Paula Deen Racist Comments Update: Rep Speaks

As we reported earlier, Paula Deen’s racist comments made during a May 17 deposition and revealed this month have taken the web by storm — and now reps for the celeb chef have addressed the media firestorm.

The Inquisitr reported earlier on the Paula Deen racism claims, referring back to a National Enquirer story about a deposition given by Deen in an ongoing suit.

When asked if she’d used the n-word before, Deen replied “yes, of course,” before appearing to downplay the possibly offensive nature of race and religion based humor.

Deen is quoted as having said:

“It’s just what they are — they’re jokes … most jokes are about Jewish people, rednecks, black folks … I can’t determine what offends another person.”

Even more bizarrely, Paula Deen references a strange inspiration she recalls after being waited upon by black staff, and she reportedly says:

“I mean, it was really impressive. That restaurant represented a certain era in America … after the Civil War, during the Civil War, before the Civil War … It was not only black men, it was black women … I would say they were slaves.”

Paula Deen is no stranger to controversy, but after today’s racism claims, a rep for the Southern belle was forced to address the brewing brouhaha.

It appears that after Deen made the “yes, of course” statement, she followed up by saying that she was once robbed and may have used the word — nearly 30 years ago:

“Well, it was probably when a black man burst into the bank that I was working at and put a gun to my head … Things have changed since the ’60s in the South. And my children and my brother object to that word being used in any cruel or mean behavior. As well as I do.”

Bill Franklin, a lawyer for Paula Deen, said of the racist comment reports in a statement:

“Contrary to media reports. Ms. Deen does not condone or find the use of racial epithets acceptable. She is looking forward to her day in court.”

Do you think Paula Deen’s racist comments will harm her public image?