Paula Deen's use of the "N"-Word

[KDCat]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

I didn't realize Paula Deen might have been referencing an actual specific restaurant: http://blogs.laweekly.com/squidink/2..._nostalgia.php

"I knew immediately which restaurant she was referring to -- Pittypat's Porch, named for the slave-owning Gone With The Wind character, which claims to be the longest continuously operational restaurant in Atlanta. It opened in 1967, and hasn't changed much in the intervening decades. It aims for "an atmosphere similar to an old plantation."

I always associated waiters (black and white) in white dinner jackets with older restaurant traditions (since I have family from New Orleans, my main experience was with Galatoire's, Brennan's, Antoine's, The Court of Two Sisters, Tujaques) but not with slavery.

That really doesn't help her cause. I don't think she was into it for the camp factor.

http://clatl.com/atlanta/pittypats-p...nt?oid=1958129

[TonyB06]

Originally Posted by FSUZeta

Here is a thoughtful, thought provoking, open letter I read on Facebook:

http://afroculinaria.com/

I thought it was a bit overwritten, his "points" too hard to decipher. Read about the first third and then gave up.

[AlphaFrog]

I might stop in more often, now that DrPhil is back.

And, as to not derail the thread....butter.

[SWTXBelle]

Originally Posted by KDCat

That really doesn't help her cause. I don't think she was into it for the camp factor.

http://clatl.com/atlanta/pittypats-p...nt?oid=1958129

Oh, I didn't note it to "help her cause". I found it interesting that there was a specific restaurant she might have been "inspired" by when planning her brother's wedding. The fact that the restaurant apparently has bad food is decidedly unsouthern.

[KDCat]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Oh, I didn't note it to "help her cause". I found it interesting that there was a specific restaurant she might have been "inspired" by when planning her brother's wedding. The fact that the restaurant apparently has bad food is decidedly unsouthern.

Yep.

My grandma was from Arkansas. "Southern" was the first thing I learned to cook.

So. much. good. food.

[LXA SE285]

Walmart and Caesars just dropped her. Shit's gettin' real, y'all.

http://m.deadline.com/2013/06/paula-...nt-today-show/

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by maconmagnolia

On another note: Apparently, Kate Gosselin is under fire for a picture she's posted.

http://wonderwall.msn.com/movies/the...5171&gt128103=

Kate Gosselin's response:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/0...n_3497771.html

It sucks that the photo was supposedly taken from her computer. Her response and the comments section are examples of why I do not call individuals racist. "Racist" and "racism" are magical words that make people miss the larger point that SHOULD be made. To respond to Kate's comments, yes, eversince interracial humping and unions have existed, there have been people who hold biased viewpoints against their hump partner's or life partner's racial, ethnic, or cultural group. Their hump partner or spouse is considered "different than the rest" and/or "he/she doesn't mind my racial slurs, why do you care." It's the same as "some of my bestfriends are (insert group)." Yes, you can have biracial or multiracial children and still hold prejudice views against that very same group(s) of people. You can also make disparaging racial, ethnic, and cultural remarks towards your children--sometimes disguised as cutesy inside jokes. Hell, there have always been people who hate their own racial, ethnic, and cultural group so why is it so difficult for people to grasp hating another racial, ethnic, cultural group with which the people you love are affiliated?

Whether or not K.G. is "racist" would depend on whether her stupid joke shapes her behaviors.

Originally Posted by TonyB06

I thought it was a bit overwritten, his "points" too hard to decipher. Read about the first third and then gave up.

I thought it was just me. FSUZeta, would you mind translating that blog(?) for us? What do you interpret him to be saying? I only gathered the "you're from the Deep South...I'm Black and not mad..." part of it.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

I didn't realize Paula Deen might have been referencing an actual specific restaurant: http://blogs.laweekly.com/squidink/2..._nostalgia.php

"I knew immediately which restaurant she was referring to -- Pittypat's Porch, named for the slave-owning Gone With The Wind character, which claims to be the longest continuously operational restaurant in Atlanta. It opened in 1967, and hasn't changed much in the intervening decades. It aims for "an atmosphere similar to an old plantation."

It didn't even occur to me that she was talking about Pittypat's Porch, though it makes perfect sense. I remember it from 30 years ago.

Originally Posted by DrPhil

I thought it was just me. FSUZeta, would you mind translating that blog(?) for us? What do you interpret him to be saying? I only gathered the "you're from the Deep South...I'm Black and not mad..." part of it.

Not FSUZeta, but what I got from it was that he was less disaapointed about her use of the N-word (and I did like his Avenue Q reference -- "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist") and more disappointed that as the supposed maven of Southern cooking, she failed to talk about or acknowledge where Southern foods came from and the sources that made Southern cuisine what it is. He described this as part of a larger problem where a lack of diverse voices about Southern food leads some to write enslaved Africans and their descendants out of the story.

It did get a bit dense, rambly and hard to follow at times, but I there was some worthwhile stuff in there.

[StealthMode]

Don't worry--"It's handled."

Paula Deen Hires Smith & Co., Inspiration for ABC's "Scandal."

Paula Deen has hired D.C. crisis firm Smith & Co. as she faces backlash and loses sponsorship deals amid allegations that she has used racial slurs.

Ms. Deen's management team reached out to the firm a few days ago, an executive familiar with the matter said, after she had already canceled her planned Friday appearance on "The Today Show" and issued a pair of poorly-received YouTube videos instead.

Smith & Co. CEO Judy Smith, who served as the inspiration for Kerry Washington's character on ABC's "Scandal," declined to comment.

In what was likely a first move by the new PR team, Ms. Deen rescheduled her interview with Matt Lauer on "The Today Show" this morning. She broke out in tears as she said she had only used the "N" word while being held at gunpoint.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Thanks.

So, does this writer fail to see how all of this may be intertwined?

No, I don't think he fails to see it. I think his style of writing may be such that it's a little hard to follow, but I think he gets that. I think it's more of a focusing on the use of the N-word and the like is missing (ignoring? avoiding?) the bigger picture.


So did others see that Paula Deen has also enlisted the help of Jesse Jackson?

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

No, I don't think he fails to see it. I think his style of writing may be such that it's a little hard to follow, but I think he gets that. I think it's more of a focusing on the use of the N-word and the like is missing (ignoring? avoiding?) the bigger picture.

For some people, myself included, this was never just about "the N-word and the like". I disagree with the writer about the bigger picture(s) but I believe we can multitask enough to discuss the origins of Southern cuisine (not everyone cares) and the other things that writer was talking about.

Originally Posted by MysticCat

So did others see that Paula Deen has also enlisted the help of Jesse Jackson?

That was mentioned on CNN this morning. Wendy Williams gets on my nerves sometimes but her show yesterday had some good points. Bill Burr on Conan O'Brien also had some good points. Paula Deen should have skipped the "I'm a sign of the times" and fake tears (as far as I am concerned) routine.

I really like Jesse Jackson but, while he and other well known people of the African diaspora have been the voice for the communities, they are not our leaders. LOL. Hiring Smith & Co. (Judy Smith is the inspiration for "Scandal"--the show I lost my Black Card over since I've never watched a full episode) and getting help from Rev. Jesse Jackson just remind me of "some of my bestfriends are Black...."

Paula Deen will not lose her entire empire. She will ultimately be fine. She will hopefully learn to breathe easy and stop being so amused with herself. None of this is just a result of her admitting to saying the N-word.

[PiKA2001]

http://youtu.be/wdrvNeuc7jY

White power flour?

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by StealthMode

Don't worry--"It's handled."

Paula Deen Hires Smith & Co., Inspiration for ABC's "Scandal."

We need to stop typing before they sic Huck and/or Quinn on us

[StealthMode]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

I really like Jesse Jackson but, while he and other well known people of the African diaspora have been the voice for the communities, they are not our leaders. LOL. Hiring Smith & Co. (Judy Smith is the inspiration for "Scandal"--the show I lost my Black Card over since I've never watched a full episode) and getting help from Rev. Jesse Jackson just remind me of "some of my bestfriends are Black...."

I see it more as "I'm not racist because my Blacks don't give me domestic help. I not only admit they know more than I do but then pay them good money to pull my ass out of the fire." Same sentiment but a little more ballsy.

[ibis]

Please, enough on Paula Deen. Alex Baldwin rampages again on tweeter and catches no heat!

While she grew up in the South, times have changed. How long ago did she actually mention the no no word?