Paula Deen is in full-throttle comeback mode, but the queen of butter may have made yet another blunder, this time by comparing herself to Michael Sam, the NFL draft pick who recently came out as a gay African American.
In an interview with People magazine, the 67-year-old celebrity chef opened up about trying to restore her reputation after the N-word controversy that left her publicly scorned and caused a standstill for her business empire.
"I feel like 'embattled' or 'disgraced' will always follow my name," Deen told People. "It's like that black football player [Michael Sam] who recently came out. He said, 'I just want to be known as a football player. I don't want to be known as a gay football player.' I know exactly what he's saying."
In other words, Deen does not like being labeled a racist for a slur she swore she used a "very long time ago."
"I'm fighting to get my name back," the former Food Network personality said.
Sam recently came out as gay before the NFL draft, stating in a comment that he hoped to be as open as possible with the world. A mission to get people to focus on his talent and not his personality. However, the young athlete has reportedly been receiving both praise and disapproval from countless sources.
"I was obsessed with the person America had confused me with -- after I had lived my life so clean and open," Deen said in the People interview. "It's amazing that some people are given passes and some are crucified. I have a whole new empathy for these situations, though. My dad always told me, believe half of what you see and none of what you hear."
Deen told People that it is that support from fans that have enabled her to get back up after last summer's controversy stripped her of sponsors and her Food Network show.
"If it wasn't for my fans' love, I'd be home breathing into a paper bag," Deen says. "When I woke up each morning, it was like my world was crashing down again. ... I'm fighting to get my name back."
What do you think of Deen's comments.
