Billy Bob Thornton has revealed his unlikely favorite snack: grapes dipped in Dijon mustard. The 70-year-old actor shared the surprising combination during a recent appearance on the Howie Mandel Does Stuff podcast, explaining that his extreme dietary restrictions have forced him to get creative with his snacking.
Health Problems and Dietary Restrictions
Thornton opened up about his health issues on the May 5 episode. "My diet's very restricted," he said. "Well, I'm allergic to wheat, dairy. I have type AB negative blood, which is the rarest type in the world. It's like less than one percent of the population of the world has it."
The Bad Santa star explained that his blood type makes it harder to digest certain foods. In addition to wheat and dairy, he cannot eat shellfish or any meat, including pork or beef.
The Accidental Discovery
Thornton recounted an incident at a green room before a press event for Landman, Taylor Sheridan's Western drama in which he stars as oil executive Tommy Morris. Disappointed by a platter of foods he could not eat, such as deli meats, cheeses, and crackers, he found some white grapes. Bored with the plain fruit, he looked for a way to jazz it up.
"Then I saw some spicy Dijon mustard, and I thought, I wonder..." he explained, as Mandel exclaimed, "No!"
Thornton continued: "I dipped this grape in the Dijon mustard. It was one of the best things I ever had in my lifetime. So now it's become a thing for me."
Childhood Allergies
Thornton noted that he had allergies growing up in Arkansas and Texas, but he "ate everything." He said, "I just assumed everybody felt like s*** after they ate. I didn't know."
Before filming the podcast episode, Thornton had a bowl of blueberries and decaf coffee for breakfast. However, he added, "But when I get home, it's, like, wide open. I'm going to have some gluten-free chips with some dairy-free cream cheese. So, I'm really looking forward to that... Every now and then I'll mix a little ketchup into it."
Earlier in the episode, Thornton admitted to feeding Mandel's son a "hillbilly bagel"—a bagel with cream cheese and ketchup. "I make all kinds of junk like that because I don't know how to cook," he said.
