Paula Deen fired from Food Network for racial slurs

Sounds to me like Bubba needs a Deliverance moment. (Banjo music here)

I've read the civil Complaint filed against Paula Deen, her brother Bubba Hiers and the whole "Paula Deen" enterprise. You can read it for yourself at:

http://www.atlawblog.com/wp-content/upl ... plaint.pdf

This situation is about a lot more than the use of the N-word. If half of the allegations set forth in the 33-page Complaint are true, then Ms. Deen and entire enterprise are guilty of something a lot more serious. But you judge for yourselves.

I read it.
Everybody wave bye bye to Paula Dean.

Ok.....This is MHO............only that.

She's an almost 70 year old white woman from Georgia. She was born and raised BEFORE the political correctness of all things took over. Down South, according to my family from there, it was quite common growing up to use the N word, and to also be called all kinds of names by the black people in the area (i.e. cracker, whitey, etc).

Now, I am NOT saying that in this day and age that I think we need to go back to the times that words like that were used daily, but I do understand that there WAS a time like that and may time from time carry over unintentionally. I have four black cousins that were born and raised in South Carolina, and I've heard the N word come out of their mouths many, many times and not all of those times were in a playful manner but were, in fact, slurs thrown at other black folks. So are they racist?

As for the press release from Ed Lee..............it saddens me to think that a talented chef would use an oppurtunity such as this to grab publicity for himself. Yes, imho that is what his press release is about. He was going to get press by being on the show, now that isn't going to happen so he still wanted press. Yes, he may be outraged by her comments, but did HE really need to comment on it? I think not.

Paula is one of the few celebrities on Food Network that has truly gotten where she is because of who she is. She wasn't mentored by any great chefs. She didn't attend any renowned culinary school. She was a single mother that had to provide for her children. She has worked long and hard for what she has.

I don't want to get to far into this, and I have no interest in defending anyone using the n-word, but it is not uncommon in many places for folks to find it empowering claim a word intended as an insult, even though they still regard it as a grievous insult if coming from "outside." Two examples: the embrace of Queer by some in the LGBT community (as in "Queer Theory") or southern white folks describing themselves as rednecks. I don't think white folks can take solace that their use of the n-word isn't so bad because some black folks use it.

It's not the same, but somewhat analogous to "I can talk about my momma . . . "

[Robin Garr]

I don't want to get to far into this, and I have no interest in defending anyone using the n-word, but it is not uncommon in many places for folks to find it empowering claim a word intended as an insult, even though they still regard it as a grievous insult if coming from "outside." Two examples: the embrace of Queer by some in the LGBT community (as in "Queer Theory") or southern white folks describing themselves as rednecks. I don't think white folks can take solace that their use of the n-word isn't so bad because some black folks use it.

It's not the same, but somewhat analogous to "I can talk about my momma . . . "

This.

I've read the civil Complaint filed against Paula Deen, her brother Bubba Hiers and the whole "Paula Deen" enterprise. You can read it for yourself at:

http://www.atlawblog.com/wp-content/upl ... plaint.pdf

This situation is about a lot more than the use of the N-word. If half of the allegations set forth in the 33-page Complaint are true, then Ms. Deen and entire enterprise are guilty of something a lot more serious. But you judge for yourselves.

I read it.
Everybody wave bye bye to Paula Dean.

Yes, it's only a complaint, but if even a fraction of this stuff went on I have exactly zero sympathy for Ms. Deen or her conglomerate corporations. Folks who are feeling a little bad for Paula (I did too, at first), be sure to read it. If it turns out later that this is all trumped-up baloney, I'll eat crow. This complaint was filed over two years ago, though - how'd you like to be this former manager, out of a job and waiting for all this to get resolved?

I've read the civil Complaint filed against Paula Deen, her brother Bubba Hiers and the whole "Paula Deen" enterprise. You can read it for yourself at:

http://www.atlawblog.com/wp-content/upl ... plaint.pdf

This situation is about a lot more than the use of the N-word. If half of the allegations set forth in the 33-page Complaint are true, then Ms. Deen and entire enterprise are guilty of something a lot more serious. But you judge for yourselves.

I read it.
Everybody wave bye bye to Paula Dean.

Yes, it's only a complaint, but if even a fraction of this stuff went on I have exactly zero sympathy for Ms. Deen or her conglomerate corporations. Folks who are feeling a little bad for Paula (I did too, at first), be sure to read it. If it turns out later that this is all trumped-up baloney, I'll eat crow. This complaint was filed over two years ago, though - how'd you like to be this former manager, out of a job and waiting for all this to get resolved?

Marsha I will stand there with you with a loaf of bread and we can eat crow sandwiches together IF this is all trumped up. But after reading the material there seems to be a great number of witnesses to the events. Ms. Dean may not have been responsible for all the accusations but she certainly allowed for it to continue.

Ok.....This is MHO............only that.

She's an almost 70 year old white woman from Georgia. She was born and raised BEFORE the political correctness of all things took over. Down South, according to my family from there, it was quite common growing up to use the N word, and to also be called all kinds of names by the black people in the area (i.e. cracker, whitey, etc).

Now, I am NOT saying that in this day and age that I think we need to go back to the times that words like that were used daily, but I do understand that there WAS a time like that and may time from time carry over unintentionally. I have four black cousins that were born and raised in South Carolina, and I've heard the N word come out of their mouths many, many times and not all of those times were in a playful manner but were, in fact, slurs thrown at other black folks. So are they racist?

.

Well if we're going to excuse racism based on the way things used to be then let's bring back misogyny too. And based on that she should never have left her kitchen or opened her mouth.

Well if we're going to excuse racism based on the way things used to be then let's bring back misogyny too. And based on that she should never have left her kitchen or opened her mouth.

Not so sure we ever REALLY left there.

Just heard that Paula's been dropped by Smithfield Foods now.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/entertainme ... eld-foods/

More trouble for Paula Deen: the celebrity chef has been dropped by Smithfield Foods, the global pork producing company.

“Smithfield condemns the use of offensive and discriminatory language and behavior of any kind. Therefore, we are terminating our partnership with Paula Deen,” the company based in Smithfield, Va., said in a statement. ”Smithfield is determined to be an ethical food industry leader and it is important that our values and those of our spokespeople are properly aligned.”

The news comes just days after the Food Network announced it was firing the self-proclaimed queen of Southern cooking in the wake of criticism over a deposition in which she admitted to using racial slurs.

But, wait! There's more:

In a segment on the scandal Monday morning, CBS This Morning reported that several other corporations with ties to Deen were considering dropping their sponsorship over her history of racially insensitive remarks. The full segment is embedded above, so watch it for the full scoop.

Here are the highlights:

QVC and Kmart, which both sell Deen-branded homewares, are allegedly "reviewing their options." QVC issued a statement on Paula Deen that said the company has "no immediate plans to have her appear on QVC."

Kraft said it hadn't worked with Deen in over a year, and that it has no current business relationship with her.

Novo Nordisk, which manufactures the diabetes drug (Victoza) that Deen endorses, says that it has no plans to drop Deen.

Smithfield Hams, which has a longstanding partnership with Deen, did not respond to requests for comment from CBS This Morning.

Don't forget the Paula Deen Buffet at the casino.....

Waiting for THAT shoe to drop . . . .

As for the press release from Ed Lee..............it saddens me to think that a talented chef would use an oppurtunity such as this to grab publicity for himself. Yes, imho that is what his press release is about. He was going to get press by being on the show, now that isn't going to happen so he still wanted press. Yes, he may be outraged by her comments, but did HE really need to comment on it? I think not..

Sorry Trisha, I think you're sweet and all... but out of everything, this is what makes you sad? A man that makes a statement (to a public that loves to hear his voice), that he's disheartened about the murky dust cloud that is cast upon the south in the wake of this? He didn't hurt nobody, didn't sling no slang, just a good southern man that doesn't want to see a cloak of bigotry heating up the racial divide. NO harm in that. Props to the LA Times writer that recognized it. As some friends would say, "Summer down now, Donna Summer".

Racism is not ok, 30 years or 30 seconds ago. Knowing a bunch of people who use racial slurs does not mean it's ok, it means that you know a bunch of racists. There is no way to use words like the "n" word that is not derogatory, at least not in our current culture. (even when the word is being "taken back" by the subjugated party, it's still derogatory and the attempt to "reclaim" it just keeps the word alive as those who would use it as derogatory get to keep it as part of their lexicon). Likewise, racist comments made in private instead of public doesn't make them ok either. It's about broken morals and bad character.

It's just not, and no amount of excusing or explaining it away will make it ok, not for me.

Again, this could have all been smoothed over better if her apology even tried to look sincere, but she clearly has no idea what she was apologizing for or why she was apologizing in the first place.