Celebrity News

‘I was born 60 years ago’: Paula Deen responds to N-word controversy

Paula Deen has issued a response to yesterday’s reports that the celebrity chef regularly used the N-word and had a penchant for racist jokes.

Paula Deen Enterprises issued a statement to TMZ that states, “During a deposition where she swore to tell the truth, Ms. Deen recounted having used a racial epithet in the past, speaking largely about a time in American history which was quite different than today.”

According to published reports, in a recorded deposition the 66-year-old TV cook admitted to using racial epithets while she and her brother “Bubba” are accused of using offensive language at their Savannah, Georgia restaurant. She recalled using the word in 1986 when “a black man burst into the bank that I was working at and put a gun to my head.”

The statement to the gossip site continues, “[Paula] was born 60 years ago when America’s South had schools that were segregated, different bathrooms, different restaurants and Americans rode in different parts of the bus. This is not today.”

“To be clear Ms. Deen does not find acceptable the use of this term under any circumstance by anyone nor condone any form of racism or discrimination. ”