Paula Deen was on the Today show today as expected this morning to do a sit down interview with Matt Lauer. The video of the interview is about 13 minutes and there are of course the softball questions, but Matt Lauer also asks some tough ones such as if she was there to stop the financial bleeding.Paula said given the circumstances, she wouldn't have fired herself. She said that only two sponsors have dropped her, but shortly after the interview, Caesars decided to drop her and closed four of her buffets. Paula also said that she has never used the N-word since that day she was robbed and has only used it once. She ended the interview crying and with the quote of "I is what I is and I'm not changing. There's someone evil out there who saw what I had and wanted it."
Video of the 13 minute interview is below, and I have updated the Paula Deen Timeline:
What are your thoughts on the interview? Are you ready for this saga to end and get out of the news, because of the countless stories about it?
After the mess of an interview her boys gave on CNN yesterday, I'm waiting for Food Network to drop them as well.
ReplyDeleteHank Aaron Pajamas....
ReplyDelete"Hank Aaron's Pajamas" would make a great garage-band name, though.
ReplyDeletePlease help me understand the firestorm here because its all just strange to me. She gave a brutally honest answer about something that happened to her back in the 80's and her reaction to it. She openly admits that it was a wrong way to think/respond and I haven't seen anyone accuse her of acting racist in her current/recent life or business activity. The lawsuit that this came out of has nothing to do with racism and frankly reads a lot like an extortion case when you look at the details.
ReplyDeleteIf she is such an big racist then why did she support the Obama campaign? At the end of the day is she just someone that a bunch of people were just itching for a reason to hate on? If so then Guy is just one bad sound bite away from the unemployment line...perhaps we should commission some research :)
Question: "Have you ever used the n-word?"
ReplyDeleteAnswer: "Of course."
See also: Planning a plantation wedding; referring to her bodyguard as "black as that board"; and the entire Lisa Jackson lawsuit (especially the sexual harassment).
But you clearly have your mind made up, so please, go back to posting on Paula's Facebook your messages of support.
Even if she is found guilty (in court), no doubt they'll claim the jury was tainted, the judge paid off and the whole court system is a "travesty".
ReplyDeleteFull disclosure: I did buy one of her frying pans on clearance a few years ago and it was a pretty good frying pan. That said, please don't assume the worst of me for asking a question. I don't consider myself a fan or a hater for what its worth. I do think there is a very interesting conversation to be had here if you are game. If not we can certainly let it ride. I'm not looking for a fight.
ReplyDeleteFor instance that question/answer you mentioned has been quoted a lot so I went and read the actual transcript. In context it comes off a bit differently. Check it out and see what you think.
I'll agree that the plantation wedding story is damning. The only pause I have is everything about it appears to be second hand and/or hear-say and there doesn't seem to be a neutral party confirming they heard it. I would think with everything that would go into a celebrity wedding there would be some folks that don't have an ax to grind that would go on record. Maybe there are and I just missed it (I didn't spend a lot of time researching)
The 'black as a board' comment seems more like bad humor than hate. In fairness poor taste isn't really a great defense so I think she loses on that one anyway you slice it.
The one thing that stuck out to me that made me think extortion on the lawsuit was there was a story a couple of days ago (and I'll have to look around to find where I saw it) that reported that Jackson had written a glowing thank you letter to the family for her time working for them and then a year later files the suit.
All that to say I am just trying to be thoughtful about the whole thing, she may well be the hateful wretch that she is being portrayed as but what if it really is over-blown?
Also we can't pass up a chance to take a shot at Guy and I am sorry for writing a novel in response.
Peace,
LC
Yup... Saw that... I put that in the timeline as I am not going to do a new post for every update.
ReplyDeleteLC, I added the Lisa Jackson Deposition to this post if you are interested: http://www.foodnetworkgossip.com/2013/06/the-paula-deen-racism-scandal-timeline.html. The info about her letter is there, and starts at page 176
ReplyDeleteHey thanks, that is what I had heard about...
ReplyDeleteOn a happy note if this keeps going the way it is I might be able to score another deal on a new frying pan soon. :)
Home Depot said "ta ta" to her as well.
ReplyDeleteLooking like GAC took the reruns of her show off (it's not on the schedule I don't think).
ReplyDeleteThe Deen crew is going to need bigger buckets to bail with me thinks.
Ditched by Target as well!
ReplyDeleteJust ditched by Novo as their diabetic spokesperson.
ReplyDeleteSears/Kmart along with Walgreens have bailed and QVC has temporarily suspended sales of her products (stopping short of dumping her altogether). Things are going to get rough for her fans that plan to "boycott" all the retailers who ditched her.
ReplyDeleteHer products are going to be collectors items soon
ReplyDeleteWho's left of the major retailers now that the shoe's dropped from JCPenney too?
ReplyDeleteHere's the problem I have with this whole situation: The lawsuit really has not much to do with racism at all, being that the woman who brought the lawsuit is white; it is more about the actions of Paula's brother and his treatment of the employees of that restaurant, so instead of vilifying Paula the media should be having her brother Bubba for interviews about the sexual harassment accusations.
ReplyDeleteWell that's the pot calling the kettle black...
ReplyDeleteThat "best seller" book on Amazon is toast too (published nixed it)
ReplyDeleteHer videos have been removed from iTunes.
ReplyDeleteHer Instant Video of her shows on Amazon are unavailable as well
ReplyDeleteKohl's maybe? Amazon might be the only place to get them soon... From reviews, looks like consumers may be better off without her products: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/homeowners/paula_deen_cookware.html
ReplyDeleteLatest word is Walmart has dropped her!
ReplyDeleteam so disappointed in the Food Network. What hypocrites the producers are. And the companies, they are all covering their butts. Let's get each one of the corporations CO's to share under oath with a Bible and a minister on hand, that they have never used racial remarks. These CO's are usually old, ugly white men who have clawed their way to the top and in some cases bought their way to the top; who hate women, minorities, and anyone who has more power then they do. What a shame that our lives are controlled by such a group of thwarted individuals. All of use suffer from there indifference; their downsizing schemes, and their seemingly total control of our government. Ask yourself if the decisions made by our employers and our government benefit us or them. In my mind, I am the loser. I can't speak for anyone else, but I have experienced the outcome of most of those decisions. I have witnessed thousands of jobs contracted out to foreign companies forcing massive layoff in the technical areas of the economy. I suspect that many of us have our horror stories to tell. But I digress. I did not care for Paula Dean's recipes, but I still admired her courage and her passion for food. It's ashamed that she has been tarred and feathered before all the facts are in. Even her ex husband states that the media have created a monster out of a saint. I wouldn't have gone that far, but she did get a raw deal. How many Americans both North, South, East, and West over the age of sixty can say that they never uttered a racial slur? Not many. And those that say they have not are liars or much worse hypocrites. That's it.
ReplyDelete