Paula Dean fired for being a racist

[bigdaddy]

This has all happened very quickly, you think after the who diabetes PR disaster her management team would be better.

Think what really did her in wasn't saying nigger a lot, it's more...

bunch of little niggers to wear long-sleeve white shirts, black shorts and black bow ties, you know in the Shirley Temple days

http://www.thebraiser.com/paula-deen-racist-deposition-statements/

It brings up the age old question of if you are less of a fan of a TV or movie actor (and Paula Dean is acting) after their actions or words.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Three hours ago I had never heard of this woman.

W. Kumau Bell gave the media a "No Shit Award" for figuring out that someone in their 60's from Georgia was a racist.

 

[bigdaddy]

Three hours ago I had never heard of this woman.

W. Kumau Bell gave the media a "No Shit Award" for figuring out that someone in their 60's from Georgia was a racist.

Not a cook are you?

But he's a thought, people are still racist, I know shocking. I'd say a white woman from Georgia over 40 wouldn't shock me. I almost titled this "Breaking News!!! Old white southern woman a racist!"

But she really screwed this up, it's not like she didn't know this was coming, the testimony was from May. I'm more surprised Food Network threw her under the bus so quickly.

 

[auntiehill]

The whole thing is just rather bizarre. She's involved in a lawsuit involving discrimination and then goes on the national media to apologize for her racist statements---wtf? She must have the WORST legal representation and management EVER. Well, that, and the possibility that she will be found so ridiculously guilty that she wanted to get a jump-start on the mea culpas.

I can't say I was ever a fan. I found her voice grating and her saccharine on-screen personality just too cloying. Plus, the way she pushed for "homestyle" cooking that was so remarkably unhealthy and then when she becomes diabetic, to just use that to further market her products---that just struck me as distasteful.

 

[bigdaddy]

She never went on national media! She was supposed to go on The Today Show, if you can still consider NBC national, and dropped out at the last minute.

Her spokesperson gave some statement that sounded worse than what she said. Then she released three weird 'I'm sorry" videos, and then got fired.

It's really bizarre indeed.

I find it more fun than most of her shows.

 

[JirinPanthosa]

Obviously Deen's comments are ridiculous.

But do we really want to be a culture that preaches tolerance by immediately raking anyone over the coals who says something we think is wrong? People with racist beliefs today don't have the power to harm anyone the way they did a few decades ago. In the 1960s racists were destroying lives, now they're just pissing in the wind. Whether Deen's show stays on the air should be based solely on how many people want to watch it, not based on the lawsuit-phobia of the network executives.

 

[auntiehill]

She wasn't fired because of the fear of lawsuits. She is being sued personally by her staff over what is alleged harassment/discrimination. The Food Network (not exactly the biggest channel around) is not renewing her contract because she is bad publicity for them. She actually has been bad press for them for awhile but this probably put them over the edge.

 

[Guy Gardener]

I thought it was her brother's staff at his restaurant?

Although this is what I find hilarious, if she had gotten that Plantation themed restaurant off the ground with a completely black waitstaff in period costume... Odds are that the staff would only be completely black at the expense of a number of lawsuits about unfair hiring practices, because rationally your Asians, Native Americans, Whites and even Mexicans would be arguing that they can be just as good House #####s as an African American... I mean, sincerely do you believe that all the waiters at Long John Silvers are authentic Pirates who raped and pillaged the seven seas? And if you did believe that that was so, then you should've already called interpol to report these scurvy maniacs for crimes against humanity.

 

[sojourner]

Do you believe all the Hooter's girls are girls?

It'll be interesting if she is on any of the upcoming Food Network Star episodes. I wonder if they'll still show the episode?

I wonder how this will affect her son's show?

 

[Guy Gardener]

If they try to fire him for what his mother did, he'll wind up owning the Network.

 

[TemporalFlux]

A couple of years ago, I went to Paula Deen's restaurant in Savannah. We were talking with the staff about some of the photos on the wall; and there was one with a younger Paula and a black woman at what appeared to be the opening of the restaurant. It was explained to us that was Paula's partner who helped her start it all; I wish I could remember her name, but I can't seem to find any mention of it online.

In any case, the staffer noted how the two had a falling out when Paula became famous. Paula didn't bring her partner along.

 

[C.E. Evans]

IMO, Paula Deen was already a controversial figure at Food Network for earlier stuff and this was more than they were willing to let slide.

 

[Guy Gardener]

In YOUR opinion? Duuuuuuude. That's everyone's opinion.

 

[bigdaddy]

Yeah press is all any chef has. She already was getting bad press, and Food Network just happened to have the great timing of her contract being up.

 

[Kirby]

If they try to fire him for what his mother did, he'll wind up owning the Network.

They won't fire him, at least as long as he's under contract. His show however is called "Not My Mama's Meals" where he takes Paula's recipes and remakes them to be healthier. The problem is under the current format they show clips from her various shows and she even appears in most of the episodes tasting the revamped dish.

Obviously they can't show her clips or have her appear anymore, and likely they can't even refer to her recipes so whatever Bobby does going forward will have to not involve Paula in any way.

 

[the G-man]

The whole thing is just rather bizarre. She's involved in a lawsuit involving discrimination and then goes on the national media to apologize for her racist statements---wtf? She must have the WORST legal representation and management EVER.

Actually, her attorney probably gave her good advice.

From what I understand, during a deposition in the lawsuit she was asked while under oath if she ever used the word. Not wanting to pull a Bill Clinton and commit perjury she told the truth. The transcript leaked out and so she apologized.

Yeah, it got her fired and may have hurt the lawsuit. But that's loads better than getting hit with a felony charge.

Furthermore, an attorney that advises a client to lie under oath is subject to being a disbarred for suborning perjury.

As such, I can't see how anyone can say she got bad legal advice.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Answers to that question almost all of us would have to say in reply to that question...

"Not recently."

"In the correct context."

"Not maliciously."

"Not since I realized how hurtful that word was."

...

Why would anyone even ask that question?

Oh.

It's a law suit from the black people who worked for her sick of being called ni####s.

So I guess the only real way to avoid perjury would have been to say "I have only used that word affectionately."

 

[publiusr]

She'll be picked up on Fox within the week, no doubt.

 

[marksound]

From what I know of Paula Deen, she didn't mean anything malicious or hateful. There are still parts of this country where that language is "normal." It's the way people in the deep south were raised. That word has only become taboo in the last 30 or so years. Some habits are hard to let go. Ask her about butter and cigarettes.

Granted, she should have known better. Paula has been around enough to realize that times have changed. This has killed her career, and I think that's punishment enough. But who here hasn't said something they regret, and wish they could take it back?

As for her sons, Bobby's show will probably be pulled. Jamie's show features Paula very rarely, but I think that both sons will suffer for this.

I feel sorry for all of them.

 

[the G-man]

She'll be picked up on Fox within the week, no doubt.

I don't know about that. She might fit in well at MSNBC what with Al "Blood Sucking Jews" Sharpton. Or, better yet, the two of them could star in a remake of "All in the Family" with her as Archie and him as George Jefferson.