A post in which Gary comes*

It was a pretty good day at work today.  Mostly quiet.  I sailed through the twit meeting.  The decision on the new agency is pretty much made. 

After work I went home.  There were a few things I needed to do (straighten up, change sheets, etc) before Gary got there, and I did them.

***

I've been following the Paula Deen scandal.  24 hours ago, it hit the 'news' that he had used the n-word.  Really?  Is anyone shocked by this?  But the vilification began.  Today, the Food Network canned her.  Like a day later.  After the investment of thousands and thousands of dollars, and her working for them for ten years.  I was pretty surprised.  I read the news, and got various things from various articles, some of which were contradictions.

The GREAT sin seems to be that she admitted to using the n-word in her life.  Ever.  It is apparently not enough to not use it now, and recognize that it is wrong - you have to have NEVER used this word in your life!  I don't know anyone who can pass this test.

Since it was bothering me, I went to a website where I could read the transcripts of the deposition which has caused all of this brouhaha.  This arose out of a harassment suit against Uncle Bubba's restaurant in Savannah.  Her attorney, following the money, deposed Paula Deen.  The lawsuit arises from the actions of her brother Bubba Hiers.  Paula Deen (although half owner and substantial creditor) of the restaurant, has not been personally involved with the restaurant for some time.  Because of employee complaints, they hired a management consultant to come in and find out what was going on.  They also hired an HR person to work in the business.  From reading between the lines, they both told Paula Deen that Bubba was the problem.  He was acting horribly.  Paula chose not to believe it. 

So it seems pretty apparent that she is guilty of turning a blind eye to her brother's actions (which apparently included being intoxicated on the job, verbally and possibly physically assaulting employees, and showing pornography to staff).  As a partner in the restaurant, she is liable for damages found against the company (which she has loaned considerable sums of money - apparently the restaurants aren't doing so well, or are being managed so poorly that they are losing money).  To lay the groundwork for this finding, however, the attorney has sought to paint Paula Deen as a racist.  They asked her various questions about her family and personal life which are not really relevant to the matter at hand.  The deposing attorney asked her if she had EVER used the n-word.  He asked her if anyone in her family told off-color or racist jokes.  And on, and on.  Again, I know of no one who could pass this test.

Knowing attorneys, I suspect that he forced Paula Deen into a deposition to try to get them to throw some money at his client - it is not at all an unusual strategy, and in this case it would certainly have been better for Paula Deen.  But for whatever reason, she chose to show up for the deposition, and answer his questions honestly. 

A day after the transcripts of the deposition hit the media, she was summarily fired.

Now.  I am not a particular Paula Deen fan.  I've never cared for her show, her 'shrink-wrapped corn pone' image, or her recipes.  I think she reinforces stereotypes about Southerners. I don't watch her show.  But we have yet another instance of someone being drawn and quartered in the media for a personal offense, and certainly for behavior that should never have been made public.  I have real issues with the 'all or nothing' mentality the public exerts about someone famous.  Famous people are still people.  So if you don't want to watch her show, I understand that.  But does she have to be painted as a pariah for all time? 

Were Bubba's actions wrong?  Absolutely.  Should the restaurant be made to atone for those wrongs?  I definitely think so.   Was Paula Deen wrong for not firing her brother?  Yes.  Although they were equal partners in the business, the restaurant is thousands of dollars in debt to Paula Deen, and she could certainly have pulled the plug and closed the business, or forced him out.  That I understand why she didn't do this to her own brother is immaterial.  She had to know that at some point there would be a price to pay for this oversite.  She's certainly paying now.  I personally feel that the price she's paying is too high, and that Food Network acted precipitously and severely.

***

I was interrupted in reading the deposition transcripts by Gary's arrival. It was good to see him. Since we were starving, we left for supper.  Tonight I took him out to Della Ventura. The food was as delicious as always, and we enjoyed a good meal before heading home to bed.