Merged Paula Deen: Use the N word, get the axe

[alfaniner]

Well, she's back in the news again. This time for posting a picture of herself and her son, she dressed up as Lucy, he in brownface.

Now, I saw the Halloween episode in question (from 2011). He was insistent in calling himself "Little Ricky", somehow trying to distance himself from being thought of as Desi. He did have the kid's-type shirt on. But still, Little Ricky wasn't brown...

The really dumb thing was Paula Deen tweeting that picture now, in light of what's happened in her history recently. And her son's shows were just taking off as well.

 

[Babbylonian]

The really dumb thing was Paula Deen tweeting that picture now, in light of what's happened in her history recently. And her son's shows were just taking off as well.

Either she really doesn't get it or...she's trying to sabotage her son? Maybe she's darker* than any of us thought.

*I cannot apologize enough for this. It's wrong and I know it.

 

[TragicMonkey]

Behind those glassy eyes and meaningless smile is a brain that is mostly just butter.

 

[applecorped]

Well, she's back in the news again. This time for posting a picture of herself and her son, she dressed up as Lucy, he in brownface.

Now, I saw the Halloween episode in question (from 2011). He was insistent in calling himself "Little Ricky", somehow trying to distance himself from being thought of as Desi. He did have the kid's-type shirt on. But still, Little Ricky wasn't brown...

The really dumb thing was Paula Deen tweeting that picture now, in light of what's happened in her history recently. And her son's shows were just taking off as well.

She didn't post it:

"Paula Deen's Social Media Manager posted a picture this morning of Paula and Bobby Deen dressed in costume as Lucy and Ricky, from I Love Lucy. This photograph is from a 2011 Halloween episode of Paula's Best Dishes." "Paula immediately had this picture taken down as soon as she saw the post and apologizes to all who were offended," the statement said. "As such, Paula Deen Ventures has terminated their relationship with this Social Media Manager."



http://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/...s-heat-tweet-son-bobby-deen-brownface-n388171

 

[Babbylonian]

She didn't post it:

"Paula Deen's Social Media Manager posted a picture this morning of Paula and Bobby Deen dressed in costume as Lucy and Ricky, from I Love Lucy. This photograph is from a 2011 Halloween episode of Paula's Best Dishes." "Paula immediately had this picture taken down as soon as she saw the post and apologizes to all who were offended," the statement said. "As such, Paula Deen Ventures has terminated their relationship with this Social Media Manager."

Anyone want to defend this social media manager? That could really kick this thread back into high gear!

Seriously though, I'd believe this professional tweeter if they came forward and said, "Yeah, I really hated that job. That's why I posted the picture...also I thought it would be hilarious."

 

[Trebuchet]

So she fired the "social media manager" for posting a picture of the racist way in which she dressed her son. She's SO sorry for getting caught. Again.

 

[Babbylonian]

So she fired the "social media manager" for posting a picture of the racist way in which she dressed her son. She's SO sorry for getting caught. Again.

No, it's still not good but it's better than if she was loudly unrepentant about it.

"It's just the way I grew up...and how I raised my son."

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

This one is a media faux scandal. First they claimed Bobby was in black face. So? That one is overblown as an outrage too, it depends on context. But it turned out he was in brown face. It was Halloween and they were dressed as Lucy and Ricky.

Honestly, there is nothing here like having blacks dress as slaves at a party.

 

[Babbylonian]

This one is a media faux scandal. First they claimed Bobby was in black face. So? That one is overblown as an outrage too, it depends on context. But it turned out he was in brown face. It was Halloween and they were dressed as Lucy and Ricky.

Honestly, there is nothing here like having blacks dress as slaves at a party.

To me it's a faux scandal because, yeah, of course she's a racist. That's been clear for a long time. Anybody still giving her money or watching her on TV (if she's still on TV; I have no idea at this point) knows the deal.

 

[steve s]

So she fired the "social media manager" for posting a picture of the racist way in which she dressed her son. She's SO sorry for getting caught. Again.

It was from a Halloween episode, which means they went on the air like that. And she's upset at the media manager for making it public?

Steve S

 

[Mumbles]

It was from a Halloween episode, which means they went on the air like that. And she's upset at the media manager for making it public?

Why not? Her race controversy came along after that, and any social media manager should certainly know that the photo presented after that would just reignite the controversy - in other words, it's mismanagement.

Having said that, yeah, that photo shouldn't exist in the first place.

 

[Butter!]

I thought it was basically common knowledge that one simply does not do blackface (or anything like it) these days, in any context, unless one wants to start a wild **** storm.

Remember Cloud Atlas? That chick who went to Comi-Con or something dressed as a black character from that dumb zombie show? How about when people called Rachel Dolezal's whole weird deal "blackface," as though that were the worst thing such behavior should be called - a Real Bad Thing.

Whether or not that's how it should be (whole separate debate, and one about which I care not a whit) is irrelevant. That's how it is. Da hell was old Paula thinking? She had to have been trolling at this point.

 

[mgidm86]

The photo in question...

Here

People are getting worked up over that? Before I saw the photo I thought perhaps her son was 8 years old and she dressed him up. Yeah, I understand it's Paula Deen: Evil Racist.

Just curious - is it "okay" to wear a red wig to jokingly resemble another person, but not okay to try and match their skin tone? Or is it okay for the rest of us and just not her?

I see there is a movie/comedy on Netflix called "White Girls" where two black guys dress up as white women for whatever reason. Is that racist? Sexist?

Oh the outrage!

 

[Mumbles]

I thought it was basically common knowledge that one simply does not do blackface (or anything like it) these days, in any context, unless one wants to start a wild **** storm.

Remember Cloud Atlas? That chick who went to Comi-Con or something dressed as a black character from that dumb zombie show? How about when people called Rachel Dolezal's whole weird deal "blackface," as though that were the worst thing such behavior should be called - a Real Bad Thing.

Whether or not that's how it should be (whole separate debate, and one about which I care not a whit) is irrelevant. That's how it is. Da hell was old Paula thinking? She had to have been trolling at this point.

Her plantation wedding idea was waaaaayyyy worse than any sort of blackface (or in this case, brownface, which isn't really the same).

 

[Butter!]

Her plantation wedding idea was waaaaayyyy worse than any sort of blackface (or in this case, brownface, which isn't really the same).

I'm talking about purely from a PR standpoint. I have no interest in the outrage, it has nothing to do with me.

I'm just saying, with how touchy people are known to be about any kind of "blackface" nowadays, and with her reputation being what it is, why wouldn't she just steer clear of the whole thing? Seems like a rookie mistake. Or maybe she assumed people's memories were shorter than they are?

Who knows.

 

[Mumbles]

Just curious - is it "okay" to wear a red wig to jokingly resemble another person, but not okay to try and match their skin tone? Or is it okay for the rest of us and just not her?

I see there is a movie/comedy on Netflix called "White Girls" where two black guys dress up as white women for whatever reason. Is that racist? Sexist?

Oh the outrage!

*sigh*

Again, US history plays directly into this. It's the exact same reason many people hate the Confederate battle flag, or Obama being portrayed as a witch doctor/shoe shine boy/monkey, and so on.

And of course, a comedian or actor (See: Robert Downey Jr. as Kirk Lazarus) can generally get away with a lot more than a chef who's overly fond of butter.

 

[Butter!]

White Chicks is super offensive, but not because of racism or sexism. It's just offensive that something so painfully bad got made. The entire thing is an offense to the viewer, akin to spitting in his or her face and declaring his or her momma a dirty birdy.

 

[Mumbles]

I'm talking about purely from a PR standpoint. I have no interest in the outrage, it has nothing to do with me.

I'm just saying, with how touchy people are known to be about any kind of "blackface" nowadays, and with her reputation being what it is, why wouldn't she just steer clear of the whole thing? Seems like a rookie mistake. Or maybe she assumed people's memories were shorter than they are?

Who knows.

The photo was taken before her big controversy blew up. Her Social Media Manager simply reached back years before her name went to trash, and posted this today. Once Dean saw it, she fired the person and had the photo taken down.

 

[Mumbles]

White Chicks is super offensive, but not because of racism or sexism. It's just offensive that something so painfully bad got made. The entire thing is an offense to the viewer, akin to spitting in his or her face and declaring his or her momma a dirty birdy.

I just saw two Wayans brothers in whiteface as women, and immediately decided to avoid it.

 

[Butter!]

The photo was taken before her big controversy blew up. Her Social Media Manager simply reached back years before her name went to trash, and posted this today. Once Dean saw it, she fired the person and had the photo taken down.

Ah. Non-story then. People are actually pretending to be pissed about this?

ETA - I knew it was an older photo, I'd just misunderstood who posted it. I thought she posted it herself. Serves me right for skimming.