this time, he’s established a brand as a one of a kind character. He continues to make regular TV appearances while also remaining active in causes that are important to him. 

Guy Fieri’s charitable efforts

Fieri is passionate about many things. One of them is the restaurant industry. Bloomberg News reported that near the end of March, when lockdowns were ramping up due to the COVID-19 response nationally, Fieri took massive action. He started a charity known as the Restaurant Emergency Relief Fund. He raised money from major brands such as Pepsi, Uber, and Hennessy to help support restaurant industry workers in need amid the pandemic. 

To draw more attention to the plight of the restaurant sector, Fieri also produced a documentary called Restaurant Hustle 2020. This will showcase many of the obstacles faced by the industry in light of the pandemic. The plan is for it to air on the Food Network in December. 

Fieri has been the subject of snide comments and memes online for many reasons. It’s time to look at whether this fair, especially when you consider the amount of charity work he does for those less fortunate than him. Why has he faced backlash, and will public opinion of him change? 

How the public opinion of Guy Fieri has changed over time

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Some people may view Fieri as a comical character due to the way he presents himself. They may also criticize his cooking, not caring for the way he prepares food. But it’s hard to argue with the work he does outside his role as a public figure. Fieri is incredibly active in many charities. No matter what anyone thinks of Fieri as a celebrity, he’s doing tangible work to make a positive difference in countless peoples’ lives. 

In the internet era, it’s common to direct hate towards anyone with a significant platform. Fieri’s popularity seems to be almost matched by the vitriol some people direct at him via social media. But is the hate warranted? Fieri is using his platform and his money to help people who desperately need assistance.

Say what you want about Fieri, but based on the role he’s played helping keep the restaurant industry alive during the pandemic, he doesn’t seem to deserve the hate he gets.