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Sunday, June 23, 2013

Food Network Drops Paula Deen

Paula Deen, the self-proclaimed queen of Southern cooking and a sugary mainstay of the Food Network, was dropped by the network on Friday, after a bewildering day in which she failed to show up for an interview on the “Today” show and then in two online videos begged her family and audience to forgive her for using racist language.More

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

she used the n word one too many times.

Anonymous said...

She doesn't have to care any more.

Anonymous said...

She Rocks!!!

Anonymous said...

I am sorry I do feel Paula's apology was sincere people do make mistakes and should be forgiven and yes I am black. I hear blacks call each other that word and don't understand why they call each other that name if it's so hurtful to me that is a double standard

Anonymous said...

Yes it is a double standard, I don't understand either.

Anonymous said...

Who cares. Every white American has used the N word and made "racist" jokes. Guess what? Here's the shocker....psst.... Black people have been using that word and making jokes for many years. I could care less that I and every American have used it.

Anonymous said...

The real crime is not that a person slips up and uses the word but that they do it in front of the next generation and it just goes on and on. Be kind to one another.

JoeAlbero said...

She deserved to get fired.

There's a time and a place, (to those of you defending her) and no matter what it should come back and bite you.

There is no room in this world for that kind of talk and she knew better.

I've always said, some people simply forget where they came from and she has to be one of the biggest Idiots I've ever seem so far in my life.

She got what she deserves.

Anonymous said...

...but "it's" o.k. if "they" use it.

JoeAlbero said...

anonymous 9:34, Absolutely. If they want to degrade themselves and the majority are OK with it, (proven by record sales, video sales, concert attendance, movie attendance) so be it.

However, it is NOT acceptable for ANYONE, (imho) to use that word in any way, shape or form.

There isn't a person here that doesn't know in their heart that this word is of the highest personal attack against African Americans you can use.

Remove it from your vocabulary and move on. It's unacceptable.

Anonymous said...

I absolutely love the judgements of the righteous by the pure of heart.

We have evil in our hearts, she confesses and apologizes. Still not good enough.

Ford should name its new economy car the Ford Racist because it gets more mileage than any other.

I'll apologize for my sin, if I get an apology for OJ's racist aquittal.

Anonymous said...

Good job Joe. These people need to be paid reparations for what they've been through.

JoeAlbero said...

anonymous 9:50, I never stated any such thing. Here's my thought on that statement though. The minute they stop using that word against themselves is the moment we as a country might consider such a thing.

They need to put a stop to it immediately and RESPECT their incredible representatives from the past and current.

MONEY will never CURE the past. Knowing they have accomplished the elimination of such a word would be far more rewarding.

Just my opinion.

Anonymous said...

So is cracker ok? If someone uses that should they be fired and put in the news? My goodness is there anything else out there that we can worry about. What about all the gay words people come up with. What happened to freedom of speech? Maybe we should just stop talking. It seems like no matter what is said someone finds fault.map

Anonymous said...

good for Food Network!!!

Anonymous said...

Food Network overreacted. That's our hypocritical world in action taking things out of context.

She being deposed, and under oath. She was asked if she'd ever used the N word. Emphasis on ever. If she lied and said "No" the opposing lawyer probably had someone from some point back in time prepared to challenge that which would undermine the rest of her testimony. She properly said I have used that word in the past, and I'm sorry now that I did. We don't use that word today. I'm paraphrasing her comments.

Across history all races and tribes have regarded themselves as special and have looked down on others. We're generally encouraged today to be more accepting and less critical of characteristics beyond the individual's control.

If she used the word 40 years ago it is very different than if she used it 3 months ago. All the public clamor and the network missed that.

I have had black HS students use the word in class as a kind of slang or informal term. I always stop and tell them of my offense to hearing them use it, and why it is such an unacceptable word today. It's never been in my vocab.

BTW, I sunburn easily.

Anonymous said...

I was one up on most people because of her southern accent.If one thinks they've broken all ties with their upbringing,think again.It stays with you and surfaces when you least expect it.A man or woman can be 90 years old and still reflect opinions they learned as a child.Paula Deen,therefore is a victim of her environment in a way,but still needs to be let go.If she ever could have corrected or adjusted her attitude she would already have done so.I'm white by the way.

Anonymous said...

Really, so what? Compare what she said to the non-stop filth and bigotry of some other 'entertainers' and she is pretty mild. However, these other folks are not held accountable because their disparagement is directed at more politically-accepted targets.

Anonymous said...

Her affiliation with Smithfield Farms is another issue - they sold out to the Chinese, We'll not be able to trust another product from them again.....considering all of the dangerous stuff that has come here from China - now it will be their processes on our foods!

Anonymous said...

I agree with Joe. She wasn't very smart about how she conducted herself in her business. I don't see where Food Network had a choice, but I imagine she'll be back. That Robert Irvine lied about his resume and was brought back after a year or so.

Anonymous said...

I hope they're sorry! She's very well liked...popular!

Drew said...

Fox will hire her.

Anonymous said...

we were Never allowed to us that word. i'm in my 60's and we never allowed our children to use that word. in the south this word was used and of course back in the day many did. the charges were she used the N word, allowed porn in the workplace and made racist jokes.

if she sees the error of her ways and apologizes and asks forgiveness, she should be allowed to move on.

many people are very angry that the food network didn't renew her contract. I think after sometime she should be allowed to return. don't know where this is going but it's a good lifes lesson. "our words and actions have consequences" and " we can see we're wrong, ask forgiveness and get a second chance". just sayin'.

Anonymous said...

A lot of you are basing what you're saying on a quick media write up -- read the transcript of the court hearing. It's MORE than just using the "N" word: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2013/06/paula-deen-racial.php

It's the way she sees people of other races from a deep south perspective. Deen is paying for a lot of things here, and in particular, a southern culture that has not not changed enough since desegregation occurred.

She's also paying for her past mistake: She agreed to be the spokesperson for a diabetes medication BEFORE she told the pubic that she was diabetic (she was diabetic for 3 years prior to this), and was still promoting high-fat and high-sugar recipes. Apparently she was even on Dr. Oz the week before she told the American Public that she was diabetic and didn't mention it at all. Anthony Bourdain apparently tweeted this message in response to this: “Thinking of getting into the leg-breaking business, so I can profitably sell crutches later.”

I'm certain that Food TV had a lot of problems in spinning this and felt that another controversy just isn't worth keeping her. But I'm also sure this is being spun again, as a way of showing the world that Food TV isn't racist, and that with the apology and the amount of Paula Deen fans writing in to Food TV, they will cave to let her back on the network. Because here in America, there is NO BAD PRESS. And hell, it worked with Robert Irvine in 2008 (http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/blogs/editor/2008/02/resume-impossib.html)


Anonymous said...

" a southern culture that has not not changed enough, blah, blah, blah" You find fault with Deen, but stereotype an entire section of the country. Self-righteous, pontificating hypocrite.

Anonymous said...


Freaking rich people! Who really cares?

Anonymous said...

A lot to do about nothing.