Did I miss a thread on this?

All her companies are letting her go. Which seems to be because of her use of the N word which she said years ago. Which she admitted under oath in a court of Law.

This seems way over blown, even though it is a business's right to do so. Years ago the so called N word was used everywhere back then, just pick up a copy of the movie "ROOTS". Is it really fair to punish someone for something said so far back?

Many of her own employees have come forward saying she is not a racist.

What are these companies so afraid. Why not wait some before some time passes? No they make it a point to let the news out there at this time.
Oh, we let her go....(like she is a leper.)
Oh my, it may cost us a sale because of what she said so many years ago.

So what do you all think..even you heartless people must have an opinion on this. You do about everything else-

Supposedly she has also stated (when, I don't know) that she would like to have a wedding such as they had in the days of slavery. If true, that's an odd way to express a nostalgic desire. She also supposedly said that she wanted to name a hamburger at one of her restaurants as a Sambo burger.

It's sad, and people act like they're in shock that an older woman from the deep south might be a little racially insensitive. 99.9% of the people that claim to have never used that word are lying.

I found this undet Little balck sambo-
the book-A popular U.S. restaurant chain of the 1960s and 1970s, Sambo's, borrowed characters from the book (including Sambo and the tigers) for promotional purposes, although the Sambo name was originally a combination of the founders' nicknames: Sam (Sam Battistone) and Bo (Newell Bohnett).[7] Nonetheless, the controversy about the book led to accusations of racism that contributed to the 1,117-restaurant[8] chain's demise in the early 1980s.[7] Images inspired by the book (now considered by some racially insensitive) were common interior decorations in the restaurants.[9] Though portions of the original chain were renamed No Place Like Sam's to try to forestall closure,[8] all but the original restaurants in Santa Barbara, California had closed by 1983.

I agree. It's waaaaaay overblown. While not excusing her, how people are jumping ship like she is a leper is ridiculous. To be somebody who is known to have uttered the dreaded "N word," or be even perceived as a racist, is considered the worst thing in society today. Even more so than being a murderer, rapist, etc. This is what political correctness has brought us.

I think pc as a whole is being way overdone, but these entertainment people just dont get it that the networks have a zero tolerence policy regarding racism of any kind, look at rob parker who is a black guy who gets fired for saying another black guy isnt black enough " not down for the cause" and "cornbread brother". People on tv really need to be aware that a precedent has been set that if u cross a certain line u will be fired. That being said i think paulas getting a pretty raw deal even al sharpton of all people said he didnt think she said anything wrong.

Whatever you say Wops.

Now now don't pull out the PC card if you were offended by that.

On a serious note, this "scandal" is stupid only because it's focusing on the N-word instead of the really not so cool things Deen talked about (or allegedly done) like paying her black employees not in cash but beer and her daydream of holding a wedding in the style of those on slavery plantations with black servants and all that. (The fuck?)

Food Network though tried to have it both ways by claiming they weren't renewing her contract not because of what she said but because of "the terrible work of her PR team." Which as bullshit goes is pretty insultingly lame.

Knowledge is power, and I'm King Kong.

I don't agree with what she said, and I don't like the use of the N word one bit. Moreover I think her show is awful, and I don't eat or approve of the sugary greasy stuff she prepares. BUT... From what I understand, she used it many years ago, and based on her idea os a "plantation party" and a "Sambo bueger," it is pretty clear she is racially insensitive. But consider she is 66 and grew up when Jim Crow was still the law. At worst she should have volunteered to take some kind of sensitivity course. The bottom line here is that she had plenty of people step up and say she was not a racist.

It is insane that a bunch of PC people have literally taken this woman's livelihood away because of some residual latent racism that bubbled to the surface a couple of times. Worse, they are now making a big deal about how she did not apologize correctly.

To put this in perspective, there is a guy on the Food Channel named Robert Irvine who does a show called Restaurant Impossible. It is a matter of public record that he bilked a woman out of more than $100,000 in Florida claiming he would start up a restaurant using his skills. When he took the money he claimed falsely he had been given some title by the Queen, that he cooked Charles and Diana's wedding cake, that he was personal chef for the Royal Family, and later the White House chef.
He had to retract all those lies, and he never paid the money back. He got something like a four month suspension from his show. In my view this is far worse conduct, and he received little punishment.

Mel Gibson chimed in and said she could not be a racist...because he's never seen her at the meetings.

I don't know whether she's a racist or not, but she lost her endorsements for the simple reason that her name or brand is now poison. Her admission to past comments brought a spotlight on her present litigation, which accuses her of racism, and association with her is no longer a wise business decision for some companies.

I concur Kly. Her former business partners have made a business decision. It's as simple as that. They've calculated the loss or gain associated with continued association with her or without such association.

By the way, over in Crime & Justice I posted a question for you and DT.

Such double standard going in imo. Rap artists use the n word all the time.

On CNN yesterday, anchorman and sometimes reporter Don Lemon, who is Black, went out and using flashcards, asked people about word Cracker and "N' word. He was doing it because of Treyvon Martin using the word Cracker to describe Zimmerman to girl friend on phone. He had people on who all said that N word was worse. I think any White people he stopped would be afraid to say opposite.
Don Lemon did a biased report to me, and then gave conclusion that Cracker was not offensive term, but "N" word was extremely offensive.

Well said. Racism is disgusting and should not be tolerated, but it's ridiculous the amount of coverage a racist incident gets in the media compared to the video you posted of the black man beating the woman in front of her young child or similar incidents, imo the latter is more common.

You have to love the URBAN dictionary: even examples


1. ni**er
A fully grown niglet
Theres one of them ni**ers

2. ni**er
A word that everyone else is afraid to define except in utter seriousness, for fear of being branded a rascist, in total ignorance of the colloquial usage of the word, its characterization in popular culture, and the populations of people it is used most by.
You shouldn't ever say the n-word, you rascist cracker asshole.

3. ni**er

a term that is racist, as long as the speaker of it is not black. Forbidden on most all of television and other forms of public entertainment, at times referenced to as the "n-word". However, "cracker", a term racist against whites, is a completely acceptable term used in any context of any national broadcast...hmm...
White man: I would like to know why "cracker" and, ahem, "ni**er" are not equally forbidden *white man is put on trial for racist slander*


What is really weird is that ni**er is not allowed by this site and is zaped, but asshole and cracker go right thru?
No wonder Achie Bunker died so young!

I concur with some of the sentiments expressed here. When does it stop? When will we white people be judged for the content of our character and not for the color (is white a color?) of our skin? When will we finally throw off the yoke of oppression that has been hung around our necks generation after generation. Cracker, Honky, Old Fay, White Devil (I kind of like this one) ... when does it end? No sooner do people stop referring to we Italians as Dagos then we find ourselves putting up with these racist rants just because we are White. Sure, I could play tennis or hockey, or compete in gymnastics, ice-skating, or clogging. But maybe I want to play professional basketball or NFL football. Why can't I? Okay, maybe I can't dribble and I have never actually made a basket. Or maybe I've never held a football or can't run more than 5 feet without getting out of breath. But shouldn't I be able to at least try? Madonne!

Where has this come from? Nowhere in this thread people are complaining about racism against whites. Your sarcastic rant, may have been misplaced because people are talking about this being completely unnecessary and it being such a massive story in the media.

You could at least put a "RANT WARNING" line before that post!

Tu quoque arguments are logical fallacies.

I personally find some of her admissions distasteful. However, I agree that this has been way overblown. In context, look at her background and let's not all be shocked that she thinks the way she thinks. Does this mean that it's acceptable or tolerable? No. However, I think that the people should have been allowed to decide. If enough people were angered or offended, they would change the channel and stop buying her products. If that didn't happen, then people were sensible, saw the forest for the trees, and moved on.

I actually find the actions of these companies more offensive. Why do they not trust their consumers to use common sense?

Asshole is nothing, really. But, it's really weird that I wouldn't allow a discussion of a Ritz cracker (for instance) that I have to ban the entire word because .001% of the White population think it's offensive? lol

I agree with all this, Babe.

A total overreaction. Hey, I've been making fun of her saying, "Hey, y'aaaaaaaal" (4 octaves up), and her cackly laugh, for a long time. I really didn't/couldn't watch her show much simply because of her annoying voice/laugh. But I never wanted her to be gone! I'm not that immature.

And I'm certainly not that PC. Everyone here (I bet) has "said something they regretted" long ago (or even yesterday). But should that mean the end of a career and empire?! NO!

Can'd stand this b.s. anymore.....

First I ever heard of Paula Deen was the story of her having diabetes and that she was altering her cooking or something? I obviously don't watch cooking shows (tho maybe I should)

Anyway, I too agree with SB, Geoff and the others. I don't agree with her behavior but should it be a career ender? I don't think so. I'm sure we've all said/done things that we regret.

Btw, I heard that there is some kind of a Deen Cruise planned that is already booked by all her fans.


TIS

I think she'll make a comeback down the road. God knows Americans have forgiven celebrities for worse things.

Meanwhile, Alec Baldwin had his own little PR nightmare this week on Twitter.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2013/06/27/baldwin-funeral-twitter/2466535/

Funny how Alec Baldwin goes on an anti gay rant and nothing is said- all is forgiven- But with Paula Deen- hang her ! what a double standard in the media and with many Americans- Shameful

I agree. GLAAD giving him a pass is really sending a bad message. (TMZ called them out harshly for being "starfuckers" and they're right.)

There are some areas of the human condition that fall into the category of abhorrent behavior such that they are off limits. Thes e behaviors include slavery, genocide, child abuse, and other similar atrocities. The N word is associated with slavery. It was born in slavery of Africans brought to America. The use of the word is in no way on the same level of ethnic slurs such as Dago, Honky, Kraut, Mick, or Polock. Paula Deen's admission of using the N word is not the shameful act. Her reenactment of a civil war era dinner/wedding with black servants is the shameful act. That is part of history that should in no way be reenacted. Should we have a Nazi dinner with concentration camp waitresses? Should we have a U.S. Calvary cookout with Native Americans serving buffalo? Should we have a reenactment of Idi Amin celebrating the slaughter of a thousand people?

I hope Paula Deen can't sell a hot dog.

I guess we can figure that Marycas likes to go overboard on some things.

Maybe we should have taken Paula out and given her some nice lashes and put her in the public stocks for a while?

No, I don't think you can.