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Tag: Paula Deen

  • Alexa PenaVega Earns Perfect Scores, Still Voted Off “Dancing With the Stars”

    Alexa PenaVega may have earned two perfect scores on Monday night’s Dancing With the Stars performances, but it amounted to a case of too little, too late. Despite those perfect 10s, Alexa PenaVega was voted off Dancing With the Stars this week.

    Last week’s performances put Alexa in jeopardy of elimination, along with husband Carlos PenaVega. With the two up for elimination, it drew to a close the first ever married couple competing against one another. When it was announced that Alexis PenaVega was the one eliminated, Carlos openly wept. He said he wished he’d been eliminated instead of his wife.

    Her time on Dancing With the Stars gave Alexa PenaVega the confidence to talk about a previous issue with bulimia.

    “This show allowed me to gain that confidence to just talk about it and maybe help other people who are going through that and really just put it all to rest,” she said Tuesday on Good Morning America.

    Pro dance partner Mark Ballas said he was proud of Alexa, and would consider her a “friend for life.”

    In addition to Alexa PenaVega, Andy Grammer, Hayes Grier, Paula Deen, Chaka Khan, Victor Espinoza, and Gary Busey have all been voted off Dancing With the Stars this season.

    Were you surprised by this week’s elimination?

  • Kendall Jenner Twerks, Flaunts, Stuns in New H&M & Balmain Campaign

    Kendall Jenner is one of the faces of a new H&M & Balmain campaign that will bring haute couture to those who couldn’t ordinarily afford it. That doesn’t mean the pieces will be cheap–but compared to buying from Balmain, the prices are way more affordable.

    In addition to the excitement over pieces from the designer label running as low as $17.99 (okay, so that’ll only get you a Balmain beanie–but it’s the name, right?), there is much excitement about Kendall Jenner rocking the fashions on the runway. The line debuted on Tuesday, and with the help of Michael Jackson tunes and some trained dance pros, Kendall Jenner rocked her way through the show. She even appears in a promo clip for the new brand.

    Kendall Jenner twerked. She whipped. And she did way better than poor Paula Deen on Dancing With the Stars when she vogued.

    “Kendall had a lot of fun,” Balmain Creative Director Olivier Rousteing said in an interview with Yahoo! Style. “It was a new experience for her. We had the best time. It was new for both of us. But more importantly, the campaign has to reflect the Balmain Army and for me, she is the most important. She is an icon. I’m inspired by her. For me she is the new Naomi, Claudia, Cindy. You know the type of models where people want to be her. Finally we go back to top models and are making dream girls. She also has an amazing soul and is so supportive. It is important for me to have my friends around me to support every project that I do. She’s just amazing and inspires an entire generation. I love that she’s global, and loves music, dancing, she’s the Balmain girl.”

    A photo posted by BALMAIN (@balmainparis) on

    Pal Gigi Hadid joins Kendall Jenner in promoting H&M & Balmain. The pieces will be available in select H&M stores beginning November 5th.

    A photo posted by BALMAIN (@balmainparis) on

  • Paula Deen Shows Off Her Underwear On “Dancing With The Stars”

    Paula Deen got a little wild on Dancing With The Stars this week, flashing the judges and audience several times during her dance with Mark Ballas.

    The chef got down with Mark on the dance floor Monday night during their version of the “jive”, and gave everyone a glimpse of her red underwear, which had the words “shake it” splashed across the back in rhinestones.

    “I loved being with Mark because he just wanted me to let my personality take over…it has been my favorite performance ever since it started,” Deen said. The judges agreed, saying it was her best dance “ever”.

    Deen was apprehensive about dancing with Mark at first, telling him she didn’t think he had the patience to be her partner. The duo got put together during Switch-Up week, when the audience chose which trainer got paired with the celebrities.

    “Oh, Mark. Oh no. You’re not going to be able to take me … you’re so edgy,” Paula said when they met.

    Ballas assured her he could handle it however, and said after their Monday night performance that he was proud of her. The trainers have taken it easy on the 68-year old foodie, keeping her choreography relatively simple for her safety.

    According to TV Guide, Louis Van Amstel was excited for this week’s change, as he got paired with Tamar Braxton and was able to liven up the dance a bit.

    “Louis can barely contain his excitement to be paired with Tamar instead of Paula, which allows him to have objectives other than keeping the choreography simple. He may be overreaching a bit with Tamar, who looks a little intimidated by the intricate routine. But it’s nice to see Louis unlock his potential, even if the dance is a little sloppier than it should be,” wrote Liz Raftery.

  • Gary Busey Heads Home After Emotional ‘Dancing With the Stars’

    After an emotion-laden episode of Dancing With the Stars, actor Gary Busey and his partner Anna Trebunskaya were eliminated from the dancing competition.

    Despite his elimination, Busey said his elimination was not necessarily final.

    “The fact that I’ve been eliminated is false,” Gary Busey declared following the announcement that the dancing team were headed home. “You won’t see us dancing, but we’ll be there.”

    It was an entirely emotional night as the stars relived their most memorable year, and for many, their most memorable year was also one of their more difficult and heartbreaking years.

    Bindi Irwin paid tribute to her father, Steve Irwin, in a beautiful dance with partner Derek Hough that left the judges holding back tears. Alek Skarlatos danced for his school, Umpqua Community College, after last week’s unimaginable shooting, and Andy Grammer danced for his late mother, according to E! Online.

    Bindi’s gorgeous tribute to her father took the top score of the night and earned the first 10 from Bruno Tonioli.

    Other highlights included a fun tribute by Nick Carter to his Backstreet Boys days. Social media star Hayes Grier earned a 27 out of 30 for his dance to Shawn Mendes’ Stitches.

    Here’s the scores for the night:

    Gary Busey and Anna Trebunskaya: 16/30
    Paula Deen and Louis Van Amstel: 18/30
    Alexa Vega and Mark Ballas: 21/30
    Andy Grammer and Allison Holker: 23/30
    Alek Skarlatos and Lindsay Arnold: 24/30
    Carlos PenaVega and Witney Carson: 988=25/30
    Nick Carter and Sharna Burgess: 999=27/30
    Tamar Braxton and Val Chmerkovskiy: 999=27/30
    Hayes Grier and Emma Slater: 999=27/30
    Bindi Irwin and Derek Hough: 9910=28/30

    Do you think Gary Busey should have been eliminated last night?

  • Paula Deen: How She Nearly Spoiled Tracy Morgan Emmys Surprise Appearance

    Paula Deen almost spoiled one of the 2015 Emmys’ best surprises this past Sunday when she wanted to post a photo she snapped in her hotel.

    In the days prior to the Emmys, comedian and actor Tracy Morgan flew to L.A. on a private plane. He arrived out of sight of the paparazzi.

    Paula Deen was staying at the same hotel as Tracy Morgan, and when she spotted him in the lobby, she spoke with him and asked to snap a quick photo.

    If not for the quick-thinking of Tracy Morgan’s publicist, the SNL alum’s surprise appearance might have been spoiled. The publicist jumped in–asking Paula Deen not to post the shot to the internet until after the 2015 Emmys had aired.

    Paula Deen is in L.A. competing on Dancing With the Stars. From the looks of things, she won’t be there much longer.

    Paula Deen might be a champion in the kitchen, but she doesn’t shine on the ballroom floor.

    Sadly, there’s no amount of butter that can make watching Paula Deen dance a pleasant experience.

  • Paula Deen Talks of Soiling Her Underwear on Season Premiere of ‘Dancing With the Stars’

    Paula Deen isn’t much of a dancer–and she’s crass, to boot. Both of these things were obvious on Monday night during the season premiere of Dancing With the Stars.

    Paired with dance pro Louis Van Amstel, the two scored 15 out of a possible 30 points during Monday’s premiere–putting them neck and neck with Gary Busey and Anna Trebunskaya, along with Victor Espinoza and Karina Smirnoff.

    “I was scared. I had white underwear when I started, but it probably ain’t white no more!” Paula Deen joked to the judges following her performance.

    The comment was met with a barrage of “TMI,” gasps from the judges.

    At 68 years old, Paula Deen is the oldest competitor on Dancing With the Stars. Aside from Gary Busey–who really looked like he performed at least as poorly as the Southern chef, even though he received the same score–the only person who looked as though she performed worse than Paula Deen is Chaka Khan. She and Kim Zolciak scored lower than Paula.

    “I felt like you were holding on to Louis for dear life,” Julianne Hough told Paula Deen.

    Carrie Ann Inaba noted, “You just didn’t quite get your feet under you so it felt like you were being dragged around a lot.”

    Did you see Paula Deen dance on the season premiere of DWTS Monday evening?

    Did you hear her crass statement about soiling her underwear?

  • ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 21: Chaka Khan, Bindi Irwin, and More Sign On

    Dancing With the Stars begins in September with its 21st season, and it promises to be an exciting one. Chaka Khan, Bindi Irwin, Paula Deen, and Nick Carter are just a few of those who recently signed on the dotted line to compete for that coveted mirror ball trophy.

    62-year-old singer-songwriter Chaka Khan’s song lyrics from her 1974 hit with Rufus were used to announce that she was joining this season of Dancing With the Stars.

    Chaka Khan definitely has the musical experience that will likely put her at an advantage over someone like Paula Deen, for example. It doesn’t seem like being 62 will be a hindrance for the seasoned professional either. Of course she will be up against some much younger contestants, too, like 17-year-old Bindi Irwin.

    Bindi Irwin–daughter of the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin–says competing on Dancing With the Stars will be scarier than anything she’s ever done. And Bindi Irwin has done some incredibly scary things.

    Paula Deen, Nick Carter, Vine star and social media phenom Hayes Grier, and more are already in rehearsals for season 21 of Dancing With the Stars, premiering on September 14.

    Bindi Irwin has already been spotted in costume.

    Are you excited about this upcoming season of Dancing With the Stars?

    Of the contestants named thus far, who is your favorite? Are you already a Chaka Khan fan from the 1970s and supporting her in this competition? Or were you a diehard Steve Irwin fan, so leaning toward supporting Bindi Irwin instead?

    The entire cast–and their pro partners, too–will be announced on Good Morning America this week, on Wednesday morning, September 2.

  • Bindi Irwin Used To Getting Dirty, Gets Brave in Sparkly Dress for DWTS [Pics]

    Bindi Irwin is not used to being prettied up for what she does. The heir to Steve Irwin’s crocodile hunting empire is more accustomed to getting dirty. Her performances on Dancing with the Stars will certainly take her out of her comfort zone.

    “I just got back from the Steve Irwin Wildlife Preserve,” Bindi Irwin says. “We were there on our annual crocodile research trip. We go there for about a month every year studying crocodiles to see where they go and what they get up to.”

    “I took a shower last night, and the amount of dirt and mud that came off of me was phenomenal, so [DWTS] will be quite different. I’m used to jumping on top of crocodiles and holding them down to put trackers on them. Now, I’m about to be on a dance floor in the middle of a concrete jungle trying my luck and doing the best I possibly can. I’m excited.”

    Bindi Irwin is one of the celebrities announced so far as on board for Dancing with the Stars Season 21. But Bindi says she may be more afraid of this than of wresting crocs.

    “This is going to be more terrifying than jumping on top of a crocodile,” Bindi Irwin said. “Crocodiles, they are very special because they are modern-day dinosaurs. But I’ve kind of worked with them my whole life, whereas I’ve never danced before in my life.”

    Bindi has already reported for duty, getting the costuming department at DWTS a head start on fitting her for the prettified duds she will need to beat her rivals on the dance floor.

    So far, the verified official list of celebs slated to join Bindi Irwin on Season 21 of DWTS includes Nick Carter of Backstreet Boys, social media sensation Hayes Grier, R&B singer Chaka Khan, and American Pharaoh jockey Victor Espinoza. Also recently added are actress Alexa PenaVega and her husband, actor Carlos PenaVega. But also rumored is celebrity chef Paula Deen.

    Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews will be back as hosts, joined by Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Julianne Hough as judges.

    Pro dancers verified so far include Karina Smirnoff, Val Chmerkovskiy, Derek Hough, Mark Ballas, Artem Chigvintsev, Allison Holker, Witney Carson, Sharna Burgess and Peta Murgatroyd.

  • Paula Deen Joins Season 21 Cast of ‘Dancing With the Stars’

    Paula Deen is reportedly joining the season 21 cast of Dancing With the Stars, which premieres next month. The southern cook known for her love of all things butter will compete against contestants like Bindi Irwin, Victor Espinoza, and Nick Carter for that coveted mirror ball trophy. The entire cast for season 21 will be announced Wednesday on Good Morning America.

    It was only two years ago that sponsors and networks were dropping Paula Deen like a hot potato for her use of the N-word. The Food Network dropped her show, Paula’s Best Dishes, and she lost multiple endorsement deals.

    A year later Paula Deen started her own online cooking network.

    “Guess who’s going digital, y’all! I’m so excited about my new online network and can’t wait to show everyone what we’ve been working on,” she said in a statement in June 2014. “We’re going to have so much fun being together and cooking up some wonderful new and classic dishes.”

    Just last month, however, Paula Deen made news again for posting a photo of son Bobby Deen in brownface.

    “Lucyyyyyyyy! You got a lot of esplainin’ to do! #TransformationTuesday,” Paula Deen captioned the photo of herself dressed like Lucy Ricardo from the hit ‘50s sitcom I Love Lucy. In the snapshot, Bobby Deen posed as Ricky Ricardo, who was of Cuban descent. The Tweet was quickly deleted.

    Will y’all be tuning in to see Paula Deen compete on Dancing With the Stars? Do y’all think she can manage to stay out of trouble long enough to cha-cha her way across the dance floor?

    Is Dancing With the Stars getting hard up for stars?

    Really, DWTS? Paula Deen?

  • ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Season 21: Bindi Irwin Weighs In on Fear

    Dancing With the Stars season 21 airs next month, and the late Steve Irwin’s daughter Bindi Irwin is one of the contestants. In a recent interview with People magazine, Bindi admits to her fear of competing on Dancing With the Stars–and she knows fear.

    “This is going to be more terrifying than jumping on top of a crocodile,” Bindi Irwin said. “Crocodiles, they are very special because they are modern-day dinosaurs. But I’ve kind of worked with them my whole life, whereas I’ve never danced before in my life.”

    It was only days before the announcement about Bindi Irwin joining season 21 of Dancing With the Stars that she was working closely with those modern-day dinosaurs.

    “I just got back from the the Steve Irwin Wildlife Preserve,” she says. “We were there on our annual crocodile research trip. We go there for about a month very year studying crocodiles to see where they go and what they get up to.”

    Who else is joining Bindi Irwin this upcoming season on Dancing With the Stars? Nick Carter is the most recent contestant announced. Triple-Crown winning jockey Victor Espinoza will compete, too.

    Paula Deen will cook up some fun on the Dancing With the Stars–but she’ll probably have to leave out the butter.

    Contestants on DWTS tend to come from all walks of life, but it doesn’t seem any quite compare to that of Bindi Irwin–at least not so far this season.

    The full season 21 cast of Dancing With the Stars will be revealed on Good Morning America on September 2. The new season of DWTS premieres on September 14 oin ABC.

  • “I Love Lucy” Pic Gets Paula Deen Employee Fired

    I Love Lucy rarely garners anything but love and nostalgia, but a recent photo posted online has gotten a very popular television personality in some hot water, and now she’s reportedly fired the aide responsible for sharing it on Twitter.

    Paula Deen has cut ties with her social media manager–who hasn’t been named in the media yet–for posting a photo of her dressed as Lucille Ball from the hit sitcom. While that doesn’t sound like a fireable offense, the real problem is that her son, Bobby, was also in the picture and was dressed as Ricky Ricardo…complete with dark brown makeup. The photo was quickly deleted, but enough people saw it and shared it to make it go viral, and a backlash ensued.

    “Paula immediately had this picture taken down as soon as she saw the post and apologizes to all who were offended. As such, Paula Deen Ventures has terminated their relationship with this social media manager,” a rep for Deen told Entertainment Weekly.

    The I Love Lucy reference was seen as insensitive by many, especially coming just a couple of years off the firestorm Deen had on her hands when a lawsuit was filed by a former restaurant manager who claimed the former Food Network star created a “hostile work environment”, in part by using racial slurs. Paula was soon dropped by the network, but was later picked up for her own channel on Roku.

    Though the photo has been scrubbed from Deen’s social media accounts, it originally appeared on Facebook in an album of outtakes from a Halloween episode of her (now canceled) show Paula’s Best Dishes, in which she and Bobby dressed as the I Love Lucy couple for the show.

  • Paula Deen Back on Cable TV With ‘Paula Deen’s Kitchen’

    Paula Deen is ending a lengthy hiatus by returning to cable TV with a new show called Paula Deen’s Kitchen. The former Food Network star, who was dropped faster than a hot, buttered biscuit for admitting she’d used the N-word, will soon debut her new show on Evine Line–previously known as ShopHQ. Paula Deen’s Kitchen premieres Wednesday with a three-hour show.

    It’s been 22 months since Deen was ostracized for her racially offensive talk. Since then her media appearances have involved mostly apologies and admissions of guilt. There was one exception, however, and that’s when Paula Deen made a red-carpet appearance during Evine’s live broadcast from The Plaza Hotel on Valentine’s weekend.

    In addition to losing her contract with the Food Network, Paula Deen also saw millions of dollars in endorsement contracts and publishing deals slashed, including Ballantine Books, Caesars Entertainment, Home Depot and Walmart.

    The NY Post reports that the controversy about Deen erupted from a lawsuit–filed in March 2012 by a former employee of the celebrity chef and restaurant owner–that charged Paula Deen and her brother with sexual harassment and racially offensive talk.

    In June of 2013, former President Jimmy Carter came to the defense of Paula Deen, saying she had been punished more than enough.

    President Carter said Paula Deen was “punished–perhaps overly severely–for her honesty in admitting it and for the use of the word in the distant past.”

    Evine CEO Mark Bozek recently appeared on Bloomberg TV and echoed Carter’s sentiments.

    “Everybody makes mistakes,” he said, adding that Paula Deen “has a good soul” and “a huge fan base.”

    Do you think Paula Deen’s Kitchen will gain back many of the viewers who watched the southern cook prior to this scandal? Will Paula Deen forever be associated with her use of the N-word?

  • Paula Deen Targeted Over ‘Mammy’ Photo on Her Website

    Poor Paula Deen can’t catch a break. She went through months of embarrassment and difficulty over some alleged comments that some viewed as racist toward black people. She lost book deals, endorsements, her cooking show, and loads of fair-weather fans.

    Since then, Deen has worked hard to claw her way back up the ladder. She started a new subscription-based show. She launched a touring show that combines comedy with cooking.

    But now Deen is being accused of racism again.

    Deen’s website for her restaurant The Lady and Sons recently featured a photo of a black woman in an apron emblazoned with Deen’s signature “Hey Y’all” catchphrase ringing a dinner bell triangle.

    The picture was meant to be part of an announcement for the restaurant’s new hours. But the owner of a Facebook group called “For Black Women ONLY” took issue with the picture. She posted the image, as well as the following commentary.

    BLACK WOMEN: we have to LET MAMMY DIE.

    This ad for Paula Deen’s restaurant evokes images of slavery when our women ancestors would cook for their masters and ring a bell (similar to this one) to alert the family that their meal was ready. Paula Deen longs for the antebellum south when Blacks, especially black women were non-threatening servants

    Well, my sisters, Paula isn’t the only one. There are tons of folks out there who long for black women to stay like servile team mascots, non-threatening, putting up with second class citizen status as long as you make them a priority. Yeah, and some of these folks share Paula’s skin color (obvious) and some share your skin color (not so obvious to many of you).

    This is why the black women’s empowerment movement (all the supporting pages, channels and sites) are so important. It is CRUCIAL to maintain black women exclusive spaces to address our needs, our rights and to optimize our lives our way. In order to live our best lives possible we need to engage in self-care.

    We need to put ourselves first and foremost always.
    We need to be honest with ourselves and not be afraid to demand better for ourselves and anyone who comes into our lives.
    We need to see ourselves as human beings, and as women and not just as soldiers, workhorses or melanated vaginas.

    This means WE MUST KILL THE MAMMY ARCHETYPE, STEREOTYPES AND ALL ITS CHARACTERISTICS.
    WE ARE NOT HERE TO SERVE OTHERS BUT TO LIVE ON OUR OWN TERMS.
    WE ARE NOT AT THE BOTTOM OF SOME TOTEM POLE OF HUMAN WORTH.

    Post by For Black Women ONLY.

    When asked about the picture, a spokesperson for Deen explained that the picture in question has been used on the website for five years. Furthermore “the lady featured in the picture has worked at the restaurant for over 17 years and is like family to the Deens.”

    So far, the Facebook posting has only 139 Likes and 61 Shares, but it has apparently generated lots of controversy and discussion. The moderator recently posted in the thread:

    “It took a few minutes but I cleaned up this thread. Who knew that posting a pic would bring out racist White Americans out of hiding on Facebook. Paula Deen has a fan club y’all!”

  • Paula Deen Launches New Cooking Network

    Paula Deen Launches New Cooking Network

    Paula Deen has announced the launch date of her new digital food network that will give her fans the chance to “engage and access Paula and her Southern home cooking, anytime, anywhere — on computer, smartphone or tablet.”

    The network’s official launch date is September 24, 2014, however pre-registration is now open, on Paul’s website PaulaDeen.com. The trial will give users 14 free days of cooking demos, tips, game shows and more. Once the trial is over, the subscription will be $7.99 per month.

    “You never know what unexpected moments will happen [on camera], whether we have some surprise guests to my dogs, pigs and goats running through the kitchen,” Paula told People Magazine.

    Paula split from the Food Network last year, and is excited to be launching her new network and hopes her fans will enjoy it. “I am just so thrilled to take my fans on this amazing adventure,” she said.

    Paula is being backed by a $100 million private equity investment, and has turned her former Savannah, Georgia home into a studio. “As people’s time becomes more fragmented and they can’t sit down in front of TVs, that time that they choose to get what Paula has to offer is even better,” said executive producer Gordon Elliott.

    Image via Twitpic.com

  • Paula Deen Takes Her Show On the Road

    Paula Deen Takes Her Show On the Road

    Paula Deen, the self-proclaimed Queen of Southern Cuisine, may have lost her Food Network television show last year amid a scandal of racism, but she is not letting that stop her.

    Last year’s news about Paula’s “n-word” faux pas seems a distant memory now, and Deen is battling her way back. She lost one endorsement after another in the wake of the scandal. But, as we recently reported, she is launching a digital cooking network online, the Paula Deen Network, an interactive digital experience that will allow viewers to engage and access Deen and her Southern home cooking.

    “I’m so excited about my new online network. Y’all can get my recipes, tips and cooking anytime you want — this is for you. I can’t wait to crank up the oven and get cooking for the people I love: my family, my friends and my fans!” Deen said in a press release.

    And now there is more news from the Deen camp. Paula Deen Ventures and Springer Mountain Chicken Farms announced today the complete 2014 schedule for “Paula Deen Live”. The series of events is billed as an “interactive 90-minute show featuring Deen making her favorite seasonal dishes, including new recipes with Springer Mountain Farms chicken, playing games and getting up close and personal with fans.”

    “I am having the best time being on the road and meeting so many of my amazing fans during these shows,” said Deen. “From cooking up some of my favorite dishes using tasty Springer Mountain Farms chicken to bringing fans on stage with me, we are having a ball!”

    The tour runs through theaters and symphony halls and includes live music and interaction with fans.

    Deen’s stops will also give her fans an opportunity to learn more about her aforementioned digital cooking network. They can preview some of the shows and talk with Deen herself about the venture.

    The tour launched in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee back in June, where Deen is opening a new restaurant. But the full lineup of stops throughout the South was just announced.

    * Wednesday, Aug. 6 – San Antonio, Texas, at Majestic Theatre
    * Friday, Aug. 8 – Savannah, Ga., at Lucas Theatre
    * Friday, Aug. 15 – Savannah, Ga., at Lucas Theater
    * Tuesday, Aug. 26 – Atlanta, Ga., at Woodruff Arts Center
    * Wednesday, Aug. 27 – Nashville, Tenn., at TPAC – Andrew Jackson Hall
    * Tuesday, Sept. 16 – Birmingham, Ala., at Alabama Theatre
    * Thursday, Sept. 18 – Jacksonville, Fla., at TUCPA – Jacoby Symphony Hall
    * Wednesday, Sept. 24 – Charlotte, N.C., at BPAC – Belk Theater
    * Friday, Sept. 26 – Savannah, Ga., at Lucas Theatre
    * Tuesday, Oct. 14 – Boston, Mass., at Symphony Hall
    * Saturday, Oct. 25 – Pensacola, Fla., at Saenger Theatre
    * Tuesday, Nov. 11 – Orlando, Fla., at Hard Rock Hotel
    * Thursday, Nov.13 – Clearwater, Fla., at Ruth Eckerd Hall

    Image via YouTube

  • Paula Deen Makes Online Transition After Being Dropped By Food Network

    Last year, Food Network dropped cooking show host and celebrity chef Paula Deen after learning that she used racial slurs in the past. On Friday, the television network said that Deen’s contract will expire at the end of this month and they are not interested in renewing it.

    The Southern cook made guest appearances on several Food Network shows in 1999. By 2002, she was able to secure her own show Paula’s Home Cooking and later had other shows, such as Paula’s Best Dishes.

    Deen was the center of attention when she admitted that she used the n-word in the past. Lisa Jackson, a former manager at Deen’s restaurant, filed a complaint that exposed Deen.

    Deen took to YouTube to apologize for her racist comments. She said, “I want people to understand that my family and I are not the kind of people that the press is wanting to say we are. Your color of your skin, your religion, your sexual preference does not matter to me. But it’s what’s in the heart, and my family and I try to live by that. I am here to say I am so sorry. I was wrong, yes, I have worked hard and I made mistakes, but that is no excuse.”

    A few weeks ago, the Food Network also dropped Deen’s son Jamie Deen. His show, Home for Dinner With Jamie Deen, has not been in production since 2013.

    Despite being dropped by the Food Network, Deen is not losing hope and is gearing to come back with the launch of her digital network in September. “Guess who’s going digital, y’all! I’m so excited about my new online network and can’t wait to show everyone what we’ve been working on,” Deen said in a statement.

    The Paula Deen Network, which is backed by a $100 million investment from private-equity firm Najafi Cos., is a subscriber-based network that will be broadcasting cooking videos of Deen in front of an audience. Subscription fees have not been finalized.

    In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Deen said that going digital is the next step for her, as she wants her fans to be able to reach her anytime and anywhere. “iPads are so much lighter to tote around than a TV. In a network program, you only have 22 minutes. The fans are going to see things they have never seen before,” she said.

    Deen has a strong brand name that should serve her well in her new endeavor. She has 1.25 million Twitter followers and 4.25 million likes on her Facebook page.

    Image via YouTube

  • Paula Deen Dodges Detractors With Digital Dishes

    Paula Deen got herself in some hot water that would not go away for weeks. Back in July of last year, some comments that Deen had made became public that showed the celebrity chef in what some saw as a racist light. Fans turned on her overnight. Sponsors pulled out from behind her show. And finally Food Network pulled the plug on her entirely.

    Since then, Deen has been looking for a way to fight her way back into the light. She got some funding from an investment company. She closed a restaurant. But it looks like she has found the avenue she sought.

    Deen is launching a digital cooking network online.

    “I’m so excited about my new online network. Y’all can get my recipes, tips and cooking anytime you want — this is for you. I can’t wait to crank up the oven and get cooking for the people I love: my family, my friends and my fans!” Deen said in a press release.

    The show will feature cooking videos, tips, and recipes. The set for the new cooking videos will be very similar to her old Food Network set, so it will look to most folks like things have picked right back up where they left off.

    The network is a subscription-access tool. It will be available in the usual ways, online via browser, smartphone, tablet, etc. But the exciting prospect for Deen is that smart TVs will be able to get the show in the future.

    Perhaps with a new lease on things, Deen will be able to do an end run around all those people who sent her protest mail and butter wrappers. She will be able to take her show directly to those people who want to seed it and are willing to pay to see it, her ‘family, friends, and fans’.

    Image via YouTube

  • Paula Deen Launches Digital Cooking Network

    Paula Deen, the celebrity cook who is getting back on her feet after racial slurs nearly ended her career, is set to launch a digital network.

    Paula Deen Ventures announced Wednesday its plans to launch the Paula Deen Network— which will feature daily programming with recipes, episodes, guest appearances and cooking tools — in September. The paid subscription-based network will be available on computers, smartphones and tablets.

    “We’re going to have so much fun being together and cooking up some wonderful new and classic dishes,” Deen said in a press release. “Y’all can get my recipes, tips and cooking anytime you want — this is for you. I can’t wait to crank up the oven and get cooking for the people I love: my family, my friends and my fans!”

    Production is already underway in Savannah and the set — built to accommodate a live audience — is recreated from her first television show, Paula’s Home Cooking.

    Deen is struggling to get her career back on track which began with the announcement in February of a deal with the Najafi Companies, an Arizona-based private investment firm that’s investing millions to revamp her public image.

    “The Paula Deen Network is one more example of Paula doing things her own way and taking control of her brand to connect directly with her ardent fans,” said Jahm Najafi in a statement.

    “You can throw out your TV now, because this is where you can find me,” Deen says, holding up an iPad in a promo for the site.

    It was a nearly a year ago that Deen’s sworn statement admitting she had used racial slurs in the past became public. The Food Network and other corporate sponsors immediately distanced themselves from the southern cook.

    Deen is currently on a nationwide tour with a 90-minute Paula Deen Live! show featuring cooking demonstrations, games with audience members and personal stories.

    Some of the programs slated for the digital network include shows entitled 20-Minute Meals, Paula Cooking Light and One Dish, Three Ways.

    Image via YouTube

  • Paula Deen Is Back With A New Online Show

    It’s been a rough year for Paula Deen, but she is in the process of making a comeback and proving that you can’t keep a good chef down. After having her show taken off the air and her products yanked from store shelves for making racist comments, Deen could have retired. However, she chose to persevere through the criticism and has found a new way to do what she loves again.

    Paula Deen Ventures has recently announced that they are planning to create the Paula Deen Network, an interactive digital experience that will allow viewers to engage and access Paula and her Southern home cooking, anytime, anywhere, on a computer, smartphone or tablet. The network is expected to launch in September.

    “Guess who’s going digital, y’all! I’m so excited about my new online Network and can’t wait to show everyone what we’ve been working on. We’re going to have so much fun being together and cooking up some wonderful new and classic dishes. Y’all can get my recipes, tips and cooking anytime you want – this is for you. I can’t wait to crank up the oven and get cooking for the people I love: my family, my friends and my fans!” said Deen.

    The new network will be a paid subscription service and will only be offered online. The Paula Deen website will allow fans to start registering for service on the website in July. Fans can also sign up to receive emails about the network and the shows that will be available on it.

    Deen decided to launch a network of her own in order to ensure that she would have total creative control over her shows and likely to make sure she never had to worry about being yanked from television again.

    “While Paula had several offers to return to broadcast television, she ultimately decided to launch the Paula Deen Network because it gives her a greater level of direct access to her millions of fans when it is convenient for them. In addition, Paula will enjoy full creative control of the shows, recipes and content, and be able to give her fans exactly what they love most about her. With 4.2 million fans on Facebook and 1.24 million followers on Twitter, it was clear to us that an interactive digital network was the way to go,” said Paula Deen Ventures CEO Steven Nanula.

    Will you be registering for the network?

    Image via YouTube

  • Paula Deen to Launch Her Own Digital Network

    Paula Deen Ventures, the company behind celebrity chef Paula Deen‘s media initiatives, today announced that it will launch the Paula Deen Network sometime in September. The digital network will feature daily programming and recipes from Deen, who is best known for her Food Network show Paula’s Home Cooking.

    “While Paula had several offers to return to broadcast television, she ultimately decided to launch the Paula Deen Network because it gives her a greater level of direct access to her millions of fans when it is convenient for them,” said Steven Nanula, CEO of Paula Deen Ventures. “In addition, Paula will enjoy full creative control of the shows, recipes, and content, and be able to give her fans exactly what they love most about her. With 4.2 million fans on Facebook and 1.24 million followers on Twitter, it was clear to us that an interactive digital network was the way to go.”

    Deen was forced off TV and dropped by her publisher one year ago after admitting during a court hearing that she had used racial slurs in the past. Deen recently announced a 20-city Paula Deen Live! comeback tour of live cooking shows.

    The Paula Deen Network will feature on-demand content from Deen that can be accessed via computer, tablets, and smartphones, with smart TV access planned for he future. A preview of the network will be shown during Deen’s Paula Deen Live! shows. Deen has also released a Youtube video promoting the new network.

    The network will be subscription-based, requiring fans to pay up to access the content. A 14-day trial offering of the service will be available at launch and pre-registration will begin in July.

    “I’m so excited about my new online Network and can’t wait to show everyone what we’ve been working on,” said Deen. “We’re going to have so much fun being together and cooking up some wonderful new and classic dishes. Y’all can get my recipes, tips, and cooking anytime you want – this is for you.”

    Image via Youtube

  • Paula Deen Announces Comeback Tour

    Paula Deen is set on making a comeback and is taking to the road to do so.

    The 67-year-old chef announced that she will be launching a 20-city tour that will begin in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, the site of her upcoming restaurant Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen, on Saturday, June 21.

    So far, only five locations have been revealed including Savannah, Georgia, Atlanta, Georgia, Nashville, Tennessee, and San Antonio, Texas, but many more will soon be revealed.

    At each location, Deen will be offering a 90-minute show complete with cooking demonstrations, stories, and games for the audience. Deen said she wants to make the show an interactive experience. “We are going to play musical chairs and the dating game with the audience. That’s the excitement of it all — my fans get to be part of the show,” Deen explained. “I’ll also invite some folks in the audience to come onstage and cook with me.”

    Creator of ABC’s The Chew and the executive producer of Paula Deen’s show Paula Deen Live! Gordon Elliot said that he is sure that Deen’s loyal fans will love her tour. “These unique, one-of-a-kind events will let Paula interact with fans across America who love her sense of humor and down-to-earth Southern charm,” Elliot said.

    Deen said she is ready to be on stage again, and visit her fans across the United States. “When I step out onstage, it’s the most amazing feeling, y’all,” Deen said. “I feel so alive when I walk on that stage, and I love that kind of adrenaline rush. By going on tour, I can see all my amazing fans in different cities across the United States.”

    Tickets will go on sale through Ticketmaster on Thursday, May 1, at 10 am.

    Below is a list of locations and dates for her first seven shows:
    •Saturday, June 21 – LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
    •Sunday, June 22 – LeConte Center in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
    •Wednesday, August 6 – Majestic Theatre in San Antonio, Texas
    •Friday, August 8 – Lucas Theatre in Savannah, Georgia
    •Friday, August 15 – Lucas Theatre in Savannah, Georgia
    •Tuesday, August 26 – Wodruff Arts Center in Atlanta, Georgia
    •Wednesday, August 27 – Andrew Jackson Hall in Nashville, Tennessee

    Image via Twitter