Where’s Paula Deen Now, 11 Years After a Scandal Got Her Canceled?
Eleven years ago, when talk of “getting canceled” applied to TV shows more than TV stars, Paula Deen lost her long-running employment with Food Network. On June 21, 2013, the cable channel announced it would not renew Deen’s contract, following the news that the chef and restauranteur admitted to using racial epithets in the past.
In a court deposition, Deen said she had used the N-word before. (“Yes, of course,” she said when a lawyer asked, per TMZ.)
In a Today appearance after the deposition went public, Deen claimed she wasn’t racist. But the damage was done: Within days, Deen had lost deals, contracts, and partnerships with Walmart, Target, Home Depot, QVC, Sears, JCPenney, Caesars Entertainment Corporation, Smithfield Foods, and Ballantine books.
In the years since, Deen has continued working, though not on Food Network, as her official website attests. The year after that scandal, for instance, she embarked on a national tour, titled Paula Deen Live! She also launched the Paula Deen Network on her website after buying back her Food Network shows, according to The Guardian.
In 2015, she launched a podcast called What’s Cooking with Paula Deen, a radio show called Get Cooking with Paula Deen, and a mobile game called Paula Deen’s Recipe Quest.
She also returned to TV on Dancing With the Stars in 2015, coming in ninth place alongside pro partner Louis Van Amstel.
In 2016, Deen launched two more shows, Positively Paula, a cooking show that aired in syndication, and Sweet Home Savannah, a live show that was available on the cable channel then known as EVINE.
More recently, Deen has hosted a Fox Nation show, At Home With Paula Deen, made multiple appearances on the Fox News morning show Fox and Friends, and guest-judged an episode of the Fox cooking competition show Masterchef.
Along the way, Deen has been keeping up her magazine, Cooking With Paula Deen, and releasing more cookbooks, including Paula Deen Cuts the Fat: 250 Favorite Recipes All Lightened Up, At the Southern Table with Paula Deen, and Paula Deen’s Southern Baking: 125 Favorite Recipes from My Savannah Kitchen.
She has also opened restaurants in Alabama, Florida, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas, though some of those locations have since closed.
Unfortunately, Deen’s few years have not been without controversy. In 2015, more than two years after her N-word scandal, an image posted to her social media accounts showed her dressed up as Lucy from I Love Lucy and her son Bobby wearing skin-darkening makeup as part of his Ricky costume.
In a statement to The New York Times, a rep for the TV star blamed a social media manager for sharing the image and said that Deen “apologizes to all who were offended.”
Conversation35 Comments
Please read the TV Insider Community Guidelines.
Comments are closed on this story.
-
R
I miss Paula
50 8
-
S
We all make mistakes and I agree that she was "targeted," but lots of just plain jealous people can't stand to see others do as well as she did and bottom line only God can judge and we all have to learn to leave things in His more than capable hands. Still want to know if she had plastic surgery!!!!! And how her diabetes is doing.
49 19
-
G
Paula Deen was used as bait to undermine her career! All those companies who dropped her should be truly ashamed! She has come back more successful then ever.
SO THERE!!!!!!
73 46
-
C
"Put some butter oon it ya"ll"
27 1
-
O
I support paula deen 100%.
35 13
-
G
Paula has apologized and that is sufficient..She doesn’t need further punishment.❤️
22 8
-
O
] loved Paula Dean she never said anything worse our new president to has said you go girl🤩
20 6
-
S
Seems like she's doing O.K. regardless. Since she sold her beautiful mansion where are she and Michael now living. Also curious since it looks like she may have succumbed to plastic surgery and being the "down home" gal she's always maintained, was wondering if she'd admit to that?
Anyway, she's had a more than blessed life for sure.
A fan from Iowa.
20 7
-
R
Most women these days are getting cosmetic surgery - most will lie about it.
2 2
-
-
O
You are not treating Deen with respect. Who died and made you God?
10 1
-
G
She endorses and newly elected president. On her YouTube New Year's Eve message she was saying how she was looking forward to food and gas prices going down in 2025; and how we can have new dreams again - or something to that effect. She is in bed with FOX now, what would one expect? Money doesn't buy class.
12 5
-
O
One mistake defines you for life? I'm glad Jesus forgives because you sure don't.
11 4
-
P
Your "user name" says enough about you.
5
-
R
What is your definition of "successful"? That she's now selling jewelry ten years later on JTV? Girl... this woman sold her soul to the deviI.. I wish Oprah would go now and interview her like she did before. I wish her no harm but you can't have it both ways. Go to the websiteConsumerAffairs.com and it shows that she has a rating of 1.5 out of a 5 star rating.. Just goes to show, the higher you climb, the harder you fall!
34 29
-
P
It does!
2
-
Y
Saying the n word is not "a mistake", it is hatred on full display. She was not targeted, she brought it on herself and she got everything she deserved!
1
-
O
😭😭😭😭
1
-
B
I agree with you. But, she wasn't the only one who fell for his lies And no I didn't vote for either.
-
O
Could of fooled me.
-
O
I'd hate to hear what would be said if he/she was judging!
-
C
Donald Trump raped Ivanka.
Leave your daughter alone with him. I dare you.
1 2
-
C
Racism is not a “mistake”
3 4
-
P
No one is exempt from the consequences of their actions.Harsh as they may be! Stand on the ignorant words that she said. WOMEN UP
2
-
P
Reading these comments, I can't do anything other than shake my head and say, "the racist come out like roaches when Trump is president!"
4
-
C
Racism is not summed up by having made “one mistake”
4
-
O
Why do racist folks make it a point to show off their racism by loudly supporting people who say the n word, then cry wolf when we call you a hateful racist?? Ugh!
6 10
-
B
Sorry but an apology isn't enough . How many blacks made mistakes and couldn't recover ? Karma has no time limit and she deserves it all. Imagine what else she probably could have been doing behind the scenes towards blacks . Then we are talking about a woman who wanted a classic old south wedding with slaves as the servants . Like wtf I'm not God and I'm not judging but based on my observation she isn't welcomed in our "black" community.
5
-
B
She is racist and deserves what she got . Had a black person did this same thing no other opportunities would open up . Shows you the privilege that whites get . Sickening and sad is all I can say and any of you supporting her are just as guilty .
1 6
-
G
Can stand her. She is 100% racist and phony.
1 7
-
J
Paula Deen did Women Up admitting her wrong doing. She deserved to be fired from Food Network channel. I pray she had learned her lesson.
6
-
J
Paula Dean had admitted her mistakes using racial slurs. She should lose her favorite things. I pray that she will learn her lessons well. It would help if she took diversity classes and get pastoral counseling.
4 15
-
G
Paula Deen deserves to be fired from Food Network channel for using N-word. She needs to take diversity classes and pastoral counseling too. I hope that she has learned her lessons.
7 23
-
O
Paula Dean should've been ashamed of herself. I see her career never quite recovered. She does enough to keep her lights on but she'll never be on prime time ever again in life and I'm happy about that.
25 64
-
R
I guess no one ever taught you forgiveness - only revenge.
52 11
-
R
I guess no one taught you common sense and how to treat people different than you with respect
3 6
-
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services