Thursday, October 10, 2013

Food Network In Secret Discussions To Bring Back Paula Deen

Over the past several weeks Food Network executives have been quietly meeting internally and with advertisers and Paula Deen to bring her back to the network. Deen was dumped from the air after her admission that she used the N word and in the wake of the racial and sexual discrimination lawsuit brought against her and her brother. That suit was settled for a ton of money which Paula should have paid before she lost her empire.

Now though it looks like she might have the last laugh because Food Network is trying so hard to bring her back that they have offered her more than she was making previously to help them. The ratings for the network have dropped significantly since her shows were pulled and they are scared she will leave and have a show on a different network. Other cable channels have made offers to Deen and one cable channel offered her several shows which they would package around some of their other country type programming.

58 comments:

auntliddy said...

The worlds a crazy place.

Bacon Ranch said...

I don't think you know what the word 'secret' means.

Bacon Ranch said...

I also don't think auntliddy knows what the word apostrophe means.

Harry Knuckles said...

Television. The world's moral beacon.

Patty said...

I'm pretty sure the discrimination case was dismissed, not settled.

amused bush said...

Patty, it was dismissed with prejudice after a settlement was agreed upon by all parties.

lazyday603 said...

Reality TV shoves so many loathsome creatures into our faces what's one more? She should fit right in.

Bacon Ranch said...

Oh yeah, she was guilty as sin. She admitted to it in court. $$ is why it was dismissed, not because she was as pure as the driven snow.

Tammy said...

I thought the suit was dismissed with prejudice, meaning there was no money involved and it can't be refiled? Did her brother settle?

I never watched her show past the first season (and I only watched it because I loved that yellow house) but if I were her, I'd tell Food Network to get f*cked. I notice Wal-Mart is carrying her stuff again; I'd have told them the same thing.

Innocent until proven guilty doesn't seem to mean anything in this country any more.

If she was smart, she'd start some kind of redneck network on her own. (And I say that as a redneck myself, so no offense intended.)

Christopher Cruz said...

Well, kiss my grits, she back!

spacecowboy78 said...

I'm guessing OWN was not one of the competing networks for her services.

amused bush said...

Tammy, with prejudice means the same suit cannot be tried in court again. The judge did not grant any monetary award; however this has nothing to do with an out of court settlement agreement.

Barton Fink said...

She polls almost as high as Zimmerman with rightwingers. Of course she'll be back, selling her Cholesterol Shutdown recipe.

amused bush said...

I'm guessing she'll end up on OWN too. If she does, a nice pick-up for Oprah (ratings-wise). Paula can do a crossover show with Welcome To Sweetie Pies.

Susan said...

Now this is an interesting twist. I wonder if her sons would jump ship if she goes to a different network.

NomNom83 said...

Are you effing kidding me? *sigh* She'll be back and she'll do great.

Unknown said...

All you had to do is look at the Food Networks demographics. Decision to fire her may have been morally correct and pc but not smart business wise.

sandybrook said...

I want to see the repeats of her old shows so I can give myself diabetes too.

Glitter said...

Why not OWN? OWN got into bed with Lindsay Lohan.

selenakyle said...

Of course they are. This is not a surprise. She will come back bigger than ever, trust.

Susan said...

I think one of Food Network's problems is its overall programming. I just saw an ad on Cooking Channel promoting Guy Fieri's new Food Network show Guy's Grocery Games in which a bunch of contestants zip around a grocery store in an allotted amount of time and then cook. It looks so insanely stupid. Who watches this crap?

I really want to know what networks are looking at her. Maybe TLC or Bravo?

Kels said...

Its just not fair. You can shame, exploit, and degrade an entire race of people and have a job because you're white and people just like you too much. I used to be a HUGE fan of Paula because she has agoraphobia but she overcame her depression that lasted for years, but I'm so disappointed in her and the media. This is why I feel it is not safe to be a black person in America. You can do whatever you want to us and people still don't care. It hurts and it's making me realize I could never raise a black child here. But where do we go? Nobody has our backs smh.

WBotW said...

You know, the victim mentality isn't going to get you anywhere. How about you have your own back?

MISCH said...

crazy...but they must have months of back to back segments they could run non stop on the Aryan nation food channel

MISCH said...

crazy...but they must have months of back to back segments they could run non stop on the Aryan nation food channel

Tammy said...

V, thanks for the explanation.

amused bush said...

Kels, I understand your point of view; however why should anyone have "our backs"?

Maybe I live in a fantasy-land, but I was brought up expecting if I work hard and do right by others and myself I will succeed. This doesnt negate racism I have encountered in my life, but I don't let it define my life. You shouldn't either.

Kels said...

I dont think you get my point. I have done for myself but I said what I said as a matter of safety. How much money do you think it would take for me to move to another country? I'd have to have a good job and all that to make that happen. if anything wanting to leave makes me work harder. its not about me working hard or anything like that. Thats not what Im worried about. Im worried about the fact that people can say and do whatever they want to others and theres no consequences. Paula, Zimmerman and others make me fearful of what it would be like if I had a son here. He WOULD succeed, but can he ever truly reach his full potential, not just within himself, but also in the eyes of his fellow Americans, with so many obstacles and prejudice in his way? Im not letting anyone hold me back but you cannot sit here and tell me this is the best place in the world for black people. You cant tell me this is the ideal place to raise a black man because it is not. Thats a sad reality I have to face as I decide where I want to start a family. Do I want to lay my foundations and legacy in a place where ratings and money mean more than human decency and respect?

Kels said...

And also, its a mothers job to make sure her kids have the easiest and happest life they possibly can. I do not believe that is possible in America. I want something different for my future kids.

amused bush said...

Understood Kels. Maybe it is where I live, but I never feel unsafe because of the color of my skin. I know there are parts of the country where this could be true, so in essence, I must be lucky.l

Like you, I have considered moving out of the country to raise a family. I think it would be a great experience for everyone.

Tempestuous Grape said...

They can do whatever they please. Food Network is garbage food most of the time anyway.

Tippie Hippie said...

I don't miss her so why and I won't be watching so why?

Unknown said...

"the victim mentality" Seriously? Seriously?! Yeah, the fact that it's perfectly acceptable to treat black people like shit in this country, up to and including the freaking president, and up to and including shooting them dead on the street or in their own homes for no good reason, is something black people just need to have a better attitude about.

H888FUL said...

Kels, are you serious? And there is a place made especially for you, it's called Liberia. You could go there!

Iceberg, your post is a prime example of that victim mentality. Seriously, many black people refuse to not act like criminals, and it's truly unfortunate that the "Talented Tenth" of decent blacks have to suffer because of other people's actions, but that's life. And I don't really see how people can argue that all blacks aren't to blame for the bad apples, but ALL whites are guilty for slavery that happened 150 years ago. It just seems a little hypocritical, you know?

8====D KermitGossnellKnobjob said...

She should go back after alec baldwin finishes his hard punishment for his vicious behaviour. O wait.


This woman deserves punishment for not using the words "African American".
Damn, I love those words: First they involve that being "black" is a bad thing, opposite to "White" which is totally good; then they say that they are not real Americans, but some mixed shit and, in the end, they say that Algerians, Tunisians and all that aren't really Africans. I love the words and I will use them everyday.

In other unrelated news, African Americans killed five yesterday in gun free shitcago.

8====D KermitGossnellKnobjob said...

And kels, you feel unsafe because you are a fucking midget, not because of your skin for most criminals are on your part.

amused bush said...

Seriously, what is up with the name-calling and blanket staments because you happen to have a differing opinion than Kels?! Kermit, you truly are a dick.

Barton Fink said...

I wish there weren't anti-black racists on this site. It's weird that in 2013 you have a whole fringe of Americans who consume anti-minority infotainment and then reproduce its "talking points" all day elsewhere.

Unknown said...

I knew this would happen. Remember when that Robert guy on Food Network got caught lying about his past a few years ago? He claimed he made the cake for Princess Di's wedding. It was always being touted on his shows. Then they found out he didn't, he just made it up. The network said his lies hurt their reputation and announced he was fired. Yet since that time, he's been on more shows than ever on Food Network. I don't think there was even a week where he wasn't on. It's like they didn't even try to make it look like he was fired for more than a day.

auntliddy said...

Ice, ita. The way obama has been and is treated is deplorable. It really sticks in their craw that he is president! It just about kills them. Assholes.

auntliddy said...

Am I the only one in the world who has NEVER watched food channel and never will? Wtf is so effing interesting about watching people cook??!! Its cooking, moms have been doing it 200 years, 7 days a week, 3 meals a day, but a man cooks, or some chatty ass woman, and oh!! They are chefs!! Its genius!! Please spare me the bullshit. I'd as soon watch someone clean.

auntliddy said...

I have never had my typing and grammar criticized so much! Pick on someone else for a while, im doing best I can!! Lol

OKay said...

There are a lot of good shows on the Food Network. Paula Deen isn't on any of them. I cannot imagine watching this woman, even before she proved herself to be kinda disgusting.

Krissie said...

Paula Deen is trash and she should never be on TV again. In fact a lot of people on that channel are really a bunch of jerks, from what I've heard: Guy Ferrari is a homophobe, Ina Garten refused to meet a terminally ill child, Robert Irving lied about his past, etc etc. I'm sure there is more.

FN is going down the tubes because they have too many shitty cooking competition shows. The worst are the ones where they encourage the contestants to play dirty try to screw over the other contestants.

ForSure said...

Food network is in trouble because they took all the actual cooking shows off and put them on the Cooking Channel. Now Food Network just shows dreck, and I'm not paying extra for the Cooking Channel.

From what I understand/remember, the 'racial discrimination' part of the lawsuit was thrown out because the plaintiff was white and the comments were not directed at her personally. One day after that decision came down, the rest of the case was dismissed from court and a confidential out of court settlement was signed, for a suspected very fat wad of cash. Sounds to me like the judge hinted very strongly that the plaintiff had a strong case on many of the other complaints and the Deen Corporate Brand settled quickly to keep all that ish off the books.

I bet she'll be back on TV before Christmas. She can go to CMT, stay off Food Network.

Sherry said...

We all predicted this would happen. Just like Robert coming back. No surprise there at all.

And I agree on how rude people can be about the President. He got Osama Bin Laden and he still got no cred. Fear of a black man.

Unknown said...

If the Food Network wants to improve its ratings, they should try NOT AIRING 20 HOURS OF GUY FIERI!!!

Because no one likes him.

selenakyle said...

If I learned one thing from the whole Paula Deen debacle is to LIE MY FUCKING ASS OFF if I'm ever in a deposition...

Brenda L said...

Trying to think up a good Robin Thicke joke....

Henriette said...

What I learned from Paula Deen is to pay the people off BEFORE the deposition.

Habibti said...

Who watches Paula Deen? I only once accidentally saw her cook and I got nauseous just seeing all the butter and sugar she uses.Yuck. Surely there must be some fresh new talent out there that doesnt teach people how to cook and eat yourself to death?

SophiaB said...

I have no idea where you could go, Kels. Racism is rampant worldwide. Where would you be thinking of, as I am a curious sort. I would go ANYWHERE that left folks alone to be themselves... in safety, with respect.

The racism here in BC is pretty jawdropping, and I got a taste of oldy moldy military hatted PURE ignorance and racism in the teeny tiny Dutch-infused border town where I collect my US mail.

Not that I expect differently, but MAN is it just right out i front. Bay Area denizens typically do a better job of covering up their hatred.

I am white, and I fully acknowledge the racism and hatred that floods through my body sometimes. I am also self-educated at a deeper level than most regarding the history of Black Americans from all countries and cultures.

I just never got exposed to the level of flat out hatred I have witnessed in the last year. Scary.

SophiaB said...

Not sure who you are or where you live, but it's kinda been open season on de black folk for, um, all five hundred years since they got snared and stolen and enslaved in dese hyah Yoonited States. i am quite aware that some Black people OWNED slaves, and many were freeman, but the overimprisonment of people of color, and the endless reprise of unfortunate endings of young lives followed by failure to follow up, failure to charge, failure to convict, or just plain framing the wrong people for walking, driving, or BREATHING while black just makes your statement REEK of ignorance and pure lack of interest in fact.

SophiaB said...

Rright, @Iceberg! Those black folk should just BUCK UP! Take it like a man... or something... fucking RACISTS need to shut UP. Thanks for gettingpissed off. You are totally right on.

SophiaB said...

There are shows for that...

SophiaB said...

Kermit is an ignorant troll. Always has been. Apparently uninterested in making any changes with that. Drop dead troll.

Sandy said...

Wow, the demos for Food Network have obviously devolved to the lowest common denominator, lower than Fieri, Ray and Lee would indicate. So they're bringing Deen back, huh? Love to see how they'll do it - my guess is they'll have African-American guests on every other episode until her "non-racist cred" is established, then it will go back to the usual good ole boys n' girls.

Myself, I'd rather watch Trisha Yearwood (a woman with brains and humor), but I guess I'll have to stop watching the network if they bring that racist mayo slinger back.

Zeeky_Boogy_Doog said...

They should instead give James Deen a cooking show. Even if it was just a highlight reel of his normal acting, it'd be way less pornographic than Paula's nonstop butter and sugar orgy.

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