# Paula Deen **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 27, 2013, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paula-deen/662049 "2013-06-27T17:56:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MostlyUseless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MostlyUseless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyUseless)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paula-deen/662049/1 "2013-06-27T17:56:35Z")
Am I the only one who doesn’t believe Paula Deen? I used that word once, but I had slavery themed parties?!!! The part that infuriates me is when Ms Deen says that women of her age of the south just grew up with that word commonly used. Au Contraire. My mom is of even older vintage and had I used that word in our Southern (Birmingham, no less) home, it would have been my ass. I would have been in more trouble for that than stealing a car. Oh, and the whole self pitying throw a rock at me routine…please.:mad: ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paula-deen/662049/2 "2013-06-27T18:07:28Z")
Women of Paula Deen’s age that grew up in the South were pretty racist. Can people change? Sure. Do we think Paula Deen has? Probably. Is she still a racist? Probably a little bit. Are we spending way too much time handwringing over the fate of a celebrity chef who offers society little more than a kardashian would (along different vectors)? Absolutely. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paula-deen/662049/3 "2013-06-27T18:21:37Z")
But…but…Won’t SOMEBODY think of the dairy industry? Think of the effect this will have on butter sales alone!?! ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paula-deen/662049/4 "2013-06-27T18:24:21Z")
Back in the 70’s, we used to say things like, “He jewed me down.” I honestly didn’t even know it was an offensive word, let alone that it referred to Jewish people, until I was much older. People change. Society changes. Much ado about nothing. Focus more on how she treats people. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paula-deen/662049/5 "2013-06-27T18:58:41Z")
Yes, but if someone asked you about that today, you’d be contrite and embarrassed over your former usage. You wouldn’t just say – well, things were different then, whaddayagonnado? Which is essentially Deen’s stance. I haven’t heard her once say she was mortified over having used the word, just at being caught using the word. Fuck her and her fake teeth. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paula-deen/662049/6 "2013-06-27T19:00:53Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > Much ado about nothing. Focus more on how she treats people. I’m not sure the testimony was that kind to her there, either. I wrote her off when I learned she’d hidden her diagnosis of diabetes for three years around or shortly before coming out with a cookbook for kids. All of her disclaimers about it being good in moderation pale when you consider that she wrote up a recipe for [deep-fried butter balls](http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/paulas-fried-butter-balls-recipe/index.html). They’re exactly what they sound like. Butter (with just a hint of cream cheese), dipped in crumbs and deep-fried. Add to that her apparent dramatization of her personal history, her skipping out on a Today show appearance, and her two erratic and obviously not vetted by her PR people “apology” videos, the charges of black workers being literal second-class citizens at Bubba’s restaurant (separate entrances/bathrooms/jobs), and I don’t blame Food Network (and by extension, sponsors) getting tired of her schtick. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paula-deen/662049/7 "2013-06-27T19:17:44Z")
If she knew about the separate bathrooms and the harassment did nothing to stop them, I don’t care how much campaigning she did on behalf of Obama. She’s not a nice person. Just because someone says they are clueless doesn’t mean I have to believe them. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paula-deen/662049/8 "2013-06-27T19:20:06Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Yes, but if someone asked you about that today, you’d be contrite and embarrassed over your former usage. You wouldn’t just say – well, things were different then, whaddayagonnado? Which is essentially Deen’s stance. Except she, supposedly, didn’t just say this stuff 40 years ago. Instead, she-- in the last decade-- [paid black employees in beer](http://dlisted.com/2013/06/24/paula-deen-paid-one-of-her-black-employees-in-beer/), called [cooks “my little monkey”, and only let light skinned employees work with customer](http://wordondastreet.com/paula-deen-employee-says-she-called-cook-her-little-monkey-only-let-lightskinned-employees-interact-with-customers/)s. So, she can’t even really claim it’s how things were, oops, my bad! ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paula-deen/662049/9 "2013-06-27T19:22:50Z")
I honestly don’t see how this is such a big deal. Seriously. Oh look, a lowbrow celebrity was a racist. This is small potatoes. Let her sink into obscurity. Yeesh. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paula-deen/662049/10 "2013-06-27T19:24:04Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > …the charges of black workers being literal second-class citizens at Bubba’s restaurant (separate entrances/bathrooms/jobs)… To use a southern phrase, do _what_ now?? ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paula-deen/662049/11 "2013-06-27T19:29:20Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > If she knew about the separate bathrooms and the harassment did nothing to stop them, I don’t care how much campaigning she did on behalf of Obama. She’s not a nice person. > > Just because someone says they are clueless doesn’t mean I have to believe them. Agree and extend. If we are to believe even slightly in personal responsibility, we have to admit the possibility of being willfully clueless. After you’ve been corrected, say, three times on separate occasions you can’t claim to be guileless in any meaningful way. Willful cluelessness is one variety of poor character. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paula-deen/662049/12 "2013-06-27T19:33:44Z")
I believe the issue is the casual racist, at it’s heart. These accusers are somewhat claiming she quite casually used racial slurs, in interaction with her staff. Thirty years ago. Her response should have been “that was then, different times, I, like society have moved on”.The weeping, the fumbled apologies and mostly “I wasn’t raised that way!” Isn’t the right tact, in my opinion. And it doesn’t ring true to people, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paula-deen/662049/13 "2013-06-27T19:36:15Z")
So far, here is what we think we know about Ms. Deen’s bigotry: 1. There are charges of black workers being literal second-class citizens at Bubba’s restaurant with separate entrances/bathrooms/jobs. 2. There are allegations of a slavery-themed party being planned. 3. There are claims by a former black employee that he was paid in beer, not cash. 4. There are allegations that Ms. Deen referred to the cook at the above mentioned resturant as “her little monkey”. 5. And finally, there is the allegation that she or her brother only allowed light-skinned employees to interact with customers while dark-skinned employees were only allowed to work in the kitchen. I just checked my atomic clock and yes, it IS still the 21st century. There are some times I am embarrassed to be of the same heritage as these kinds of people. Urrrrr… ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paula-deen/662049/14 "2013-06-27T19:52:21Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > To use a southern phrase, do _what_ now?? [Separate bathroom charges](http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/06/20/paula-deen-says-of-course-shes-used-the-n-word-but-she-doesnt-tolerate-hate/). I’d read elsewhere but don’t have links at hand that black employees had to enter through the back but white employees could enter via the front, and that black employees didn’t get front-of-the-house jobs. (The woman bringing suit is white, and was a manager there. She charged Deen and her brother with having a racially and sexually discriminatory workplace.) ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paula-deen/662049/15 "2013-06-27T20:44:39Z")
I know that the US likes to think it’s the centre of the entire universe 😃 but for those of us who are unfortunate enough to live elsewhere, is it possible to provide a brief synopsis of who the hell Paula Deen is, and what she has done? Yeah, yeah, I can google and all, but can’t be stuffed. If you’re indignant enough to get outraged here on the board, can you at least provide a succinct link that supports yer’ ire? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paula-deen/662049/16 "2013-06-27T21:02:19Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > I wrote her off when I learned she’d hidden her diagnosis of diabetes for three years around or shortly before coming out with a cookbook for kids. All of her disclaimers about it being good in moderation pale when you consider that she wrote up a recipe for [deep-fried butter balls](http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/paulas-fried-butter-balls-recipe/index.html). They’re exactly what they sound like. Butter (with just a hint of cream cheese), dipped in crumbs and deep-fried. Why don’t they melt in the fryer? ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paula-deen/662049/17 "2013-06-27T21:08:04Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > I know that the US likes to think it’s the centre of the entire universe 😃 but for those of us who are unfortunate enough to live elsewhere, is it possible to provide a brief synopsis of who the hell Paula Deen is, and what she has done? > > Yeah, yeah, I can google and all, but can’t be stuffed. If you’re indignant enough to get outraged here on the board, can you at least provide a succinct link that supports yer’ ire? Paula Deen is a third-rate celebrity chef who cooks everything in butter, including butter, and speaks with an annoyingly over-the-top southern accent, who nobody cares about. Also, she’s racist. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paula-deen/662049/18 "2013-06-27T21:16:45Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > I believe the issue is the casual racist, at it’s heart. These accusers are somewhat claiming she quite casually used racial slurs, in interaction with her staff. **Thirty years ago**. Her response should have been “that was then, different times, I, like society have moved on”.The weeping, the fumbled apologies and mostly “I wasn’t raised that way!” Isn’t the right tact, in my opinion. And it doesn’t ring true to people, I think. (bolding mine) 30 years ago was the 1980’s. We sure as hell knew in the '80’s that racist behavior was bad. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paula-deen/662049/19 "2013-06-27T21:19:03Z")
I have to confess a certain amount of schadenfreude about all this kerfuffle. And my only excuse is that I cannot stand to hear her talk. As a rule I don’t find southern accents difficult to listen to or unpleasant, but every time she opens her mouth she makes me feel like I drowning in Karo syrup. Everything about her seems fake, her hair, her teeth, her accent, her life story, the reason she presents these disgusting recipes. Everything. Good riddance, I say, although I’m sure she won’t go away completely. Probably she’ll still be on TV somewhere, and I will still be avoiding her like the plague. Roddy ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paula-deen/662049/20 "2013-06-27T21:22:53Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > Paula Deen is a third-rate celebrity chef who cooks everything in butter, including butter, and speaks with an annoyingly over-the-top southern accent, who nobody cares about. > > Also, she’s racist. Cheers! 😛 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paula-deen/662049.md?page=2)