Paula Deen Fired: Hype or a Just Discision

Will the reigning queen of the Food Network fired just one hour after her publically posted apologies, the blogosphere has exploded with an outpouring of support for the 66 year old self trained chef, harshly criticizing the cable network's swift decision.

If you haven't heard what happened, one of Deen's Savannah restaurants has been slapped with a discrimination suit by a former employee. During a deposition and under oath, Deen admitted to having used racial slurs in the past, although a long time in the past.

Unfortunately for everyone, the media storm, and perhaps even the deposition itself, focused too sharply on one word, and you can guess which word.

Once the internet caught wind of the admission, the quest to uncover the alleged discrimination at Deen's restaurant took a back seat to hype, as did the notion that racism is much more than one word.

It isn't just unfair to Deen whose case has been moved from the courthouse to the court of public opinion, but by reducing racism to one word, it's unfair to those charging her restaurant with discrimination.

One would think any legal representative involved in a racial discrimination case would understand that the intricacies of racism are far more dynamic than words. This undermines the entire claim and those who may have very truly been victimized by Deen's employees.

And what about Deen herself? Did she use this word in the past because it was acceptable, and in an irrelevant context? Did she use it as a racial slur? Did she hold racist beliefs in the past? And if so, can a former racist be forgiven?

Many have recently come out in favor of gay marriage, including politicians as prominent as our own President, claiming their opinion on the topic has "evolved." Former f-bomb dropping classmates are now my Facebook friends donning red HRC marriage equality profile pics. Twenty years from now will we be vilifying them for something they said in 1992?

Now that Deen's case has gone down the rabbit hole of the internet no one but her and those closest to her will ever know how she really feels. Youtube apologies are the go-to response of all celebrities, the genuine and not so genuine. Whether we except it or not it's impossible to determine if an apology is genuine when it's been requested or forced.

Meanwhile Food Network is facing its own unjust scrutiny over a decision that likely had very little to do with the word Deen uttered many years ago. In the world of reality television, Food Network sets surprisingly high standards. You don't see Cake Boss or Hell's Kitchen on Food Network because the network makes strides to avoid hiring personalities that overshadow the content.

Deen was already a larger than life character that came close to pushing the network's limits, but her recipes always came first. Food Network likely chose not to renew Deen's contract because her personal life due to the trial has become more prominent than her show, which is why she'll undoubtedly be offered a spot on a less respectable network like TLC.