There are lots and lots of people who don't get why it matters what you say, or are just stupid enough to say whatever it is they think.

Hi- I was watching network news today. and they reported that many of Paula's fans have come to her defense. One male who happened to be minority, was defending Paula, saying that everybody says things that latter on they wished they had not.

Besides the lame youtube apologies that she made, the Food Network also did not like the fact that she cancelled her appearance on the Today show. I also feel that her PR team slipped up.

http://whitepeoplemadatfoodnetwork.tumblr.com

AlekH wrote:http://whitepeoplemadatfoodnetwork.tumblr.com

Sigh.

With the things I've seen in the news lately, I think there has been a massive outbreak of dumbening these days.

Hi- I just read the comments, and I can't believe the woman who said that she uses the N word all the time, and she does not consider herself racist. Apparently somebody has started a facebook page asking people to boycott the food network. Thanks, Nancy

The n-word is just the tip of the iceberg. Reading what actually happened in her restaurants, it appears it was just part of a larger culture of discrimination against a wide variety of people.

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

I grew up in the South and I heard the n-word. It is insulting to Southerners to imply that our upbringing means that we cannot chose to do better. Of course I also am not surprised by the things in the complaint. Preoccupation with even the minutiae of ancestry is unfortunately common enough that even a woman who is part Sicilian (a European proper) experienced it. I've certainly heard enough of it myself given I have a non-"white", though certainly European, grandparent.

I do like that the Metafilter thread on the subject has devolved into an argument about serving drinks in mason jars
http://www.metafilter.com/129332/Inappr ... acceptable

I, too, grew up in the south and, with most of my family still living in central Florida and a client in Charleston, I am still down there regularly. I can tell you that pretty much all of my friends from growing up who were not part of the cracker culture have left and migrated north. I knew plenty of moms who looked and sounded like Paula and from my FB feed, I can tell that the next generation hasn't evolved very much.

But, then again, at a 14U ballgame yesterday, with kids from very nice, friendly, southwest burb families, I heard several kids make some very inappropriate racial comments for the 2nd time this summer. Their team, of course, is lily white. This isn't just a southern problem--Paula just looks the part more than our neighbors next door. The population that watches the Food Network and thinks Paula is the shiz is NOT confined to some tiny town in Mississippi.

Hi- Reading the court case, I have no idea how this manager survived the job for over five years. I had no idea that Ms. Jackson was white. Apparently Bubba can't stand to even have white women put in charge. Apparently she was having so many medical problems because of the stress of her job, that her doctor finally told her that she had to quit her job there, and then when she finally did, she could not get another job in Savannah, and had to relocate. Thanks for the link. Nancy

Hi- It sounds like unfortunately Bubba is the only person in the family that spends much time in any of the restaurants. The manager that was in place before Ms. Jackson took over the manager's position, was sleeping with some of the servers at the restaurant. The restaurant was loosing money while he managed the place too. Paula was the person that fired the first manager, and promoted Ms. Jackson to manager, even though Bubba did not want a woman in charge. Apparently Ms. Jackson was able to turn his restaurant around and actually make a profit at the restaurant, even though Bubba regularly helped himself to the money in the till.

NFriday wrote:...promoted Ms. Jackson to manager, even though Bubba did not want a woman in charge...

From Yahoo News: The lawsuit alleges that, while discussing with Jackson plans for Hiers' 2007 wedding, Deen said she wanted a "true southern plantation-style wedding." "Well, what I would really like is a bunch of little niggers to wear long-sleeve white shirts, black shorts and black bow ties, you know in the Shirley Temple days, they used to tap dance around," Deen said, according to the lawsuit.

Quite the delightful bunch they are over there!

Smithfield, a company that specializes in pork products, is terminating its partnership with the celebrity chef who has a line of hams with them, the company told TMZ.

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Paula-Deen- ... 67088.aspx

QVC is considering dropping Paula's cookware.

I cannot imagine possibly wanting to purchase cookware following her self-destructive racist comments.

Paula could probably latch on at Denny's as a consultant.

seebee wrote:Love this one:
"most jokes are about Jewish people, rednecks, black folks ... gays or straights, black, redneck, you know, I just don't know — I just don't know what to say,” Deen reportedly said in her defense.

Racism doesn't even exist anymore, right?

I wonder what kind of promotions the restaurants she is "attached" to will be pushing. I'm sure the late night talk shows can come up with some good material.

I haven't been following this story closely, but I grew up in a very multi-ethnic neighborhood where our single most popular pastime was finding new and creative ways to insult each other's race, religion, lineage, sexual orientation, and how closely related each others' parents were. I've forgotten more racial epithets (in French/Creole, Spanish, Hebrew, Chinese, and Malayalam) than most people will ever hear in a lifetime. None of it was malicious in the slightest (unless you happened to actually take offense to it and got angry; then, the gloves really came off). This tradition continues in the enlisted ranks of most of the Armed Forces as well.

Granted, I grew out of it once I realized that it was no longer appropriate to any context but the one I grew up in, but I can easily imagine a non-racist context for some horribly offensive speech.

Independent George wrote:I haven't been following this story closely, but I grew up in a very multi-ethnic neighborhood where our single most popular pastime was finding new and creative ways to insult each other's race, religion, lineage, sexual orientation, and how closely related each others' parents were. I've forgotten more racial epithets (in French/Creole, Spanish, Hebrew, Chinese, and Malayalam) than most people will ever hear in a lifetime. None of it was malicious in the slightest (unless you happened to actually take offense to it and got angry; then, the gloves really came off). This tradition continues in the enlisted ranks of most of the Armed Forces as well.

Granted, I grew out of it once I realized that it was no longer appropriate to any context but the one I grew up in, but I can easily imagine a non-racist context for some horribly offensive speech.

That's pretty much the point. For a woman her age, growing up where she did I don't think anyone would be shocked at a disclosure that she had used derogatory language in the past. However, her lack of introspection or awareness that we're 50 years into the post civil rights era and what may have been "acceptable" in the past is wholly inappropriate now is where the problem lies.

Racist or not, her real problem is that she never paused for a moment in the last 50 years to consider her attitude towards people who are not like her.

Hi- I watched the Today show for a few minutes today, and Paula is supposed to be on there tomorrow morning. I have no idea when. I hope she does not back out this time.

spinynorman99 wrote:

Independent George wrote:
Granted, I grew out of it once I realized that it was no longer appropriate to any context but the one I grew up in, but I can easily imagine a non-racist context for some horribly offensive speech.

That's pretty much the point. For a woman her age, growing up where she did I don't think anyone would be shocked at a disclosure that she had used derogatory language in the past. However, her lack of introspection or awareness that we're 50 years into the post civil rights era and what may have been "acceptable" in the past is wholly inappropriate now is where the problem lies.

Racist or not, her real problem is that she never paused for a moment in the last 50 years to consider her attitude towards people who are not like her.

That was beautifully phrased. Thank you!

Tim wrote:

spinynorman99 wrote:

Independent George wrote:
Granted, I grew out of it once I realized that it was no longer appropriate to any context but the one I grew up in, but I can easily imagine a non-racist context for some horribly offensive speech.

That's pretty much the point. For a woman her age, growing up where she did I don't think anyone would be shocked at a disclosure that she had used derogatory language in the past. However, her lack of introspection or awareness that we're 50 years into the post civil rights era and what may have been "acceptable" in the past is wholly inappropriate now is where the problem lies.

Racist or not, her real problem is that she never paused for a moment in the last 50 years to consider her attitude towards people who are not like her.

That was beautifully phrased. Thank you!

Agreed! My Grandfather actually talked to me extensively about his experiences of getting past the derogatory terms he grew up with, and he learned to do it during WWII. My wife's grandfather also learned how insulting it was in the same circumstances.

Looking at all of the stories that are being reported I think it is very clear that Paula Dean was incapable of of thinking about anyone not like her. It's an insidious form of selfish cultural narcissism.

Hi- Paula Deen was just on the today show. She was very tearful, and claimed that she only used the N word one time when she was a bank teller 30 years ago. and had a gun put to her head, She pointed out that the Food Network and Smithfield are the only people that have dumped her. She said that she does not want people boycotting the Food Network. Her own attitude is that everybody says things that they wish they had not.

NFriday wrote:Hi- Paula Deen was just on the today show. She was very tearful, and claimed that she only used the N word one time when she was a bank teller 30 years ago. and had a gun put to her head, She pointed out that the Food Network and Smithfield are the only people that have dumped her. She said that she does not want people boycotting the Food Network. Her own attitude is that everybody says things that they wish they had not.

I also think that she's a pretty poor actress and might have been better served by not doing the interview. I went in thinking that this was "much ado about nothing" and came away feeling that "The lady dost protest too much, methinks".

Hi- Yes I don't know if she helped herself by doing the interview today. Her whole premise seemed to be that everybody says things that they wished they had not, and that the last time she used the N word was 30 when a gun got shoved in her face. It was interesting that approximately 15 minutes after the interview finished, Carson Daly reported on the feedback to the interview on facebook, and he said that it was almost split down the middle. Approximately half of the people said that everyone says things that they occasionally wished they had not, and half the people said that she still does not get it.

Personally I felt that she still does not get it. Ir seems like she became too defensive, and pointed out that only two companies have dumped her, and that people have been misinterpreting what she said. I did not hear her say that she was sorry for what she said. I just find it hard to believe that she has never used the N word, since that incidence 30 years ago.

It appears Harrah's just cancelled her contract.

I didn't see it but this account was rather interesting - seems she's in heavy denial to say the least: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-paula-deen-today-show-20130626,0,3858346.story

I daresay that lady's crazy.

Very interesting blog post regarding food history, race, and Paula Deen http://afroculinaria.com/2013/06/25/an- ... aula-deen/

Pretty sure the crisis PR folks are the ones heavily pushing her mantra that this is about the use of a word. It's certainly an easy point with which to try and rally those who want this to be about PC silliness or some such thing. What seems to be getting lost in the shuffle is that she ran an empire which, if the allegations prove to be true and her dep certainly seemed to indicate that a lot of them were, created one of the most hostile work environments I've heard about lately--and the real reason she's in trouble. Not because she used/uses a racial slur herself then or now.

boudreaulicious wrote:What seems to be getting lost in the shuffle is that she ran an empire which, if the allegations prove to be true and her dep certainly seemed to indicate that a lot of them were, created one of the most hostile work environments I've heard about lately--and the real reason she's in trouble. Not because she used/uses a racial slur herself then or now.

It was probably via a link provided above but I remember reading that she allowed her brother to openly watch porn at their workplace, in the presence of (other) employees. Not a wise move, if it was actually the case.

=R=

I saw that too. Reminds me of my days cooking at the hotel.

boudreaulicious wrote:Pretty sure the crisis PR folks are the ones heavily pushing her mantra that this is about the use of a word. It's certainly an easy point with which to try and rally those who want this to be about PC silliness or some such thing. What seems to be getting lost in the shuffle is that she ran an empire which, if the allegations prove to be true and her dep certainly seemed to indicate that a lot of them were, created one of the most hostile work environments I've heard about lately--and the real reason she's in trouble. Not because she used/uses a racial slur herself then or now.

Having just read the court document linked above, I have to agree with this - all I've seen in the press is about the racial slur, and not any mention of the details of sexual harassment/sexual assault listed in the file.

Who, exactly, is Bubba Hiers? Is he Paul Dean's brother?