The Chef’s Reputation Was Blemished After Her Deposition About Using A Racial Slur
The court case was dismissed, but the damage was done.
In 2013, Paula Deen was sued for racial and sexual discrimination, and her deposition in 2013 found the then-Food Network chef at the center of a highly publicized scandal.
For admitting that she had “of course” used the N-word in the past, citing her retelling of an unrelated 1987 incident with an armed Black man at a bank, Paula lost several business partnerships and contracts, as well as her program on Food Network.
“I’m not OK in here,” said Paula, pointing to her heart, in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter. She went on to say that she won’t be OK “until both sides get out, the whole entire dirty truth.”
Now, thanks to a new documentary, titled Canceled: The Paula Deen Story, Paula is telling the story from her perspective.
Paula And Her Sons Speak About The Scandal
Described by the Toronto International Film Festival as a film that “explores what it means when we build up celebrities and then tear them down,” documentary filmmaker Billy Corben’s Canceled: The Paula Deen Story premiered at the festival on September 6.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter on September 7, Paula said:
“This is something that ate at my gut every day. I would have been fine had the whole story been told — had the real story been told. They took this woman [the plaintiff], who is a known liar, they took her word and ran with it, and no one ever investigated any further.”
She added, “I was not going to be happy until the world saw the truth.”
When asked if she was concerned about the documentary affecting her current restaurants and image, Paula replied, “We lost it all.”
However, her son Bobby Deen, said, “I disagree with that … Mom, I’m sorry to correct you. We have not lost it all. By far. Our family is intact. We’re alive. This was 2013, a long time ago. And our beautiful business has thrived and survived this whole time …”
Paula rebutted, “Son, when I say I lost everything, within 24 hours I lost every job I had. Food Network was first to jump off, then Walmart, Target. … It was just everybody.”
Bobby retorted, “Oh, I’m aware.”
Since the scandal, Paula has continued operating several Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen locations, and has become a prolific YouTube chef, uploading recipes on a nearly daily basis.
Throughout the interview, Paula describes how she was hurt by individuals and entities she thought would have her back who didn’t when her 2013 deposition went public.
“I kind of want my soul back,” Paula admitted, going on to detail the public apologies she felt she did not always have a say in releasing.
Her other son, Jamie Deen, stated, “I don’t know if she will get it back, and I told her that. I told her, ‘I don’t know if you’re going to get what you want out of this, Mama. But if you want to try, I’m going to try.’”
With that sentiment in mind, the Deen family made the decision to entrust Billy Corben with telling their story, and doing so honestly.
Jamie said:
“When Billy became tied to the project, I was ecstatic for Mom. I said, ‘Billy is your guy. Billy smells bullsh-t from 1,000 miles away.’ And he told us day one, ‘If you tell us the truth, everything’s going to be great.’ I gave him two videotapes with no idea what was on it; they’re over 25 years old. I said, ‘Here, use anything on it that you want.’ I trust him and that’s why we’re here.”
Revisit Paula Deen’s emotional 2013 interview with Matt Lauer on The Today Show, here:
Related: Paula Deen Suddenly Shuts Down Restaurant That Made Her Famous
More About The Documentary
Billy Corben’s film Canceled: The Paula Deen Story premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 6.
The documentary has not yet been acquired for distribution, so there is presently not a formal release date.
Similarly, a trailer is not available yet.