Paula Deen is having a terrible time, as of late. First, she was fired by the Food Network and now she has been fired by Smithfield. Wal-Mart has also weighed in and are considering discontinuing her line.
On Friday, the Food Network issued a statement that they would not be renewing Paula Deen's contract. Today, things got even worse for the celebrity chef. One of her chief endorsement deals, with Smithfield pork, has fallen apart.
Keira Lombardo, Vice President of Investor Relations and Corporate Communications, has issued the following statement:
"Smithfield condemns the use of offensive and discriminatory language and behavior of any kind. Therefore, we are terminating our partnership with Paula Deen. Smithfield is determined to be an ethical food industry leader and it is important that our values and those of our spokespeople are properly aligned."
Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, is now considering severing ties as well.
As we previously reported:
Paula Deen, celebrity chef, has officially been fired from the Food Network. Her firing came hours after she posted a video, apologizing for "having made mistakes." Among those mistakes was repeatedly using the n-word.
In case you've been living under a rock for the past 48 hours, we'll give you a brief rundown on Paula's down home antics.
Back in May, Deen had to answer some tricky questions on video. She and her brother, Bubba (totally fitting), were at the heart of a discrimination and sexual harassment suit.
The former manager of their restaurant, located in Savannah, felt that she had been severely mistreated and sexually harassed. The sexual harassment allegations are pointed entirely at Bubba and not Paula.
The plaintiff was suing Deen and Co. for $1.2 million. As part of the trial, the prosecuting attorney asked Mrs. Deen a bunch of questions, like "Have you ever used the n-word?" Paula didn't help herself by answering "Yes. Of course!"
The most damaging elements of the testimony involved Paula admitting that she was planning a wedding where black people would be dressed as slaves. She claimed to have gotten the idea from visiting a restaurant where middle-aged black men wore fancy white suits.
This did not resonate well with the folks over at the totally non-controversial food network. Thursday, when the story first broke, FN said they were "monitoring the situation."
On Friday, it was announced that the company would not be renewing her contract. Deen issued the following statement:
"I have had the pleasure of being allowed into so many homes across the country and meeting people who have shared with me the most touching and personal stories.This would not have been possible without the Food Network."
Paula worked with food network for the past 11 years.
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