Paula Deen Lights Herself on Fire, Runs

[livius drusus]

Janet already posted this story in the Blithe Racism thread, but given the massive conflagration going down right now, I thought it deserved a thrad of its own.

Recap: Paul Deen and her brother Bubba are being sued by a former employee of their restaurant Uncle Bubba's Seafood and Oyster House in Savannah for sexual harassment and racial discrimination. Plaintiff Lisa Jackson alleges that Bubba is a disgusting pig who regularly watched porn in the small office he shared with her, spit at her, kissed her face, asked her to bring in pictures of herself when she was younger for him to enjoy, printed out an email entitled "Why Gay Marriage Should Be Legal" which was just a long list of explicit pictures of women having sex with other women and handed copies out to everyone at a weekly managers meeting, and much more. He also made racist comments like they should sent President Obama to the BP oil spill so he could nigger-rig it.

Paula was involved in this sick shit to her neck, according to Jackson. Jackson was appointed General Manager of the restaurant after the previous manager was fired for having sex with an underaged server. In a meeting about the situation, Deen allegedly said "If you think I have worked this hard to lose everything because of a piece of pussy, you better think again, and now I'm going to do something I have never done I am going to put a woman in a man's job." Jackson did "the man's job" well, as it happened, doubling profits during her tenure.

Deen's just as racist as Bubba, Jackson claims in the suit. The most egregious comment (among many) she made involved a catered affair. When Jackson asked what the staff should wear for the event, Deen said:

"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… Now, that would be a true Southern wedding wouldn't it? But we can't do that because the media would be on me about that."

The news about the lawsuit and its allegations broke last year. On Wednesday, the National Enquirer broke the story that Deen had admitted to using the n-word and telling racist/sexist/etc jokes in a deposition. She did it in a really chickenshit way, needless to say, being vague about details and claiming she couldn't remember exactly when she used the n-word. The problem for her is that even with her weaseling her straight-up racism just shines through. Here's the deposition transcript.

It's all atrocious. She admits she knew about the gross things her brother has said and done, although in her world he's just "not perfect." Not only did she not deny saying that shit about the "piece of pussy," she states proudly that she "said it that day and ... would say it again if it applied." Then there's the racisms. For me that first throwaway line says it all:

Lawyer: Have you ever used the N-word yourself?
Deen: Yes, of course.

Of course. Like everyone uses the n-word every day obviously. The only difference is some people admit it, right? That "of course" broadcasts far and wide what kind of people she surrounds herself with, what kind of person she is.

She then does that fucking thing racists love to do where they insist they only used it in circumstances they feel justify it. Namely, black person is means to me = nigger. So she was held at gunpoint by a black man when she was a bank teller, ergo she called him a nigger but not to his face on account of the gun.

On the general question of stereotype humor, she says they're just jokes, donchaknow. All jokes target some group, amirite? Sure the n-word is involved sometimes, but hey, she doesn't write the jokes.

Regarding that disgusting slave wedding bullshit, she again is vague on the details, but we do get this story about how they went to a restaurant and all the waiters were black men dressed in white coats and bowties and she was ever so impressed with their fine steez and professionalism.

Lawyer: Do you recall using the words "really southern plantation wedding"? Deen: Yes, I did say I would love for Bubba to experience a very southern style wedding, and we did that. We did that. [...]

Laywer: Okay. And is that when you went on to describe the experience you had at the restaurant in question?
Deen: Well, I don’t know. We were probably talking about the food or –- we would have been talking about something to do with service at the wedding, and –- [...]

Lawyer: Is there any possibility, in your mind, that you slipped and used the word "nigger"?
Deen: No, because that’s not what these men were. They were professional black men doing a fabulous job.

There. Professional black men doing a great job aren't niggers. That word applies only to the lazy, ignorant darkies who do shoddy work. Racism 101, y'all.

Continuing on that line of questioning:

Q: Why did that make it a -– if you would have had servers like that, why would that have made it a really southern plantation wedding? [...]

A: Well, it –- to me, of course I'm old but I ain't that old, I didn't live back in those days but I’ve seen the pictures, and the pictures that I’ve seen, that restaurant represented a certain era in America.

Q: Okay.
A: And I was in the south when I went to this restaurant. It was located in the south.

Q: Okay. What era in America are you referring to?
A: Well, I don't know. After the Civil War, during the Civil War, before the Civil War.

Q: Right. Back in an era where there were middle-aged black men waiting on white people.
A: Well, it was not only black men, it was black women.

Q: Sure. And before the Civil War –- before the Civil War, those black men and women who were waiting on white people were slaves, right?
A: Yes, I would say that they were slaves.

Q: Okay.
A: But I did not mean anything derogatory by saying that I loved their look and their professionalism.

Nothing derogatory. She just loves that house slave professionalism is all.

Anyways, , sorry. Cutting it short. The story exploded. Twitter stepped in with #Paul'sBestDishes including "Ku Klux Flan" and "Pineapple UppityNegro Sidedown Cake". Deen was scheduled to appear on the Today show this morning but she never showed up. Instead she uploaded the most hilariously choppy, vacuous "apology" video of all time then took it down and uploaded a second more specific but still awful one. You can't fill a sucking chest wound with shitty YouTubes, though, and now her Food Network contract, which expires next month, will not be renewed.

She'll still make plenty of bank with her crappy products, cookbooks and restaurants. Many of her fans, judging from Facebook comments anyway, have no problem with her racism because of this one time somebody called them crackers. Also Obama.

[LadyShea]

Paula Deen's deep fried fan base won't give a single shit about any of it.

[livius drusus]

Odds are they'll love her even more now.

[Stephen Maturin]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

Also Obama.

THANKS OBAMA.

[BrotherMan]

I was reading the when the news broke and got posted all over the internet. Before recently, the most exposure I'd had to Paula Deen are the jokes on the internet about butter. Before she was interviewed by the local morning radio show, I'd never heard her talk about anything outside of whatever cooking show she was doing. At the time I thought she came out alright. She was funny and engaging and even ribald. She reminded me of my own mother, what memories I have of her.

I can't say I was terribly surprised when this all happened. I wouldn't have thought her racist, accidental, institutional or otherwise. But still. I suppose I unconsciously hoped that she just kept it to herself or something, if there was indeed any such thing lurking beneath the surface.

I think it was yesterday when my roommate and I got to talk about it. We were both amazed that she just couldn't believe people were making such a stink about it. You guys remember that roast chicken recipe I made pictures about? You see the pan the chicken was cooked in? That was Wal-Mart boughten, genuine Paula Deen cookery right there. And this is the bort's honest truth, our first thoughts when we individually read these reports was that we should probably get rid of that pan. You know, symbolically or something.

[erimir]

Actually, this made me think about how I went to a fancy Indian restaurant in DC with my friends (one of whom is from Bangladesh) recently.

It kinda seemed to have a colonial period decorating theme (there were black-and-white photos of white people in India) and the waiters were all South Asian and dressed formally and such and my Bangladeshi friend remarked kinda jokingly that it was replicating colonialism.

[Angakuk]

Q: Mr. Drusus, have you ever used the word 'nigger'?

[Majestyk]

I never did like that woman. I always got that rural Georgia racist vibe off her.

I have to say, I was disappointed by this thread. From the title, I was expecting a video of her running around on fire.

[Demimonde]

Ugh. The comments, even on the HuffPo article, are singing her praises. She will still sell cookbooks and have seats in her restaurant I am sure.

Never liked her recipes, but never avoided her products before now.

It is sad, because I always kinda loved her origin story. Single mom with young kids to feed, making her own company selling bagged lunches, eventually rising up and being discovered by FN. She even suffered from agoraphobia, something I can understand. I thought she had a lot of tenacity and had over come odds and obstacles to make a success of herself. It ought to have given her some perspective.

Sad to say, in this case you can take the girl out of the south, but not take the south out of the girl. It just makes me sad as all hell.

It makes me think of something Michelle Obama said at the DNC:

when you've worked hard, and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity...you do not slam it shut behind you...you reach back, and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.

This is something Paula Deen, never learned apparently.

[livius drusus]

Originally Posted by Angakuk

Q: Mr. Drusus, have you ever used the word 'nigger'?

You mean out loud? Because obviously I've used it in writing. Nope, I have not said the word "nigger." It's a thoroughly ingrained taboo, I'm glad to say, and I have never once found myself in a situation where I felt compelled to violate it. I don't even say "nigga" when I'm singing along obnoxiously to rap.

[livius drusus]

Originally Posted by Majestyk

I have to say, I was disappointed by this thread. From the title, I was expecting a video of her running around on fire.

I apologize for the bait and switch. That was actually a reference to a very ancient now-defunct IIDB thread some of the old timers around here might recognize. You can see the OP that started it all reproduced here.

[Beth]

I have never really been a fan of hers, but I occasionally did watch her when I could stomach her very fake accent. Everything about her seemed to be very fake, and exaggerated. She turned Southern charm into a very campy thing, but at times, it almost seemed that there was underlying hostility to her charm. I often was put off by her constant touchy-feelyness with her guests, especially male. Sometimes those guests look as if they are very uncomfortable.

When I first read of this yesterday morning, I have to say that I am not too surprised. I have found that many of the people who wallow in the pride of the South and always talk of those good ole days are the ones who have no issue with using the n word for a lazy, or morally questionable black person. And to many, all black people are lazy Obama supporters who only want to live off of the state. They also seem to reminisce over the good ole days of segregation when the black people "knew their place". I understand that I am being general, and that not all are like this, but I have found that this fits the majority of the old Southerners that I come across, including some in my own family.

[ceptimus]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

You mean out loud? Because obviously I've used it in writing. Nope, I have not said the word "nigger." It's a thoroughly ingrained taboo, I'm glad to say, and I have never once found myself in a situation where I felt compelled to violate it. I don't even say "nigga" when I'm singing along obnoxiously to rap.

So you've never recited certain dialogue from Pulp Fiction or similar to your friends.

[livius drusus]

Of course I have! Do you think me a monster? I just make indeterminate mumbly two-syllable noises over the n-word bits.

[Dingfod]

Originally Posted by Beth

I have never really been a fan of hers, but I occasionally did watch her when I could stomach her very fake accent.

I don't think her accent is fake at all, not any more so than many other Southern women I've encountered in my life. It's just ladled on a bit thick on purpose, like so much sausage gravy on a big buttery biscuit. Mizz Grooters, my Sophomore English teacher, spoke just like her. She could turn single syllable words like South into about three syllables. *shudder*

[Beth]

Originally Posted by Dingfod

I don't think her accent is fake at all, not any more so than many other Southern women I've encountered in my life. It's just ladled on a bit thick on purpose, like so much sausage gravy on a big buttery biscuit. Mizz Grooters, my Sophomore English teacher, spoke just like her. She could turn single syllable words like South into about three syllables. *shudder*

I live in the South, and used to spend an obscene amount of time in Georgia, where she is from. Her accent is not regional, and the only time I ever heard anything similar is in the Carolinas, but even then the drawl wasn't that exaggerated and drawn out. It sounds like a Northerner trying to mock us.
So, even though I have no doubt that she has a Southern accent, I believe that it is a real as my Georgia accent is when I am cutting up with my family.

[Clutch Munny]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

I apologize for the bait and switch. That was actually a reference to a very ancient now-defunct IIDB thread some of the old timers around here might recognize. You can see the OP that started it all reproduced here.

I laughed harder at that thread than at anything else I've seen on the internet before or since. It just caught me right. I was incapacitated.

[Vivisectus]

I avoid the word. But I do like to say "Caucasian please!" when suprised or outraged at someone's behavior.

[Janet]

I use Smurf please! I got it from a Daily Show skit and I've been using it ever since.

[curses]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

I apologize for the bait and switch. That was actually a reference to a very ancient now-defunct IIDB thread some of the old timers around here might recognize. You can see the OP that started it all reproduced here.

OxMat Wonder how he is.

Although I'm not surprised about Ms. Deen's racism. Most of my family's from the area, it's deeply ingrained down there.

Doesn't make it right, just that I'm not surprised.

[Janet]

Maybe I'm naive, but I was surprised by the sexism. Here is a woman who made it big and has a huge company and she not only promotes men exclusively, she lets them treat the female employees like crap. Like Demi said, where's the holding the door open instead of slamming it in their faces?

[erimir]

Originally Posted by Angakuk

Q: Mr. Drusus, have you ever used the word 'nigger'?

I'll bite.

I've said it. I've used it in humor about racism, and while reciting lyrics or lines. By far most of the times I've said it have been mentions, not uses.

I have not used it outside of those contexts to my memory.

I don't think that her admission that she's said it is in itself particularly damning.

It's not like refusing to utter it is a talisman against racism, and letting those syllables come out of my mouth is not going to change my views.

It's more the other things that Paula Deen has said and the revealing ways in which she defended herself.

[Clutch Munny]

Originally Posted by Janet

Maybe I'm naive, but I was surprised by the sexism. Here is a woman who made it big and has a huge company and she not only promotes men exclusively, she lets them treat the female employees like crap. Like Demi said, where's the holding the door open instead of slamming it in their faces?

Someone needs to market a special ladder with a kicking pad at the top. It can be hard to kick that ladder away behind you if all you have to aim at is the top rung.

[LadyShea]

Fans are all outraged and stuff, because I dunno....they need instructions on melting fat efficiently.

Paula Deen fans vent outrage at Food Network for dumping celebrity cook over past racial slurs - The Washington Post

[lisarea]

I don't think it's so much that she admitted to saying it as it is her casual "of course," as though everyone says it. Which I'm increasingly getting the impression is true in some cultures. Fuck those cultures, BTW. But the whole thing is a nightmare, and it's kind of unfortunate that the whole thing is being nutshelled as "Paula Deen said the n-word." She did, but she did a lot of other heinous stuff, too.

I used to use the word sometimes as a mention--almost always quoting something or talking about it as a word--but it always made me really uncomfortable. So at some point not very long ago, I was like, "Why am I forcing myself to say this?" so I just stopped. Also, it sort of weirds me out when people act like they have this SUPER PRESSING NEED to say it and are always coming up with excuses and apologetics for saying it in this or that circumstance, kind of the same thing as that whole confederate flag thing and all the "MUH CULTURE!" arguments from Southerners. Like, what is the huge giant deal for some people where some weird cultural artifact is so near and dear that you won't even stop doing it when you know it is seriously distressing to so many people?

So I figure if I'm going to judge them for refusing to back down from some dumb culture thing, I should back off my compulsion for being literal.

I use 'neighbor' now when I need a replacement. It makes me feel like Mr. Rogers, and that's a good feeling.