If you’ve wanted an explanation as to how Paula Deen rationalizes using the n-word, then you’re in luck. After Food Network, Smithfield Foods and maybe even QVC have dumped Paula, she went on the TODAY show to talk with Matt Lauer in an effort to prevent her image from being tarnished further.
For one, Paula tries to make it clear that she’s only used the n-word only once in her life. That was during a robbery in which she had a gun to her head. However, Matt brings up her deposition where she was asked if she used the n-word on other occasions and she said probably or of course. He wanted to know if that was inaccurate. Paula responded, “No, I answered the question truthfully.” Wait, what? Is she talking about Matt Lauer’s question or the deposition question?
Paula was then asked if she thought black people were offended by the n-word. “I don’t know, Matt. I have asked myself that so many times because it’s very distressing for me to go into my kitchen and I hear what these young people are calling each other. It’s very, very distressful.”
Someone should explain to Paula there’s a difference between two black people talking to each other and saying something like, “Yo, my n***a,” and a white boss telling her black employee, “Get back to work, n****r.” One will get a homie hug and the other will get someone’s ass kicked.
Asked if she ever joined in on the language, “No. Absolutely not. It’s very distressing. It’s very distressing for me because I think that for this problem to be worked on that these young people are going to have to take control and start showing respect for each other and not throwing that word at each other. It makes my skin crawl.”
This sounds more like a “if I can’t use it because it’s disrespectful, then black people shouldn’t be allowed to use it for the same reason.” Which is kind of pointless because that’s never going to happen. She’d have an easier time convincing Gwyneth Paltrow to do lesbian porn.