You’d think that after being outed for using racial slurs, Paula Deen would be a little more careful with how she talks about black people. But the celebrity chef might be due for another apology in light of recent events.
In June 2013, the Food Network cut ties with Paula Deen after she admitted to using racial slurs, specifically the N-word, according to MSNBC. Paula Deen has recently spoken out about being criticized for her racist comments, comparing herself to “that black football player who recently came out,” during an interview with People. “That black football player” is Michael Sam, a defensive lineman at Mizzou and an NFL prospect. It seems that this rather unfitting comparison by Deen is none other than an attempt to rebuild her reputation and to denounce any further accusations of her being racist by sympathizing with the race she discriminated against before.
“I feel like ‘embattled’ or ‘disgraced’ will always follow my name,” Deen told People. She then proceeded to empathize with Sam, saying she knows “exactly what he’s saying” regarding his struggles in the public eye. Deen and Sam are both receiving criticism while trying to pursue their careers, but there is one huge difference: Deen chose to say something offensive, while Michael Sam is being criticized for something that he has no control over whatsoever: his sexuality. Sam would be a victim of criticism while Deen is well-deserving of it.
Mentioning that Sam is black was completely irrelevant to her point, considering the criticism that he may encounter will not necessarily be about his race but his sexual orientation. Once again, Deen made the mistake of involving race in a situation that was completely inappropriate.
The fact that Deen felt the need to mention Sam’s race shows that she still does not understand how offensive inconsiderate comments regarding race can be. No matter how insignificant Deen may have felt simply mentioning Sam’s race was, based upon the comments on articles regarding this issue, there is still a significant amount of people who consider Deen to be inconsiderate and are watching her carefully.
“She purposely mentioned that he was both gay and black. Her point was that she doesn’t want to be labeled just as he shouldn’t be labeled (while, ironically, labeling him),” said Jack Lemmon, CNN reader, in response to CNN’s article about Deen’s statement.
Cherinee Smith, a freshman forensic science major and African-American student, said she was not personally offended by Deen’s comparison, but said, “… that out of all of the comparisons she could use, this was the wrong one.”
Smith feels as though Deen “dug herself a deeper hole” by involving Sam’s race while referring to him. Smith also believes this comparison is just another way for Deen to play the victim and ask for sympathy and forgiveness.
During Deen’s interview with People, she said, “If it wasn’t for my fans’ love, I’d be home breathing into a paper bag.” We must wonder whether or not Deen is just trying to save her reputation and maintain a fan base or if she is actually sorry for her actions.
“Deen and Michael Sam only have one similarity: they are both receiving criticism. Other than that I do not think that they are similar in any way,” said Erin McNally, a junior psychology major and fan of the Food Network. McNally strongly agrees with the Food Network’s decision to cut ties with Deen.
If Deen wants to make a comeback and rebuild her reputation, any comments regarding race or racial issues need to stop. In order to move on with her career without terms like “racist” staying tied to her name, she must focus on speaking solely about food.
While it appears that Deen is regaining success by making a recent deal with Najafi Companies, according to MSNBC, I do not think she will be as successful as she was previously due to her recent unpopularity and racism. Since her comments have been extremely offensive, it is questionable whether or not she even deserves to have a fresh start to her career. Only time will tell whether or not her apologies have been sincere.
Elizabeth Rockett can be reached at elizabeth.rockett@spartans.ut.edu