Houston Greets Paula Deen With Cheers at First Public Appearance (& 10 minute standing ovation!)
Source: The Houston Chronicle
September 15, 2013 10:31am Fallen cooking star Paula Deen fought back tears as she was greeted by cheers and a standing ovation from a crowd of about 1,500 during her appearance at the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show at Reliant Center.
It was Deen's first public appearance since late June, when news broke that she had used a racial slur.
"These are tears of joy, y'all," Deen told the audience. "I've said all along that the one place I'd want to make my first step back out is Texas. Y'all's hearts are as big as your state." Houston resident Sherry Carter and her daughters, Shana Randle and Michelle Sanders, who were among a few African-American fans in the audience Saturday, said the allegations hadn't turned them against Deen.
"When I first heard about it, my feeling was, she got caught," Carter said. "Just about everyone I know has used the word. At least she was honest about it."
Four friends from the Fulshear-Richmond area wore sashes and carried placards with Deen's photo to show their support.
Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Houston-greets-Paula-Deen-with-cheers-at-first-4814722.php?cmpid=hpbn
global1
(25,170 posts)Texas for her come back appearance? This is just the start of her comeback tour. I'm sure that there will be an image campaign to get her back in the loving graces of the public. There's just too much money at stake. They will rehabilitate her name and image.
And yes - I got to believe that she has hired a PR Firm that specializes in image recreation after celebrity downfalls.
big_dog
(4,144 posts)[img][/img]
heaven05
(18,124 posts)doesn't have short memories, like the black fan said, they say the words and think the thoughts used above, everyday. I'm surprised she didn't do Sanford, fla. Well maybe her 'comeback' tour will take her there. We can only hope.
IDemo
(16,926 posts)Awesome.
erpowers
(9,350 posts)In my opinion, that quote from that woman was just stupid. I am not against people forgiving Paula Deen, but I think it is foolish to say her using that word was not a big deal because other people have used the word. No one should that word, but Paula Deen is old enough to know how hurtful that word is to older African-Americans. I am pretty sure she knew she should not have used the word.
FarPoint
(12,209 posts)I have confronted African Americans when they do use the "n" word or make racist comments.
Paula apologized...appeared sincere when shared and remember, she admitted her long past,racist comments in a honest fashion. I'm moving forward.
Liberal_Stalwart71
(20,450 posts)and doesn't excuse people who use it. That is unfair to the many African Americans like myself who DO NOT use that horrible word. Paula Deen can apologize until the cows come home. It doesn't excuse the racism.
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)And I have to say that's a pretty large brush you're painting us with....
FarPoint
(12,209 posts)I'm just moving forward.
tavernier
(12,322 posts)or any other intelligent person on the planet. Using that word marks a person as ignorant, classless trash, regardless of their color or age. I can almost tolerate racism because with education it can be turned around. But you can't fix stupid.
Supersedeas
(20,630 posts)Hoyt
(54,770 posts)Guaguacoa
(271 posts)is that the US media seems to take to task those they choose to on racism, bigotry or homophobia. I know nothing about Paula Deen, never heard of her before the media frenzy, but I do know the media seems to choose who they pile on or who they ignore. Racism is horrible, it's VERY open here in mexico and it's despicable. I just believe ALL racism is despicable no matter what race or where it comes from.
Examples: Alec Baldwin (homophobe) and politician Robert Byrd (racist). Byrd for sure was an ex kkk member and where is the hate toward him? (I am updating my post that byrd is probably not a good example without changing my original post, but the sentiment still stands).
The US media seems to choose who they will bury. Ours is just as bad, bigotry toward darker skin here is is so accepted it does not make news in any form.
I'm sure my post will offend someone, but it's not meant to.
grasswire
(50,130 posts)Robert Byrd made his amends over many decades.
Guaguacoa
(271 posts)Last edited Sun Sep 15, 2013, 02:28 PM - Edit history (1)
too politically polarized, my sentiment towards the us media still stands.
dsc
(52,130 posts)at the very end he voted to end DADT but he only did so when a delay was added to 'study' it.
Guaguacoa
(271 posts)there appears to be some homophobes here on DU.
warrant46
(2,205 posts)And he reformed--- he put his sheet and hood back in the closet
marshall
(6,661 posts)I recall sometime near the end of his life hearing him use the word on national tv. The interviewer kindly gave him the opportunity to correct himself, but Byrd insisted that is the word he intendd to use.
My point is that use of the word is not always an indication of continued racism.
Liberal_Stalwart71
(20,450 posts)hasn't? Those constantly affected by it or those who aren't?
marshall
(6,661 posts)I said "...use of the word is not always an indication of continued racism." In context of the discussion, which was that Senator Byrd made amends later in life for his earlier involvement with the KKK (and I don't refute or confirm the validity of those amends) I was pointing out that despite any change of heart, he continued to use the pejorative in question. On a personal level, one might say it is for him to say that his own personal racism has changed, or lessened, or evolved or whatever term might be used. Certainly if that is the case it would continue to be a personal view, and not one that could necessarily be extended to society at large.
Guaguacoa
(271 posts)is something that bothers me.
marshall
(6,661 posts)Last edited Wed Sep 18, 2013, 12:31 PM - Edit history (1)
That is something that is innately and uniquely each individual's right to define. It is real to us if no one else, and affects our life choices.
Guaguacoa
(271 posts)AnotherMcIntosh
(11,064 posts)gave up when his populist policies repeatedly got him re-elected. His pro-Democratic policies also served him well on the national scene as well when his Republican opponents tried to smear him with the really old news that he had been in the KKK because he had only been in the KKK for a short time in the early 1940's.
Smear away. It won't matter to him. It certainly won't negate any of the legislation and programs that he helped pass.
tblue
(16,350 posts)and it showed in his deeds. Redemption is a good thing. If a soul is salvageable, the let them be saved!
Guaguacoa
(271 posts)Last edited Sun Sep 15, 2013, 02:29 PM - Edit history (1)
byrd was probably not the best example as people here are too politically polarized, but my sentiment towards the us media still stands.
ret5hd
(20,435 posts)Better luck next time.
Guaguacoa
(271 posts)Either that or you dislike those that do not sell out their ideals for political reasons.
Guaguacoa
(271 posts)The US is REALLY strange.
AnotherMcIntosh
(11,064 posts)Guaguacoa
(271 posts)Special attention? WTF are you blathering about?
Very ridiculous comments.
Is mentioning what hitler did a smear? It's stating fact.
A smear is something that did not happen.
"Smears often consist of ad hominem attacks in the form of unverifiable rumors and are often distortions, half-truths, or even outright lies; smear campaigns are often propagated by gossip spreading. Even when the facts behind a smear are shown to lack proper foundation, the tactic is often effective because the target's reputation is tarnished before the truth is known."
Stating a fact is not a smear.
AnotherMcIntosh
(11,064 posts)Guaguacoa
(271 posts)Last edited Sun Sep 15, 2013, 02:37 PM - Edit history (1)
Calling a statement a smear, that is actually fact is self serving and inaccurate.
It's a knee jerk reaction based political partisanship rather than fact and honesty.
Fact is NEVER a smear whether you like it or not. Just because it upsets you does not make it a smear, at least be honest.
I, as a person of color, think that ANYONE that could join the KKK at any time has hate issues toward minorities. So he "reinvented" himself. It takes a LOT of hate to ever join the kkk. You want to defend this and call me stating the fact that he WAS a kkk mrmber a smear? Fine, I'm guessing you are white and don't expect me to feel the same way or think you are any different than he is/was. You really, as a white person I'm sure (No insult towards whte people in general) , have no right to expect me to accept an ex kkk member. It's not a smear by any means. So you have a soft spot towards ex kkk members, I do not.
You think bigots/racists have never "reinvented themselves for political reasons? You think just because someone has a "D" beside their name they are automatically a racist? Sorry to burst your bubble, i lived for a while in california and saw plenty of "liberal" racists.
If I were in the US i would support democrats (well the true liberal ones anyway) but I am issue oriented (for example against war) over political polarization any day just to be able to live with myself.
I do not mean to offend a whole race by my statement that I am really tired of *SOME* white people telling me who and what is offensive or racist to me as a person of color. I am not a child or have the same experiences as you. Again, I am not trying to be offensive to all white people.
heaven05
(18,124 posts)and it isn't wrong no matter how many faces Byrd had. It's like stating paula dean is a bigot, racist. Like stating zimPIG-erman is a kill crazy racist bigot. I remember Byrd. He remade himself which is true, yet that doesn't get rid of his hate.
Guaguacoa
(271 posts)directed at me for only stating the truth.
I despise organizations like kkk. I have read a thread here where people have said that if deen ever used the n word in her life that kakes her a bigot. Yet stating byrd was in the kkk, which is fact, and they do more than use the n word the hate is directed toward me? It's not the first time a bigot has reinvented themselves.
I think as a brown skinned person that anyone that joined the kkk at any time has hate in them. I think the person defending this and saying i smeared him must be white.
lunatica
(53,410 posts)As a blonde gringa who spent the first 25 years of my life in Mexico, I can attest to racism there, even against people like me. There were plenty of times when people felt quite comfortable insulting me because of the color of my skin and hair. There is also a great deal of class discrimination.
Still I love Mexico. I consider it my first home, and I would love to go live there again.
Guaguacoa
(271 posts)Thank you for the welcome.
Rebellious Republican
(5,029 posts)Guaguacoa
(271 posts)I am not an expert on us politicians, but trying to get the sentiment across maybe picked a bad name. The sentiment still stands though, have you really seen them take alec baldwin to task for being homophobic as they have this paula deen? He made HIS statements in public.
cheapdate
(3,811 posts)from a recent incident where Baldwin's wife was attending the funeral of a friend, and while she was at the memorial, some asshole sent a shit-talking tweet about her. A brief "Twitter War" erupted between Baldwin and the asshole, and at one point Baldwin called the prick a "queen".
The conservative crowd, of the type that waits in line for an hour to get a Chik-Fil-A sandwich, seized on this to illustrate, in their mind, how "liberals" and the "liberal media" are hypocritical.
Now, I'm neither defending not condemning Alec Baldwin for how he responded to a shit-heel making asinine comments about his (Baldwin's) wife while she was at a friend's funeral. I might not have responded like he did -- but I might have.
But the particulars of the incidents involving Deen and Baldwin are very different -- certainly not the moral equivalent that the flag-waving, liberal-hating, conservative, know-nothings seem to think it is.
Guaguacoa
(271 posts)not calling me this are you"
"flag-waving, liberal-hating, conservative"
and to me racism and homophobia........is racism and homophobia. No matter who it is.
Then again I do not base these things on who the person claims to be, but what they say. I do not allow political party afiliation to dictate to me who is racist or bigoted. Deen is racist, baldwin is bigoted. Period. I don't give a damn what the circumstances were.
You also left out some of what he said:
"George Stark, you lying little bitch. I am gonna f%#@ you up."
"I want all of my followers and beyond to straighten out this fucking little bitch, George Stark."
"If put my foot up your fucking ass, George Stark, but I'm sure you'd dig it too much"
"I'm gonna find you, George Stark, you toxic little queen, and I'm gonna fuck...you...up"
There's no excuse. He's clearly homphobic and as bad as any racist. To me the only person that defends a homophobe or racist must be a homophobe or racist. That makes you CLEARLY more conservative than I am.
cheapdate
(3,811 posts)Specifically, "The conservative crowd, of the type that waits in line for an hour to get a Chik-Fil-A sandwich" and "flag-waving, liberal-hating, conservative, know-nothings."
I hope that answers your question.
Now a question for you, if you please. What is your basis for accusing Alec Baldwin of being a homophobe? Is it something beyond what I described?
Guaguacoa
(271 posts)that because I see no difference.
Read my post again.
"George Stark, you lying little bitch. I am gonna f%#@ you up."
"I want all of my followers and beyond to straighten out this fucking little bitch, George Stark."
"If put my foot up your fucking ass, George Stark, but I'm sure you'd dig it too much"
"I'm gonna find you, George Stark, you toxic little queen, and I'm gonna fuck...you...up"
That's the rant of a homophobe and if it were someone the media does not like they would have been all over him. The us media IS hypocritical.
"LGBT Supporters Call for Capital One to Fire Alec Baldwin Over Homophobic Rants"
http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00061997.html
Obviously you are not an LGBT suppoter, defend homophobia all you want.
"If put my foot up your fucking ass, George Stark, but I'm sure you'd dig it too much"
Right, obviously not a gay slur....to a homophobic.
cheapdate
(3,811 posts)If that's how you read it, then more power to you. Myself, I tend to interpret written communication more at face value, rather than trying to read between the lines to ascertain hidden meanings and implications -- at least when it comes to internet discussions. I find there are fewer misunderstandings that way.
cheapdate
(3,811 posts)You left out the entire context for the argument, or rather, you say "I don't give a damn what the circumstances were."
Talking shit about someone's family while they're attending a funeral is an incredibly fucked-up thing to do. It's beyond the pale. You may not care about the circumstances -- I do.
If there's some other reason to believe that Alec Baldwin is a "homophobe" I'm all ears, but this incident doesn't show anything.
Guaguacoa
(271 posts)someone elses family it's just fine to go into a homophobic or racist tirade? Not even remotely. So it would have been fine to call him the n word? No, it would not have.
If homophobia or racism comes out when someone is mad then they are homophobic or racist. Do YOU spew homophic or racist slurs when mad? I must assume you are homophobic to defend it.
cheapdate
(3,811 posts)Last edited Sun Sep 15, 2013, 09:42 PM - Edit history (2)
Coincidentally, my grandmother owned and operated a gay bar for many years in downtown Mobile, AL. Even as a kid, I spent time at my grandmother's bar and grill -- after school or in the evenings when my mother would help out. I've never in my life had a moment's concern over another person's sexual orientation. I wasn't raised that way.
In Alec Baldwin's case, this asshole Stark provoked an argument. For God's sake, who in their right mind talks shit about someone while they're at a funeral? This isn't even the same as asshole Mel Gibson's unprovoked, drunken rant against "Jews". Gibson showed his true colors. His (Gibson's) rant was unprovoked and was obviously meant to implicate "Jews" in general.
We obviously see the matter of provocation and justification (provisional) differently. If there's something else about Baldwin that might indicate he's a homophobe (and therefore and asshole) I'd gladly change my mind about him.
But what Stark said was "fightin' words" -- or certainly could be. I'm not going to condemn Alec Baldwin based solely on the fact that he told this prick that he was going to "put his foot up his ass." The bastard would deserve it, if Baldwin or his wife was so inclined.
Guaguacoa
(271 posts)racism or homophobia. It's just ridiculous to claim it does.
snooper2
(30,151 posts)Maybe next time she won't play pacman at a funeral on her smart phone
cheapdate
(3,811 posts)ChazII
(6,198 posts)Baldwin needs to be fired for his remarks. Capital One is one card I cancelled.
Guaguacoa
(271 posts)tenderfoot
(8,424 posts)years. Alec Baldwin and Robert Byrd couldn't touch Jesse Helms, Strom Thurmond and the current crop of racist/conservative/libertarian shit heels that the pollute the halls of congress on their worst day.
I'm not excusing Baldwin or Byrd (a KKK member in the 1940's!!! - a bit dated don't you think? ) but spare me the comparisons. How many lefties blather on about illegal immigrants, particularly Mexicans? How many have used the fear of illegals and Latinos as a campaign strategy?
Maybe media likes to pile on people who say stupid disgusting things. If more liberals made more stupid racist remarks - perhaps we'd hear more about it.
Guaguacoa
(271 posts)Either it IS or it's NOT. Neither of them have a measurement to see if their racism or hompohobia "rises" to your level of unacceptance. Are you even a minority? If not then YOUR level of acceptance is less than important.
Spare you the comparisons? If you are not a minority THEN WHAT RIGHT DO YOU HAVE EXCUSING ANYONE'S RACISM. Even if you were, which I highly doubt, you could not speak for all of us.
It amazes me that a certain faction of white people have the gaul to attack minorities over what THEY consider to be racist Unbelievable.
Your blathering about lefites that have not attacked mexican's is IRRELEVANT as I only mentioned racists and homophobes. How dare you even bring up someone i was OBVIOUSLY not talking about. Who the hell said anything about the whole democrat or republican party? People should be judged by what they do, not what political party they belong to. It's obvious SOME in the democrat party (such as you) have race issues if they think they can tell a minority what is racist or offensive. You obviously have issues.
I think you must have a VERY close relationship with racism yourself to think that I as a minority can not figure out for myself what is offensive or racist to me. Either you have issues with anyone at all individually being called racist or homophobic in the democratic party or mexican's in general. WHICH IS IT?
I lived a time in San diego ca, us and guess what? I saw people of both parties that were racist. Racists and homophobes are not forced to join any certain party and it has NOTHING to do with the party of democrats in general, just the individual.
graywarrior
(59,440 posts)Myrina
(12,296 posts)Duh?
Those that disapprove of her actions, didn't buy tickets & go. And I'm betting the crowd that wasn't there was bigger than the crowd that was.
sendero
(28,552 posts)... Deen DID NOT GET IN TROUBLE FOR SIMPLY UTTERING THE N WORD. Her behavior included a long term pattern of deeply offensive speech and behavior.
I CONSTANTLY see articles that attempt to minimize what she did by claiming it was all about uttering the N word. IT WAS NOT, IT WENT WAY WAY WAY beyond that.
Skittles
(152,967 posts)um, no, we don't
RebelOne
(30,947 posts)I grew up in Miami during the '50s and '60s and saw racial discrimination. I had used the word as a teenager. I went to a high school with only white students. Blacks had their own schools. I experienced rest rooms and drinking fountains for blacks and whites. I remember blacks having to sit in the back of the bus. That's what I grew up with, so you cannot fault me for using that word at the time.
So I cannot fault Paula Deen for her remarks as she is close to my age and grew up in the South also.
Skittles
(152,967 posts)if you read the deposition
RebelOne
(30,947 posts)in the racist South. Now I am living in the really racist South in Georgia, but I think a lot has changed here.
Skittles
(152,967 posts)please do
sybylla
(8,464 posts)Deen needs to go back to her private life, enjoy her family and her retirement.
Her behavior is a mark of exactly who she is and it is someone who doesn't deserve the spotlight.
Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)Skittles
(152,967 posts)progressoid
(49,827 posts)After two bites I had to be rushed to the hospital for a quadruple bypass.
wisteria
(19,581 posts)"He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone". Enough is enough- point made.
6000eliot
(5,643 posts)Deen defenders should be called what they are, apologists for racism.
Also, I can't feel sorry for someone who is still 1000 times richer than I am, but either too ignorant or too racist to keep their mouth shut.
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)The same free-market that brought her up, cast her down. That is not punishment, that is ironic poetry.
And in countering racism, enough is never enough until racism is no longer...
Point made?
gopiscrap
(23,674 posts)Ilsa
(61,676 posts)Tom Ripley
(4,945 posts)I heard they cheered so hard their hoods fell off