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

applecorped

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applecorped
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http://www.deadline.com/2013/06/nyt...ula-deens-contract-after-racial-slur-dilemma/

"The Food Network did issue a statement on the matter early on, saying the channel “does not tolerate any form of discrimination and is a strong proponent of diversity and inclusion. We will continue to monitor the situation.” Today the Food Network did not say why Deen was dropped. But a media frenzy mounted over the revelations in that deposition for the lawsuit filed by a former manager of one of Deen’s family restaurants. In the document, Deen admitted that in her past she used racial slurs in her family life and tolerated racist jokes in the workplace, all of which ran counter to her beloved image. It also sparked a national debate about what constitutes ”acceptable” old and new Southern attitudes towards race."

Karma is a *****
 
I'll try to choke down the tears. I'm not necessarily offended that she admitted to using racist terms in the past. However, she seemed a bit too nonchalant, like it was fine to do it back then, but now we have to act differently so we don't upset those people.
 
bob_kark said:
I'll try to choke down the tears. I'm not necessarily offended that she admitted to using racist terms in the past. However, she seemed a bit too nonchalant, like it was fine to do it back then, but now we have to act differently so we don't upset those people.
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It's 2013 and Paula Deen is only 66 years old. By the time she was 20 years old, the military had been integrated, school segregation was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court (meaning there's every chance that she went to school with black people), the Civil Rights Act of 1964 had been passed, and the Jim Crow laws had been overturned/determined unconstitutional.

In other words, I don't think she has any solid ground to plead "the old days" in any kind of casual dismissal of her use of that word.
 
Babbylonian said:
It's 2013 and Paula Deen is only 66 years old. By the time she was 20 years old, the military had been integrated, school segregation was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court (meaning there's every chance that she went to school with black people), the Civil Rights Act of 1964 had been passed, and the Jim Crow laws had been overturned/determined unconstitutional.

In other words, I don't think she has any solid ground to plead "the old days" in any kind of casual dismissal of her use of that word.
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I used that word recently. I was singing a song by Ice Cube.
 
To quote comedian Jessica Williams, Paula Deen's recipes are causing far more harm to black people than her words.
 
applecorped said:
I used that word recently. I was singing a song by Ice Cube.
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I hereby forgive you (not that you asked and not that my nearly translucent skin gives me any standing to do so). Listening to rap music and appreciating it enough to learn the lyrics might be non-racist enough to counteract the use of a racial slur during a sing-along. :D
 
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What is with her face? Every time I see her photograph, including on the cover of her own magazine (which presumably meant they'd allow multiple shoots until they get it right), she has a horrible fixed mouth-only smile and staring dead eyes. She can't fake a real-looking smile? She's either been overly-botoxed around the eyes or is a rampantly deranged lunatic. Or both.
 
Babbylonian said:
I hereby forgive you (not that you asked that not that my nearly translucent skin gives me any standing to do so). Listening to rap music and appreciating it enough to learn the lyrics might be non-racist enough to counteract the use of a racial slur during a sing-along. :D
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It was a good day.
 
So she has racist tendencies. Fine. But can she cook? It's that latter bit that should determine whether she is employable on a cooking show.

So what's next? Do I get to fire someone because I don't care for their opinion on Obamacare? Poor, or even offensive opinions shouldn't be the basis for firing someone.

If the guy who drives the school bus is a Creationist, or thinks reptilians have taken over the major corporations, should I push to have him fired?

Racists: Mock them, pity them, debate them. But fire them? Now who's discriminating?
 
marplots said:
So she has racist tendencies. Fine. But can she cook? It's that latter bit that should determine whether she is employable on a cooking show.
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That's only partly true. Deen is also selling Deen, the funny, open chef we can all relate to. In other words, she is selling her image. Which now has too much tarnish on it. Not renewing her contract looks like a good business decision to me.
 
marplots said:
So she has racist tendencies. Fine. But can she cook? It's that latter bit that should determine whether she is employable on a cooking show.

So what's next? Do I get to fire someone because I don't care for their opinion on Obamacare? Poor, or even offensive opinions shouldn't be the basis for firing someone.

If the guy who drives the school bus is a Creationist, or thinks reptilians have taken over the major corporations, should I push to have him fired?

Racists: Mock them, pity them, debate them. But fire them? Now who's discriminating?
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We're talking about a host of a TV show. Their public image determines their employability more than any other factor.
 
SezMe said:
That's only partly true. Deen is also selling Deen, the funny, open chef we can all relate to. In other words, she is selling her image. Which now has too much tarnish on it. Not renewing her contract looks like a good business decision to me.
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That's at least a better rationalization. It does have a kind of "self fulfilling prophecy" aspect. Without a show to watch, it's likely her ratings will be zero now.

I'm not a fan, so I don't know how they feel about it. It has an aura of irony about it. Wasn't there a time when, if the public found out you were gay, Hollywood would let you go for pretty much the same reason?

Vox populi, vox dei?
 
marplots said:
So she has racist tendencies. Fine. But can she cook? It's that latter bit that should determine whether she is employable on a cooking show.
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This is merely the latest in the series of controversies about/involving her. She's not employed by The Food Network only for her cooking skill; her personality and public image are also key to her employability in the capacity of host of a cooking show.
So what's next? Do I get to fire someone because I don't care for their opinion on Obamacare? Poor, or even offensive opinions shouldn't be the basis for firing someone.
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They should if the resulting negative publicity could be bad for the employer. Since most people won't get such a wide-reaching public airing of whatever opinions you or others might find objectionable, it's not an issue that comes up often outside the entertainment industry.
 
Babbylonian said:
It's 2013 and Paula Deen is only 66 years old. By the time she was 20 years old, the military had been integrated, school segregation was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court (meaning there's every chance that she went to school with black people), the Civil Rights Act of 1964 had been passed, and the Jim Crow laws had been overturned/determined unconstitutional.

In other words, I don't think she has any solid ground to plead "the old days" in any kind of casual dismissal of her use of that word.
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...

Dude she lived in Georgia, was raised by parents who probably didn't exactly have lessons learned from desegregation etc. Her culture probably didn't adopt integration quickly either in law or in practice.

People don't change their behavior on a vote ya know.
 
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