Paula Deen N-word controversy costs her lucrative deals with Target, Home Depot; diabetes drug maker Novo Nordisk suspends relationship
Former Food Network star's attempts at damage control in the wake of racial epithet admission in deposition have failed to sway major corporate partners.
BY ETHAN SACKS / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
PUBLISHED: THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 2013, 12:22 PM
UPDATED: THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 2013, 2:40 PM
SERG ALEXANDER/GETTY IMAGES
Paula Deen’s food empire is crumbling as several major corporate endorsers and partners severed ties with the celebrity chef Thursday in the wake of the scandal surrounding her past use of the n-word.
Retail giants Target and Home Depot and pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk have joined the growing list of partners who can’t stand the heat and are staying out of Paula Deen’s kitchen.
The 66-year-old celebrity chef has been broiling in disgrace since her admission in a deposition that she used the N-word went public last week.
Paula Deen’s food empire is crumbling as several major corporate endorsers and partners severed ties with the celebrity chef Thursday in the wake of the scandal surrounding her past use of the n-word.
Retail giants Target and Home Depot and pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk have joined the growing list of partners who can’t stand the heat and are staying out of Paula Deen’s kitchen.
The 66-year-old celebrity chef has been broiling in disgrace since her admission in a deposition that she used the N-word went public last week.
HANDOUT/REUTERS
Deen pleads her case to ‘Today’s’ Matt Lauer in a tearful interview Wednesday.
PHOTOS: STARS WHO RUN THEIR MOUTHS INTO SCANDAL
The most recent defections come less than a week after the Food Network announced it wouldn’t renew the contract of its biggest star and a day after Wal-Mart and Caesars Entertainment dropped Deen like a burnt casserole.
Deen pleads her case to ‘Today’s’ Matt Lauer in a tearful interview Wednesday.
PHOTOS: STARS WHO RUN THEIR MOUTHS INTO SCANDAL
The most recent defections come less than a week after the Food Network announced it wouldn’t renew the contract of its biggest star and a day after Wal-Mart and Caesars Entertainment dropped Deen like a burnt casserole.
CAROLYN KASTER/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Target is among the corporate partners that have announced they are dropping Deen’s merchandise.
“We have made a decision to phase out the Paula Deen merchandise in our stores as well as on Target.com,” a rep for the chain told TMZ.com. “Once the merchandise is sold out, we will not be replenishing inventory."
RELATED: MARTHA STEWART: 'I FEEL SORRY FOR PAULA DEEN'
Target is among the corporate partners that have announced they are dropping Deen’s merchandise.
“We have made a decision to phase out the Paula Deen merchandise in our stores as well as on Target.com,” a rep for the chain told TMZ.com. “Once the merchandise is sold out, we will not be replenishing inventory."
RELATED: MARTHA STEWART: 'I FEEL SORRY FOR PAULA DEEN'
SUE OGROCKI/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Home Depot also announced it’s severing ties with Deen.
In suspending ties with Deen, a type 2 diabetes patient who pitched Novo Nordisk’s drugs to control the disease, the Danish medical company praised her efforts to spread awareness.
Nevertheless, “Novo Nordisk and Paula Deen have mutually agreed to suspend our patient education activities for now, while she takes time to focus her attention where it is needed,” the company said in a release.
Home Depot also announced it’s severing ties with Deen.
In suspending ties with Deen, a type 2 diabetes patient who pitched Novo Nordisk’s drugs to control the disease, the Danish medical company praised her efforts to spread awareness.
Nevertheless, “Novo Nordisk and Paula Deen have mutually agreed to suspend our patient education activities for now, while she takes time to focus her attention where it is needed,” the company said in a release.
YOUTUBE
Paula Deen released a video statement Friday apologizing to fans, but The Food Network announced it wasn’t renewing her contract just hours later.
RELATED: PAULA DEEN LOSES WALMART DEAL — BUT POPULARITY SURGES AMONG FANS
Deen’s estimated $17 million food empire has been under seige since it was revealed that she had used a racial epithet in a $1.2 million lawsuit filed by a former manager at the Uncle Bubba’s Oyster House, a Savannah, Ga., restaurant owned by Deen and her brother, Bubba Hiers.
RELATED: PAULA DEEN LOSES WALMART DEAL — BUT POPULARITY SURGES AMONG FANS
Deen’s estimated $17 million food empire has been under seige since it was revealed that she had used a racial epithet in a $1.2 million lawsuit filed by a former manager at the Uncle Bubba’s Oyster House, a Savannah, Ga., restaurant owned by Deen and her brother, Bubba Hiers.
SPLASH NEWS/SPLASH NEWS
Deen’s troubles began with a $1.2 million lawsuit filed by an African American former manager at the celebrity chef’s Savannah, Ga., restaurant, Uncle Bubba’s. In a deposition for the suit, Deen admitted to using the n-word in the past.
The simmering backlash cost Deen not only her plum TV gigs on The Food Network, where she had hosted the shows “Paula’s Best Dishes” and “Paula’s Home Cooking,” but also a lucrative endorsement deal with pork purveyor Smithfield last week. Deen attempted to fix some of the public relations damage by appearing on the “Today” show in an emotional interview Wednesday.
RELATED: WATCH: PAULA DEEN BREAKS DOWN ON 'TODAY'
The simmering backlash cost Deen not only her plum TV gigs on The Food Network, where she had hosted the shows “Paula’s Best Dishes” and “Paula’s Home Cooking,” but also a lucrative endorsement deal with pork purveyor Smithfield last week. Deen attempted to fix some of the public relations damage by appearing on the “Today” show in an emotional interview Wednesday.
RELATED: WATCH: PAULA DEEN BREAKS DOWN ON 'TODAY'
HANDOUT/REUTERS
Paula Deen breaks down in tears during her ‘Today’ show interview, saying she’s not a racist.
"I have never in my life intentionally said anything hurtful or unkind," Deen told anchor Matt Lauer in a tearful exchange that apparently wasn’t enough to placate Target or Home Depot.
But Deen's fans are rallying to defend the maven of Southern comfort food, propelling her upcoming cookbook, "“Paula Deen’s New Testament: 250 Favorite Recipes, All Lightened Up," to No. 1 on Amazon Thursday - four months before it even comes out.
Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/deen-loses-lucrative-deals-target-home-depot-diabetes-drug-maker-article-1.1384036#ixzz2XTfsvJFU
Paula Deen breaks down in tears during her ‘Today’ show interview, saying she’s not a racist.
"I have never in my life intentionally said anything hurtful or unkind," Deen told anchor Matt Lauer in a tearful exchange that apparently wasn’t enough to placate Target or Home Depot.
But Deen's fans are rallying to defend the maven of Southern comfort food, propelling her upcoming cookbook, "“Paula Deen’s New Testament: 250 Favorite Recipes, All Lightened Up," to No. 1 on Amazon Thursday - four months before it even comes out.
Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/deen-loses-lucrative-deals-target-home-depot-diabetes-drug-maker-article-1.1384036#ixzz2XTfsvJFU
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