I don't get this -- how can you be fired for using a racial slur 30 years ago? Maybe her show is too expensive or the rating are low -- that's the only logical thing I can think of. _____ Official: Food Network will not renew Paula Deen's contract Celebrity chef Paula Deen's contract with the Food Network will not be renewed, the network said Friday, the latest fallout over revelations this week that she admitted to using a racial epithet in the past. Deen's contract with the network, which airs three shows featuring the chef, expires at the end of the month, it said. The Food Network's announcement followed reports that Deen acknowledged in a lawsuit deposition to using the "N word." Earlier in the week, the network said it would monitor the situation, but that it "does not tolerate any form of discrimination." ... Jackson lawyer: "Miss Deen, have you told racial jokes?" Deen: "No, not racial." Jackson lawyer: "Have you ever used the 'N word' yourself?" Deen: "Yes, of course." Deen testified that she probably used the racial slur when talking to her husband about "when a black man burst into the bank that I was working at and put a gun to my head." "I didn't feel real favorable towards him," she said, referring to the robber. Jackson lawyer: "Have you used it since then?" Deen: "I'm sure I have, but it's been a very long time." Deen said she couldn't remember other contexts in which she used the slur, but "maybe in repeating something that was said to me." "But that's just not a word that we use as time has gone on," she said. "Things have changed since the '60s in the South. And my children and my brother object to that word being used in any cruel or mean behavior." full article
It's funny how people get all worked up over the N-word. I'm mexican, the words beaner, wetback, spic means nothing to me, it has no power over me. We've all said some pretty mean or offensive things in the company of friends or family, doesnt mean we have to get fired over it.
I really don't get this either. She is getting all this flack because she admitted to using the word at some point in the past? I could understand if she had used it in a work setting and was harassing employees by calling them the "n-word", but it sounds like she just admitted to using the word at some point in her life. That seems a little ridiculous to fire someone over admitting that.
Apparently she's made more comments than just that. There are comments about her relatives owning slaves which she referred to as workers and family rather than slaves and something about her wanting to hire all black waiters for a wedding to make it resemble some f'd up old south theme or something. The lawsuit is a sex and race incrimination suit against her and her son. The race thing is obviously an issue with her.
Eh, after reading an article that highlights her deposition I think it's being blown out of proportion. It doesn't sound like she is racist as much as she is nostalgic. A lot of people are nostalgic for simpler times, and unfortunately a lot of white people think the South was a wonderful, simple place. They don't think of slavery the way it was.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>I remember when Paula Deen smuggled 2,500+ sticks of butter to Mexico, and 300+ citizens were murdered, along with U.S. federal agents.</p>— Bob Owens (@bob_owens) <a href="https://twitter.com/bob_owens/status/348229515182485504" data-datetime="2013-06-21T19:02:40+00:00">June 21, 2013</a></blockquote> <script src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> of course, Holder still has his job
She also wanted to introduce a "Sambo" burger. LOL! Her wanting to have black men play the role of slaves at her brother's wedding is disturbing. I think if she had made a very convincing apology the first time, she might have been OK for now. IMO, her PR people let her down. Canned statements like, "I want to learn and grow from this" usually aren't good enough to stop a raging media firestorm. In her second apology, she mentioned causing pain to HERSELF (and others). That doesn't help her case. I could say more but her team should have crafted better statements for her to memorize. It's ironic the lawsuit that stirred this up was from a white lady. Supposedly the Enquirer has more to unload on her that will take this to another level. We'll see.
I agree, the crime doesn't fit the punishment IF this was something that was said over two decades ago. People oftentimes change, heck I've changed in the past 20yrs in appearance/attitude/knowledge, but I'm guessing that we have only heard half the story of what's actually going on. In regards to words, each one of these words that you mentioned has a derogatory/condescending meaning. They are offensive in that they are generally used to belittle someone. I also happen to be thick skinned when I hear these words, (I realize that ignorant and insecure people are here to stay) unless those words are being thrown at my family, that's when the real Bambam comes out and wants to physically educated the crap out you! ....... ....... .......
You're describing a racist. Masked in nostalgia. Oh, remember the good ole days when we used to beat our wives, whip our slaves and rape the help! What a life that was.
Who hasn't said the word? I don't ever use it in a negative context, but I've said n***** please a billion times.
Wasnt there an extremely popular restaurant in Houston called the confederate house that had the same theme as the wedding she wanted? Way before my time, but I have heard of it.
I don't know all the details but the "please forgive me I'm Southern" defense is pretty lame. So the implication is that all of us who are Southern are racists and use the "n" word. Good grief.
If this stuff happened at work or was directed at employees, I can see firing her. If it didn't then I don't think she should be fired for that reason.
Col. Sanders is rolling in his bucket right now. Agreed. Maybe she said it in the 90s (which is still recent imo...70s would be more understandable given how old she is) but her crackpot ideas of presenting black people at her restaurants is equally damning. There's likely far better candidates to represent obnoxiously unhealthy southern food without reminding people the nasty stigma of race in the discussion.
It really is though for older southerners -- my great grandmother was the sweetest, kindest person in the world, but she occasionally said ****** or colored when talking about blacks. She stopped using those terms when she realized how bad they were (probably in the early 1980s) -- if she had been raised in a different part of the country she would have never said those things. Also to note - she was 99 years old when she passed in 2004 and she lived her entire life in a tiny town south of Baton Rouge, LA called Corner View -- definitely not a progressive, modern area of the country.
I don't think it's just her dropping the N-bomb 25 years ago. She's just a freakin crack-pot. I think Food Network sees an opportunity to exit a sinking ship early.
