Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Re: The Pauler Dilemma. Rosie Explains A Bit.

I never mean to offend anyone, but sometimes I do.  It happens in the blog world.  And then I go into a tailspin of unnecessary explanations.

After receiving two comments on a particular post concerning Paula Deen's recent axing at Food Network, I feel the need to clarify my thoughts and position.

I would never believe that I would be defending Paula Deen, but I am, sorta.  It's a matter of semantics and perceptions, both of which are tenuous at best and ineffective at worst. What I'm doing is a lose/lose sort of thing.

  I need to state my position and observations.

Comment From Anony #1:
Anonymous said...
Did you even read the articles you link? She was not fired for just the deposition, but the totality of the situation. Admitting to using the N word with an "of course," allegedly running businesses that condone sexual and racial harassment, and suggesting a reception served by a specific racial group. All of this combined made her someone that any network would want to pull away from.

You may call it political correctness, but this has nothing to do with politics. This has to do with raising the bar on how we treat people. 


To A#1:

Yes, I read the articles I link.

Admitting to using the N word with "of course:"  
Sadly, Paula is not that articulate.
That said,  I can imagine Paula thinking along this line: "Yes, of course I did.  You already know that.  This is what the whole damn thing is about."
Allow for different perceptions.

And there's that "allegedly."  Slippery slope, that one.

Suggesting a reception with a particular racial group:
Paula's wish about the reception was a fantasy wish.  I don't think anyone wants to go there.
Brother Hawthorne once had a party catered by a Mexican restaurant.  He wanted a Mariachi band.  Is that racist?

The Food Network knew exactly what they were getting.
They molded her.
And they dropped Paula like a hot potato.
I think that's wrong.

I know where my bar is and I know how I treat people and I'm good with both.



Comment From Anony #2:

Anonymous said...
Wow, I came here from the OBX news site, which recommended your blog. I was hoping for some nice recipes, but then found a racist rant masked in making fun of political correctness. Nice job calling those that don't agree with you names such as pigs and asswipes. Stay classy.

To A#2:

First of all, I am not a racist and I wouldn't call that post a "rant."  
I would like to request respect here.  Calling my post a "racist rant" is not very nice.
When you come to my blog, please consider yourself at my dinner table.  I don't think you would say that to my face.  I ask you not to do it anonymously.  It's only polite. 
Any Outer Banks news site would adhere to this:
The views and opinions expressed in anything Rosie Hawthorne writes are those of Rosie alone and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of said Outer Banks news site.  In fact, we don't know of any Rosie Hawthorne and have no knowledge of how she hacked onto our site.


 A2, I'm pretty sure you'll find some nice recipes on my blog. Please, keep looking.  If I can help you find a particular recipe, I'd be more than happy to.  There is a feature on my blog called, "Just Ask Rosie."  You can email me at rosiehawthorne@aim.com and ask me any culinary question - about a recipe, a technique, an ingredient, whatever - and I'll do my best to answer.

Any time I can make fun of "political correctness" I will.

And I didn't call them pigs and asswipes because they didn't agree with me. 


To all my readers, here are my thoughts on the matter:
Now that I've been cogitating over this mess, I will say I won't be missing Ms. Deen on the Food Network.  I will not remember her for her racial slurs. There are so many more memorable things.

 I will remember Pauler for her dietary and diabetic bombs - particularly her fried agenda. To wit, deep fried lasagna, deep fried mac 'n' cheese,  fried buttah balls, deep fried stuffing on a stick, deep fried bagel sandwich, ultimate fantasy deep fried cheesecake, deep fried chocolate pound cake, and her buttahbuttaheverywhere, and her bacon hamburgers encased in Krispy Kreme doughnuts as buns.

Enough is enough.

I will remember how, at one time,  she used to be "normal" on the Food Network, then she succumbed to the FN ether or started drinking their Kool Aid, or both, and let them morph her into a caricature of her former self.

Bigger!  Louder!  Obnoxiouser! 

I remember her amazingly crass program, Paula's Party. I remember the unfortunate and embarrassing  sexual innuendos she would make to the male audience members, occasionally deep-throating food items  and, at other times, sharing a food item with someone, with her gaping maw at one end and her hapless victim at the other, inevitably meeting in the middle.  This was done frequently in front of her sons.  I cringed for those boys. Bobby seems to still have a problem with it.  All the Bag Lady crap.  Jamie seems to have gotten past it.  It was what it was. 

I remember her for her inappropriate actions towards Jimmy Carter while Mrs. Carter was sitting right there.  More cringe-worthy behavior.

  I will remember Paula for kneading her meatloaf with those gawdy diamond rings on and I would shudder when thinking about the bacteria growing inside.

I will remember her for her incessant cackling, only hoping she'd lay a damn egg and STF up.

I remember Paula for dropping her britches at South Beach Wine and Food.  I remember Paula for licking butter off of Robert Irvine's abdomen and then riding him.

I remember Paula for pappereeka,  romantical,  and confectionate sugar.

That's what I remember Paula for.

I remember her for white trashiness and this present situation only sealed the deal.

I also believe in due process. I believe in the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
I'm giving Pauler the benefit of the doubt, in spite of herself.  I don't think she should have been axed for this latest faux pas.

 Food Network, stand behind the brand you created.  I think you owe Paula that much.  You KNEW what you were getting and you promoted the hell out of it. This is your monster. You created her.  Back her sorry ass up and live with it.

Second chances, anybody?

Throw the first stone?


That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

And Food Network, if you're cleaning house, you might consider Guy Fee-yeddee.


Rosie

PS  Please don't be niggardly with your comments.  I love to hear from my readers.

9 comments:

Lori K said...

Rosie,
you are a class act!!! Well said
Lori

tortietast said...

Rosie, my friend, if you had a LIKE button, I would click it!

Anonymous said...

You posted exactly how I feel about this. I'm not fond of Over the Top Paula at all, but I agree that FN created this woman. Yeah, I think she's a racist and I also think she's not very smart and I believe that FN participated and encouraged her craziness. Everything was fine with them until her racist behavior became commonly known.

Rosie Hawthorne said...

Thank you, my friends, for your support.

Marilyn said...

Well said, Rosie.

Melinda (my friends call me Mel...) said...

I also think this whole thing has gone the way of the "reality" TV world. Food Network started out with a real person. They coaxed her, encouraged her, and molded her to their liking. Like so many other shows, Real Housewives-I'm looking at you, the networks take people and dangle a fantasy in front them. Paula took the bait and grew into the character she is today. She did not start out this way. IMO, FN sat back with a smirk while their wallet got fat. Paula's did too so, she stayed.

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who sees this like a marriage gone bad. FN wanted a divorce but not until they covered their ass with a whole new life. FN gets to start over, Paula is on her own. They GAVE her all she needed to support herself, right? SMDH

I am not willing to call her any names based on a deposition, either. Depositions are under oath but are not conducted in an impartial setting. The whole goal is for the opposing side to get you to say words they can use against you. I think either Paula's attorneys failed her or she failed herself. Whichever. I don't think anyone should be fired over that. I think waiting for a ruling to be handed down by a judge to make that move would be much more fair.

But this is FN, they have dumped their cash cows for far less, in the past. FN does not see what they have done to so many others, is exactly what they are doing to themselves. FN has a huge ego and I can't wait to see THEIRS implode. Eye for an eye... It's only fair.

As far as the lawsuit, which has been ongoing for 2 years now, where are the other depositions? I may have missed those. I've read the complaint but haven't seen her deposition. Or Bubba's for that matter. Why only Paula's? Something in this water ain't clean.

In fairness, we are ALL talking about something we have very little factual information about. I refuse to judge a person, any person, for telling the truth or giving their opinion with the information they have to form that opinion. Truth and opinions are subjective to individuals, experiences, and time/age.

I could be wrong. It wouldn't be the first time. I won't throw any stones, my glass house won't let me.

Rosie Hawthorne said...

Again, I thank you.

Most sincerely,
Rosie

Tammy said...

I must admit I was never really a big Paula Deen fan. Her food wasn't something I ever tried to make...I think I would feel too guilty to put a tub of butter in a cake batter. So. Even though I wasn't her number one fan to begin with, I think the media has pulled this along too far.

Her comments were wrong and her actions inexcusable.

But let's face it, when Jay-Z spits the N-word out into his microphone without a care in the world, it's accepted as valid and to make a point...Really? What point is Jay-Z making by using the N-word? The only point he's made is that there is a double standard in society. He's teaching young people to use that word and because there is no backlash for it, they deem it ok.

No one ever asked him or other rappers for an apology or an explanation as to why he really needs to use the N-word...seriously, he can't rhyme any other words? However, the media worships him and Beyonce.
Yet, we all jump on this woman for admitting to using the N-word and now we're after her with pitchforks and won't let her get away with it until she has her livelihood taken from her, her family left disgraced and she is living in a gutter.

So to those Anonymous comments, I'd like to know, do you listen to rap music? Do you worship Jay-Z & Beyonce like the rest of them? Do you listen to Nicki Minaj & Drake & Kanye? If so then guess what? You're a hypocrite. So, I hope you got your kicks on with your invalid remarks.

I don't think what Paula Deen said was right, but we're harping on this too long. We have more important issues in the country right now, and we're getting all up in arms over Paula Deen.

It's amazing how tasteless people can be in choosing their words.

Rosie Hawthorne said...

You have a valid point there, Tammy.