Sears, Penney sever ties with Paula Deen

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP-Excite

By ANNE D'INNOCENZIO

NEW YORK (AP) - Paula Deen's media and merchandising empire is collapsing.

Sears, J.C. Penney and Walgreen said Friday that they're cutting ties with Deen, adding to the growing list of companies severing their relationship following revelations that the Southern celebrity chef used racial slurs in the past.

Meanwhile, Deen's publisher has canceled a deal with her for multiple books, including an upcoming cookbook that was the No. 1 seller on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com.

Ballantine Books said Friday it would not release "Paula Deen's New Testament: 250 Favorite Recipes, All Lightened Up," which was scheduled for October and was the first of a five-book deal announced early last year. Interest in it had surged as Deen, who grew up in Albany, Ga., and specializes in Southern comfort food, came under increasing attack for acknowledging she had used the N-word.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20130628/DA771OMG0.html

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In this Dec. 30, 2010 file photo, Paula Deen speaks in Pasadena, Calif. Sears Holdings Corp. announced Friday, June 28, 2013, that it is cutting ties with Southern celebrity chef Deen, adding to the list of companies severing their relationship following revelations that Deen used racial slurs in the past. (AP Photo/Nick Ut, File)

[madaboutharry]

1. Ballantine could have gone ahead

and published the book and donated all the proceeds to the NAACP.

[Lugal Zaggesi]

2. Paula, Paula, Paula

Don't you realize how Americans are so, so offended by hurtful words ?

Not so much something like an illegal invasion that kills a million Iraqis, and leaves a generation hideously deformed from US military use of depleted uranium munitions - but offensive words and attitudes ?
Americans won't stand for it.

[kestrel91316]

4. And where have YOU been for the past 11 years??

You surely must have been right here carping about Dubya and his warmongering, right?

[Lugal Zaggesi]

5. Your words

and attitude are hurtful and offensive.

A DU Jury will hunt them down and slay them, keeping our Threads serene and peaceful.

[Skittles]

7. zzzzzzzzzzzzz

C-

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

14. It's NOT just about the N-Word. The Corporate Media has done a grave disservice to Americans

on this story. They want you to believe that it's all about Paula using the N-Word. It's not!! She discriminated against her employees--women and minorities. Why the Corporate Media is being dishonest about the WHOLE story is amazing to me. It should surprise me, but it does.

Read the deposition here:

http://www.atlawblog.com/wp-content/...-Complaint.pdf

[Still Blue in PDX]

34. Thank you for trying (time and again) to get people to pay attention!!! nt

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

3. Good! Now waiting on QVC to do the same.

[wisteria]

11. Why is this good. Why is it ever good to ruin someones life.

Do you really believe that words spoken many years ago that were wrong, should haunt a person for the rest of their life and that a just punishment is to see all you have worked so hard to achieve come tumbling down. What does this achieve? I suppose if you want to impose fear in people this would work, but it will never resolve the issues that created the distrust and ignorance to begin with. I think this who situation is a sad commentary for our country and for the groups that are pushing this trumped up hatred against Dean.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

13. Paula Deen ruined others' lives by treating them with disdain: women and minorities.

Last edited Sun Jun 30, 2013, 12:58 AM - Edit history (1)

I'm sorry but that's indefensible. Paula Deen is NOT the victim here. The people she hurt are.

I'm thrilled that she's getting exactly what she deserves.

You and others in this thread believe that she's been dealt an unfair hand.

Please read the deposition yourself. If you can't (or won't) see how she ruined lives with sexism and racism, then I can't help you:

This is the stuff that goes on in Paula Deen's restaurants, and she condones it. She admitted it in her deposition.

http://www.atlawblog.com/wp-content/...-Complaint.pdf

[wisteria]

17. Oh, and she did this singlehandedly? Whose lives did she wreck?

Personally? Do you know for a fact that her words uttered over 20 years ago ruined others lives like hers has been ruined? And, do you really believe the issues with her restaurants was written into her human resource manuals? It is my opinion that the actions taken against Ms Dean do nothing to foster understand, forgiveness and acceptance. What this has done is have people take sides and achor themselves in more hatred and resentment. Do you think intimidation and the threat of ruin will bring people together and is the way to build equality? She stated words, there was no action on her part to ever do intentional harm.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

22. Read the deposition. It's not 20 years ago!! The class action lawsuit is about discrimination in her

businesses. Read the deposition and stop defending bigots!!

[TeeYiYi]

6. Separated at birth...

TYY

[crim son]

8. I begin to pity her.

Truly, I do.

[JeaneRaye]

9. Now it's just "piling on"

I have never been a big fan of Paula Deen but I feel the need to finally say something in her defense. I grew up in Kentucky and although that state is not the "deep south", it is considered to be a southern state since it falls below the Mason-Dixon line. That being said, I believe anyone who grew up in the south and is over the age of ... oh let's say 50.... is lying if they say they have never uttered the "n" word. Even if they only said it once and got their mouth washed out with soap... they still said it once. Apparently, she said this word a long time ago. I can forgive her for that. I do, however, have a rougher time at forgiving her for the whole slavery themed plantation wedding that crossed her mind. She was old enough by that time to know better. I believe, though, she's paid her dues since all this came to light and it's time to move on.

[AngryOldDem]

10. I agree. Enough is enough.

Not making excuses, but as you said, she is a product of her time.

She is now officially ruined. What more do people want?

[wisteria]

12. Yes, enough is enough. This has been over the top. n/t

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

16. No!! It's NOT just about the N-Word!!!

They want you to believe that it's all about Paula using the N-Word. It's not!! She discriminated against her employees--women and minorities. Why the Corporate Media is being dishonest about the WHOLE story is amazing to me.

This is not just about her use of the N-Word.

Read the deposition here:

http://www.atlawblog.com/wp-content/...-Complaint.pdf

[wisteria]

18. And, instead of helping her see where she was wrong,

people full of revenge have forced her out of business, and put other people out of work. There was a better way, but it is easier to use fear, intimidation and ruin to vent your outrage and drive home a threat to others. And in doing so, you do not open dialog, you close it and make people chose sides.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

23. It's not revenge!! Read the deposition!

[wisteria]

36. It is revenge. n/t

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

39. Again, coming from you, I'm not surprised. Welcome to IGNORE. Have fun responding to yourself.

[JeaneRaye]

20. No one's saying its just about her use of the"n" word.

If you read my post, I addressed another part of what she did and I also said I was having a rough time forgiving her for that... I still think companies are "piling on" and it's time to move on. Forget Paula Deen... let's worry about more important things... like maybe what the Supreme court has done to the Voting Right's Act... or the fact that woman's rights are being trampled on by old Republican men is states all over this country..... or that programs that feed the very young and the very old are being gutted all over this country... or any number of things that really matter to everyday people in everyday life.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

24. MANY people are misinformed about this case. They merely think it's ONLY about her use of

the N-Word. They clearly miss the point. But it's not their fault. The corporate media reporting on this story has been abysmal.

If you don't belong in the crowd that I'm referring to, then it's not about you.

Read the deposition. Read it.

[wisteria]

37. I read it, and I am not convenced her action warranted the punishment.

I would still buy her books and watch her show if the corporations,the mobs f hyteria, and the media hadn't limited what I can buy and watch when it comes to Deen.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

38. Can't say that I'm surprised by your response. If you can't see how she discriminated

against women and minorities, then there's nothing else to discuss. Your true colors are showing.

[AngryOldDem]

21. She is RUINED.

Use of the n-word, discrimination, harassment -- she has paid for it all.

What more does society want? Her suicide?

She has lost everything. Now it's just gratuitous piling on.

[wisteria]

35. Exactly. n/t

[Myrina]

33. I think this may have been the excuse they were waiting for ...

... considering the wholloping her whole "exrta butter and grease" style of unhealthy cooking has taken over the past 18 months or so. People are finally becoming much more food-aware and I think her arc of 'stardom' was about to set, anyway.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

15. Why????? Read the deposition...

They want you to believe that it's all about Paula using the N-Word. It's not!! She discriminated against her employees--women and minorities. Why the Corporate Media is being dishonest about the WHOLE story is amazing to me.

This is not just about her use of the N-Word.

Read the deposition here:

http://www.atlawblog.com/wp-content/...-Complaint.pdf

[tabasco]

19. It's business, baby.

If the corporate scum thought they could still make a nickel off Deen, they wouldn't be throwing her off the gravy train.

Tough luck for her she's an idiot who couldn't keep her ugly mouth shut. It's just business, baby. Nobody said it had to be fair.

[Hugabear]

25. No pity for racists

Fuck her.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

26. Before you defend Paula Deen, know the facts FIRST!!!!!!!!

Paula Deen deposition: http://www.scribd.com/doc/148832518/...tion-Testimony The woman suing, former General Manager, was only hired after a male General Manager was terminated for knowingly having sex with underage waitstaff. Paula knew about it and she "put a woman in a man's job" to avoid losing her empire over a "piece of pu$$y."

The Paula Deen Incident; you should know all that's being alleged before defending her
DARYL K. WASHINGTON JUN-29-2013

I've finally had the opportunity to review the complaint filed against Paula Deen. For one, many people have been making this incident about the "N" word only, but it's much more than that. I personally find it to be offensive whenever someone from another race is accused of using the "N" word they are somehow given a pass because of the use of the "N" word by some in the black communities. Let me be the first to say that I find the use of the word by anyone to be wrong. However, when it's used in a racist or insulting manner, it hurts more.

I think individuals who are trying to defend Paula Deen's use of the "N' word should probably familiarize themselves with all of the facts [allegations] of the case against her. Just so you know, in case you didn't know, the person who initiated the complaint against Paula Deen and her brother is not "Black." She is a "white female" who was subjected to years of abuse and was finally fed up with her black employees being treated like animals, so stop thinking it was a black person complaining about Paula Deen's use of the N word. Furthermore, Paula Deen indicated that she used the N word over 20 years ago. That is not what's being alleged against her. She went as far as telling a guy he was as black as a blackboard. That lady is something else and I'm glad I never supported any of her ventures. I personally find it insulting that so many black people are coming to the defense of Paula Deen after reading what she and her family subjected their employees to. When I learned about the major companies dropping Paula Deen without being demanded to do so, I knew it was deep. The fact that any civil rights activist is supporting Paula Deen is insulting and is a slap in the face.

Here's a summary of some of the things being alleged against Paula Deen, her brother Bubba Hiers and the Deen business entities:

Summary:

Paula Deen, while planning her brother's wedding in 2007, was asked what look the wedding should have. She replied, "I want a true southern plantation-style wedding." When asked what type of uniforms the servers should wear, Paula stated, "well what I would really like is a bunch of little n*ggers 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;

Black staff had to use the back entrance to enter and leave restaurant;

Black staff could only use one bathroom;

Black staff couldn’t work the front of the restaurants;

Brother Bubba stated his wishes: “ I wish I could put all those n*ggers in the kitchen on a boat to Africa”;

Bubba asked a black driver and security guard "don’t you wish you could rub all the black off you and be like me? You just look dirty; I bet you wish you could." The guy told Bubba he was fine as is;

Bubba on President Obama: they should send him to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, so he could n*gger-rig it;

He shook an employee (Black again) and said” F your civil rights…you work for me and my sister Paula Deen;

Paula’s son Jaime's best friend managed the Lady & Sons restaurant. He threatened to fire all the 'Monkeys' in the kitchen. When Paula found out…she slapped him on the wrist and suggested that the employee visited Paula's $13,000,000 mansion so he felt special and could be massaged.

I feel Paula Deen, her brother and anyone who treats people poorly should not be given a free pass. I wonder if Paula is truly sorry that she used the "N" word or that she was reported by someone who looks just like her. I appreciate the lady having the courage to report Paula Deen. It's people like her and the videographer who leaked the 40% comments made by Mitt Romney who should be receiving the attention, not Paula Deen.

See more at: http://www.blacklegalissues.com/Article_Details.aspx?artclid=7dfdbe0461

[durablend]

27. Intentional deflection

Pretty sure there's an orchestrated campaign to whitewash everything in the deposition and make it all about "That N-word she said 5000 years ago that she's REALLY REALLY sorry about". Almost seems like Fox News propaganda how they have their minions and uninformed people keep repeating those key phrases over and over again.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

29. I am very upset by the fact that DUers are not only excusing her behavior, they continue

to make excuses for discrimination against women and minorities. It's disgusting, really.

[tavernier]

30. Pardon my stupidity

because I really haven't followed this other than what I've seen on morning shows:

PD says that she only used the word once, many years ago, and that she abhors discrimination.

This lady has accused PD of many instances of discrimination along with frequent use of the n word.

Is it a matter of she said/she said, or is there further proof beyond their words?

As I said, forgive me for my ignorance, since I haven't followed this beyond basic television coverage, but I feel I need to ask this because I think there are many ppl like myself who don't have all the facts.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

31. No problem. I posted the deposition upthread. It's not about the N-Word, It's a class action lawsuit

brought by her employees alleging sexual harrassment and racial discrimination. Read the deposition. You will be shocked. These events took place as recently as 2010.

It's not about the N-Word, and the Corporate Media has not a grave disservice to this story. It's horrible what the media is doing to cover for Paula Deen.

If you have a moment, please read just the first few pages of the deposition.

[tavernier]

32. I did read it

but didn't realize that it was a class action suit.

Thanks for the info!

[durablend]

28. OH BTW

You "Deen defenders" forgot to mention "rapper CDs", "gold digging Lisa Jackson" and "Alec Baldwin" so no bonuses for you.