Making up for her no-show last week, Paula Deen headed over to Rockefeller Plaza for an interview on the “Today” show this morning (June 26).
The former Food Network personality began by setting the record straight regarding her own personal views on race and prejudice.
Paula shared, "There have been some very hurtful lies said about me. I'm not a racist. Would I have fired me. Knowing me? No."
"If there's anyone out there that has never said something that they wish they could take back, please pick up that stone and throw it so hard at my head that it kills me."
Deen also discussed the shock she felt that led her to opt out of her interview last week- "It's nice to be here. It's hard for me to even find the word, Matt, that I was feeling, I was just overwhelmed, I was in a state of shock...because there has been some very hurtful lies said about me."
"Then let me say this, the main reason I am here today Matt is that it's important that I tell you and everyone out there how I believe and how I live my life. I believe that every creature on this world, every one of God's creatures is created equal, no matter who you go to be with, where you pray, everyone should be created equal."
Paula noted that people have the wrong impression of her overall- "I am here today because I want people to know who I am, and people who have worked beside me walked beside me, know what kind of person I am. I am so distressed that people I have never heard of are experts on who I am."
As for the African American community’s view of the ‘n-word’ as she used it back in the 1980s, Deen mentioned, "I don't know Matt, I have asked myself that so many times, because it's very distressing to go into my kitchens and hear what people are calling each other. It's very distressing for me, because I think that for this problem to be worked on, these young people are going to have to take control and start showing respect for each other. It makes my skin crawl."
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