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Paula Deen's business woes continue to mount, a week after news broke that the celebrity chef had used a racial slur and a day after she made a failed attempt to save face on NBC's "Today."

Retail giant Target has severed its business ties with Deen, adding to a list of companies that have decided to part ways with her amid the scandal, the Associated Press reports.

Also read: Paula Deen N-Word Controversy: Diabetes Drug Maker Novo Nordisk Suspends Relationship

A spokeswoman for the company told the AP that the company will phase out Deen's merchandise, which includes cookware. "Once the merchandise is sold out, we will not be replenishing inventory," the spokeswoman added.

Over the past week, a number of Deen's business partners have fled from the butter-happy chef, chipping away at her empire by defection. After the Food Network's decision not to renew Deen's contract, Smithfield Foods parted ways with Deen, followed by Caesars Entertainment and Walmart. On Thursday, drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk, which makes the diabetes drug Victoza, which Deen endorses, suspended their relationship.

See video: Paula Deen: 5 Golden, Butter-Drenched Moments

"Novo Nordisk and Paula Deen have mutually agreed to suspend our patient education activities for now, while she takes time to focus her attention where it is needed," the company said Thursday. "Novo Nordisk would like to acknowledge Paula's involvement in our Diabetes in a New Light campaign, where she has helped make many people aware of type 2 diabetes and the lifestyle changes needed to control this serious disease."

Deen has been mired in controversy since last week, when news broke that she had used the "N" word during a deposition. Deen and her brother, Earl W. "Bubba" Hiers by a former restaurant employee who claims that Hiers created a sexually and racially hostile work environment, and that Deen failed to prevent it.

See the original post:
Paula Deen Dumped by Target as N-Word Scandal Continues (Report)

Posted on: 3:14 pm, June 28, 2013, by George Brown, updated on: 04:21pm, June 28, 2013

(CNN) Civil Rights icon Rev. Jesse Jackson has is being criticized by many in the black community for showing some support for Paula Deen.

Jackson told the Associated Press, she should be reclaimed rather than destroyed.

Numerous people have attacked Jackson for his Tweet using the very same word Deen admitted to using.

Former President Jimmy Carter said embattled celebrity chef Paula Deen should be forgiven, arguing that while theres no condoning the racial slurs she uttered, the well-known personality has been candid and apologetic.

She was maybe excessively honest in saying that she had in the past, 30 years ago, used this terrible word, Carter told CNNs Suzanne Malveaux in an interview Friday. I think she has been punished, perhaps overly severely, for her honesty in admitting it and for the use of the word in the distant past. Shes apologized profusely.

Deens troubles began about two weeks ago when a deposition in a discrimination lawsuit was released in which she admitted using the n-word in the past. Dean has insisted she does not tolerate prejudice, but her apologies have failed to suppress the controversy.

The fallout has been swift and painful.

Her Southern cooking business is reeling as major brands end or suspend their ties with her, prompting the celebrity chef to seek out professional crisis-management assistance.

Photos: Southern TV chef Paula Deen

Originally posted here:
Sears Drops Paula As Rev. Jesse Jackson Stands By Her

The rapid downfall of Paula Deen's empire in wake of her N-word controversey continued on Friday.

A JCPenney spokesperson told TheWrap that the company has decided to discontinue selling her merchandise.

The Associated Press also reports thatBallantine Books is canceling the publication of Deen's upcoming cookbook, "Paula Deen's New Testament: 250 Favorite Recipes, All Lightened Up," which was set to be released in October.

The publisher has not yet responded to TheWrap's request for comment.

Also read:Paula Deen's Multimillion-Dollar Disaster: What's the Cost of the N-Word?

The news comes the same day that Sears and Kmart announced they were cutting ties with the former Food Network personality.

All three department stores join a long list of companies, including Food Network, Smithfield Foods, Walmart, Target, drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk, and Harrah's, that have dumped Deensince she acknowledged using the N-word in a deposition last month.

The celebrity chef and her brother are being sued by a former female restaurant employee, who says Deen's brother subjected her to racist, sexist and violent behavior. The plaintiff alleges Deen did nothing to stop it.

"My brother is not a bad person. Do humans behave inappropriately? At times, yes. I don't know one person that has not. My brother is a good man," Deen said during the deposition. "Have we told jokes? Have we said things that we should not have said, that -- yes, we all have. We all have done that, every one of us."

Originally posted here:
Paula Deen Dropped by JCPenney, Too - Who's Left?

Paula Deen has released three apology videos, explained herself on the "Today" show and her sons defended her, but companies keep parting ways with the celebrity chef following her racial slur controversy.

Check out a list of companies that have ended their partnerships with Paula Deen below.

1. Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

On Wednesday, June 26, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. announced it had ended its relationship with Deen, according to the associated press. The retail giant carries a variety of products that feature Deen's name in its 4,000 stores, including cookware.

"We will not place new orders beyond those already committed," a Wal-Mart spokesman told the wire service. "We will work with suppliers to address existing inventories and agreements."

2. Caesars Entertainment

Caesars Entertainment, the company that owns and operates several casinos including Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, announced on Wednesday that it will be stripping her name from four buffet restaurants. However, the company said the restaurant rebranding was a mutual decision with Deen.

3. Smithfield Foods

On June 24, Smithfield Foods announced they dropped Deen as the company's spokesperson. The company also sold Paula Deen-branded hams, in addition to her duties as a spokesperson.

In a statement the company said, "Smithfield condemns the use of offensive and discriminatory language and behavior of any kind. Therefore, we are terminating our partnership with Paula Deen. Smithfield is determined to be an ethical food industry leader and it is important that our values and those of our spokespeople are properly aligned."

Continued here:
Paula Deen's N-word scandal: List of companies that have parted ways

NEW YORK

Will Paula Deen go the way of Michael Richards or Charlie Sheen?

One unleashed a bigoted tirade and is no longer a lovable, easily employable clown. The other carved a brand out of crazy - reported hotel N-word rant and all - but is back on TV earning millions.

Her Food Network shows gone, her endorsements crumbling, is Paula Deen - in a word - toast?

A week after Deen's admission of using racial slurs in the past surfaced in a discrimination lawsuit, pop culture watchers, experts in managing public relations nightmares and civil rights stalwarts who have tried to help other celebrities in her position see a long, bumpy road ahead.

They also see a week full of missteps and believe the queen of comfort food reacted too slowly to her latest controversy at a time when hours count. They say it could take years, if she can make it back at all to the earning power she has enjoyed.

"Paula Deen has, I would say, taken an irreparable hit because she had this appearance of being more or less a nice older woman who cooks food that's bad for you. That in her own way sort of made her lovable," said Janice Min, editorial director of The Hollywood Reporter in Los Angeles.

"But this presents a whole other picture of, `Wow, maybe she's just an old racist white southern woman.' That image is hard to shake off for a large chunk of people," Min added.

So far, what could go wrong pretty much has, said Larry Kopp, president of The TASC Group, a communications firm for sports figures and celebrities with experience in high-profile, racially charged cases. His current clients include the family of black teen Trayvon Martin, whose shooter, George Zimmerman, is on trial for second-degree murder.

In celebrity terms, where do Deen's troubles land her in the crowded hierarchy of misbehavior?

Read more:
N-word controversy: Is Paula Deen done for?