WATCH: Paula Deen Sheds Tears on Today
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In an emotional interview, her first since she admitted having used racial epithets, Paula Deen tearfully told TODAY’s Matt Lauer Wednesday that she is not a racist; that as a businesswoman, she does not think her firing from Food Network was the right decision, and that she was unsure whether the N-word was offensive to black people.
When asked by Lauer whether she was a racist, Deen replied simply, “No.” Then she added, “I believe that … every one of God’s creatures was created equal. I believe that everyone should be treated equal, that’s the way I was raised and that’s the way I live my life”
And while she stands accused of using the N-word, Deen says she’s mainly heard it from young people, with their hippin’ and their hoppin’ and their bippin’ and their boppin’.
“I don’t know, I have asked myself that so many times,” Deen said. “I go into my kitchens and hear what these young people are calling each other … it’s very distressing for me. I think for this problem to be worked on, these young people are gonna have to take control and start showing respect for each other.”
