Just a Reminder That Paula Deen Is Super Racist and Shouldn't Be on TV

Jun. 16 2021, Published 10:39 p.m. ET

Tonight, Paula Deen makes an uncomfortable and ethically unnecessary appearance on MasterChef Legends. That's proper, Paula Deen, the previous meals show persona known for her love of butter and casually the usage of the "N-word" is back on tv, and people are past furious. As they must be. It's unclear why Deen was once chosen to appear on MasterChef Legends when there are masses of talented cooks who are not bigots.

If you aren't caught up on Paula Deen's long-ago cancellation, we're going to give you a recap.

Yes, Paula Deen is racist.

In 2013, Paula Deen used to be being sued by means of Lisa Jackson, the former general supervisor of Uncle Bubba's Seafood and Oyster House (Deen's former eating place), and it came out throughout the deposition that Deen used the "N-word." When requested if she used it, Deen mentioned, "Yes, of course." It gets worse. Deen was once also accused of ordering her Black employees to act as regardless that they were slaves.

"I mean, it was really impressive. That restaurant represented a certain era in America … after the Civil War, during the Civil War, before the Civil War … It was not only Black men, it was Black women … I would say they were slaves," Deen used to be quoted in the deposition transcript, via Radar. Dora Charles, a former worker of Deen's, claims that Deen attempted to make her put on an Aunt Jemima-inspired outfit and ring a bell when food was once in a position.

“I mentioned, ‘I’m no longer ringing no bell. That’s a image to me of what we used to do again within the day,'" Charles said.

And then, after the 2013 deposition, HuffPost uncovered a clip of Deen referring to Black people as "those folks" and "employees." She said, "Black people had been such integral phase of our lives [throughout the Civil War], they have been like our circle of relatives." Here's the full transcript from her 2013 deposition.

Even the late Anthony Bourdain hated Deen (this was before her racism came to light). "The worst, most deadly person to America is obviously Paula Deen. She revels in unholy connections with evil firms and he or she’s proud of the truth that her food is f--king bad for you. Plus, her meals sucks," he said in an interview with TV Guide. He later called her "grasping" after she expressed that she was hurt by his statements.

What happened after the deposition transcript leaked was pretty swift: The Food Network announced that it wouldn't be renewing her contract for her show, Paula's Home Cooking, and QVC dropped her, too. Big retailers like Target and Walmart (publicly) wanted nothing to do with her. Although Deen issued several apologies, her image crumbled. But perhaps not her career.

Eater points out that after the scandal, "She raised at least $Seventy five million for her corporate Paula Deen Ventures from a personal investment company. She purchased the rights to her Food Network presentations and started streaming them at the Paula Deen Network, her own subscription streaming platform." Deen was on Dancing With the Stars, launched a cookware store, a new restaurant, and she even got a new show on Food Network: Southern Fried Road Trip.

Her last show was a short-lived series called Positively Paula which aired on RFD-TV — but the point is that even though Deen was called out for her despicable behavior, Deen continued to profit off of her incredibly problematic brand.

Now that she's on MasterChef Legends (which airs on Fox), people are calling out the heinous decision to use Deen as a judge, let alone call her a "legend."

"Remember when Paula Deen were given 'canceled' for saying the N-word? Now she on MasterChef being referred to as a 'legend.' Moral of the tale? Getting canceled do not really mean anything," someone tweeted.

Let's hope Deen is never requested to make any other public look once more.

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