How Gail Simmons Recently Helped Restore Andrew Zimmern's Faith

Celebrities aren't exactly immune to the overwhelming sense of woe that watching the nightly news can sometimes bring. As evidenced in Andrew Zimmern's recent tweet, where the famous chef wrote, "Kinda depressed lately with the ridiculous lack of unity at a time when we need it most." Though his message started out on a downcast beat, it quickly took a turn into something much more uplifting.

"BUT looking at dozens of my [friends]' pics on IG from @bobweir to @gailsimmons reminds me of the power of our collective voices," the chef wrote. Zimmern specifically mentioned two of his friends who have been active in the recent discussion on reproduction rights, including  Grateful Dead founding member Bob Weir, who recently posted a picture on Twitter of himself holding a sign saying "Texas, where a virus has reproductive rights and a woman doesn't." The other friend was none other than "Top Chef" judge Gail Simmons, who has been far from reticent with her views about Senate Bill 8, a Texas law that can be used to ban abortions as early as six weeks (via Texas Tribune).

Gail Simmons is spending time in Houston to film the next season of "Top Chef" (via Bravo). On Instagram, she recently shared her thoughts on women having the right to safe and legal abortions in Texas. She wrote "I couldn't come to Texas and not stand with the women who need our support. Specifically, Simmons wrote that "The state's Six Week Ban is blatantly unconstitutional" and "denies women bodily autonomy." The celebrity judge even taped slogans on her skin including "#1973" in reference to the historic abortion case Roe v. Wade. As Simmons explained, "I stand with the restaurant industry in active protest to SB8, and in support of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that access to safe and legal abortion is a constitutional right."

Zimmern has mentioned before that Simmons is his favorite food personality to work with (via YouTube), so it may not be surprising that he found comfort in his friend's message. In Zimmern's post, he retweeted a post from @MeidasTouch, a political action committee, showing images from the recent Women's March. According to NPR, the 5th Women's March brought together participants in cities across the country to address reproduction rights and abortion law. Zimmern finished his Tweet with an offer of gratitude for those women who participated in the conversation: "And thank you women of America for restoring my faith today."