Paula Deen fired and Alabama again lives down to stereotypes

[Shoes Grace]

Alton's "behind the scenes" episode of Good Eats make him come off like a jerk to his staff. You know where you have a complete breakdown of social skills and you say the thing that sounded funny in your head, but is actually TERRIBLE? The moment when you go from skirting the line to WAY over it? I don't think Alton has that filter, I think he thinks that as long as it's funny, it's OK. Ugh.

[flyawaystray]

I've never watched Paula Deen so I'm not disappointed in her as far as being let down as a fan. Alton Brown, I am disappointed in because I really like Good Eats and thought he was a good guy.

[roadnottaken]

I'm the one who posted back on page 1 about the use of other slurs and derogatory comments and brought up the yankee/redneck thing. I didn't say they were the same but did use them as an example of how different groups use different words as derogatory toward each other. Where I grew up in the south being called a redneck by the city folks was derogatory and calling anyone a yankee was too.

I made my post when I had only heard about her use of the N word in the past...I wasn't condoning it then or now. I had not read about any of the other allegations or depositions and felt then that firing someone over admitting the use of a slur in the distant past was wrong. Had that been all there was to it, I would think that alone would not have justified a firing which is why I was trying to make the point that at one time or the other in their past, everyone has said something that was meant to be derogatory toward someone or some group.

[flyawaystray]

I think she was fired because she got caught, not because she said the n word. That's just my two cents.

[GeoBQn]

People are flocking to her restaurant in support.

mobile.nytimes.com/2013/06/23/us/in-the-south-many-are-willing-to-forgive-deens-racial-misstep.html

[Lillybee]

On the FNS show, Bobby Flay called out a contestant for being sleazy, he said that sleazy and food do not go together.

I immediately thought of Paula and some of her shows because she did go sleazy.

[already hungover]

I'm just as shocked as you are about Alton Brown. He even did a PSA for Heifer International. I liked "Good Eats" too .I admit, I kinda hope that he was just joking at that book event ( even though those jokes were horrible ) and not actually racist and a homophobe, but I know that's probably not true.

I have some of hope that Alton would stop being racist. He seems to be a nice guy and maybe because of that he's got the capacity to change his views on race. As for him stop being homophobic, that may be harder to change. I think he has more a chance of stop being racist than stop being homophobic.

As for Guy...eh, I feel like it's kinda harder to become non-homophobic than non-racist. Considering Guy's personality, it may be harder for him to change his views.

Then again, maybe I'm just fishing in the sky and hoping these nice guys ( well, at least Alton seems nice ) can change because I like them and can't imagine people I like being racist and homophobic.

Alton Brown is AT LEAST fundie-lite. I think he's a Baptist.

[Sola]

I also don't understand why people believe she just let the N word slip. That would have been pretty reprehensible but there is more to the case than just that one word being said.

I'm confused how anyone CAN let the N word slip. To me if you let an offensive word slip, then that word is part of your vocabulary. For instance, I have been known to say the word Fuck. I do not generally say it in front of my kids, in the street or to my mother. However the other day I dropped a tin of beans on my bare little toe. The word Fuck came out of my mouth quite easily, despite my daughter being around. Had Fuck not been part of my vocab, it is highly unlikely that I would have automatically screeched that particular word out due to my mangled toe. So while I do censor my use of the word there are times it slips out.

As for the N word, that never slips out because it isn't, nor has ever been part of my vocab. If Paula Seen is saying it slipped out, then that must be she uses that word on a fairly regular basis, but on occasions censors herself from using it. Which in turn means that it IS part of her regular vocabulary.

[alchemy]

This new gig for Paula Deen

forwardprogressives.com/fox-news-hires-paula-deen-for-new-cooking-show/

really had me going for a moment.

[louisa05]

My hillbilly relatives are posting their support for Paula Deen today. All of it rooted in the notion that all she did was admit that she said that word at some point in her life and how could she be fired for that and it is all the fault of politically correct liberals...

The so called liberal media has completely dropped the ball on reporting this lawsuit. The allegations of sexual harassment, porn in the workplace, blatant racial discrimination, and a generally hostile work environment are barely even a footnote in the news stories. It is pathetic.

[Jezebel]

People are flocking to her restaurant in support.

mobile.nytimes.com/2013/06/23/us/in-the-south-many-are-willing-to-forgive-deens-racial-misstep.html

Ah, but will they still be doing so in a year? In five years? And how many of the people flocking to her restaurants are folks who would be able to eat there on a regular basis?

Without a national TV presence, she'll fall off the radar pretty fast. There's nothing novel about her food; it's just straight-up Southern, when she isn't doing ridiculous things like donut burgers. I don't doubt for a minute there are good Southern cooks out there who could step in and fill that niche on TV--and without all the overdone emphasis on buttery excess.

And without a TV show, and with the stain of racism, companies aren't going to be in a hurry to license her name anymore. They won't pay her to put her name on lines of cookware, kitchen gadgets and decor, foods, etc. She also won't be landing any more advertising contracts. And those two things are hugely lucrative. Combined with loss of income from the show (not just for new episodes, but also residuals each time an older one gets aired), she's going to take a massive financial hit for this.

Unless she's really stupid with money, she's not going to end up broke. But in a few years, it's likely she'll be a local restauranteur again.

Now if we can just get the same shitstorm of career-wrecking bad publicity to befall that repulsive douchebag Guy Fieri, I'll be a happy woman...

[flyawaystray]

Donut burgers.....ew. Was she eating horrible food regularly? Her developing diabetes isn't a surprise.

[Sola]

This new gig for Paula Deen

forwardprogressives.com/fox-news-hires-paula-deen-for-new-cooking-show/

really had me going for a moment.

Its satire. From the Huff Post.

[idonthaveajname]

Through an odd series of coincidences I became friendly with several of the higher-ups at Smithfield. I've heard several stories of Paula behaving in a less than ladylike fashion. Most of them were like, "Oh she swears a lot". Me too! That doesn't bother me.

This whole mess is just beyond though. My parents are older than her and also born and raised in the South and they would never behave in this way. Never. I don't buy her excuses and I am sick that so many people are defending this shit.

[alchemy]

Its satire. From the Huff Post.

I know, hence the spoiler about it having me going for a moment.

[frumper-rump]

MY96 year old, very Southern grandmother has never uttered the "n-word". My parents are of the same generation of Paula Deen and do not speak or think that way. My entire family lives in Alabama. While I do hear people speak that way on occasion, its not something I hear often. In fact, it shocks my ears when I do hear it. I am disgusted by these allegations and don't doubt them.

[Lillybee]

Something new about Paula. It seems that sometimes she pays her employees in beer.

http://jezebel.com/new-allegation-paula ... -555024472

[AlexIsAwake]

I'm just at work now and haven't read the entire thread, but have read the article describing the allegations. As someone born and raised in the south, I'd like to say that I agree 100% with the OP. If I were a business owner and had someone with such attitudes working for me, I'd fire them as well. That is not the kind of person I'd want representing my business. The issue has absolutely nothing to do with how many of us have ever used racial slurs and whether rappers use them. The issue is that Paula represented the Food Network poorly, and they didn't want to put up with that. And these southerners defending her make me sick. It's time that people realized it's never ok to use racial slurs and to have superior attitudes against any race, it's not socially acceptable anymore, nor should it ever have been acceptable. Just as much of the US is having to catch up on the LGBT issue and learn that we ALL deserve equal rights, bigoted southerners need to understand that remnants of hatred and superiority from a bygone era will earn them disdain from fair-minded individuals.

[noni alabaster]

Smithfield just dropped her. I can't post a link, but you can google it.

[mlady]

This is ok. Paula Deen had more than her 15 minutes and made a fortune solely for being being in the right place at the right time, when a new tv cooking show was poping up every week. I don't hold reality tv personalities up to much, standards wise, but I also don't care when they are gone. She is set financially and no longer needs to be famous, most of us aren't. It's crazy to think everyone can make a career out of this stuff, there has to be more. Now she can do more like all the other has-beens.

[EmmieJ]

People are flocking to her restaurant in support.

I didn't click the link, so I'm just assuming that the people currently "flocking" to her restaurant are likely locals. My hairdresser and his partner used to love to visit Georgia once a year, and they would always make a visit to The Lady & Sons restaurant. I'm having my hair done on Friday and this will be one of our topics of conversation. I'm pretty sure he will be as disgusted as I am, and wouldn't dream of setting foot inside any of her establishments ever again, nor purchasing any product she endorses.

Only time will tell -- but my gut feeling is this will put quite a blow to Ms. Deen's restaurant empire. The ability to do well in a variety of settings is intrinsic to your ability to appeal to a wide audience.

Remember when certain groups were going to have a weekly Chik Fil A day, where they would all eat at Chik Fil A to express their support for the homophobic owner? I wonder how that is going?

People tend to lose interest in things pretty quickly. After this temporary rush to show support, I imagine people will return to their regular eating habits. But people who really hate racism and sexism will not forget, and won't be returning to Deen's establishments, ever again. Eventually, that will be reflected in the bottom line.

I hope the Georgia fair employment department is investigating her brother's restaurant. It sounds like there are a boatload of employment violations going on there.

[EmmieJ]

Now if we can just get the same shitstorm of career-wrecking bad publicity to befall that repulsive douchebag Guy Fieri, I'll be a happy woman...

Agreed with your entire post. As to Fieri - I notice that Apollo Ohno is hosting Minute to Win It this season, instead of Fieri. I think his popularity is fading. I always figured Food Network promoted him so much because they believed he'd draw in the 19-34 male demographic, which for some reason, is highly sought after.

I rooted for Fieri when he was on Next FN TV Star, because he is from my area. But as the truth came out, I completely lost all respect.

I don't watch FN anymore. Their priorities are crap.

[pega127]

Alton Brown is AT LEAST fundie-lite. I think he's a Baptist.

Alton always gave me the impression he is gay! Maybe he's afraid to come out!!! Either way, he comes across to me as very irritating and arrogant.

[pega127]

Bobby Flay is probably too boring to be controversial and Burrell is gay so hopefully she isn't homophobic. After watching her compete in several shows I no longer watch her because she comes across as a really bad loser. (Same with Giada). The more I see of FN's talent the less I like them.

I think Bobby is on his third wife; so he probably has issues of his own! Full of himself, maybe one of them.

[pega127]

I popped on the Food Network web site and guess whose smiling face and recipes is still there??? Yup, the person they just fired! ooops!