Paula Deen’s video mea culpa, take two. The embattled celebrity chef has been dealing with a public relations disaster all week for her racial slur scandal — and didn’t exactly make matters much better on Friday afternoon June 21 by releasing a strange video apology that left many scratching their heads. After that rambling message was quickly yanked off YouTube by Deen’s team, the 66-year-old Southerner tried again — and this time, she appears much calmer, collected and coherent.
Sitting in her office, Deen addresses her fans to discuss “”a subject that has been hurtful to a lot of people.” Explaining her no-show on the Today Show that morning, she addresses anchor Matt Lauer directly on camera, explaining she “was physically not able” to go on camera earlier. “The pain has been tremendous that I have caused to myself and to others. So i’m taking this opportunity, now that I’ve pulled myself together and am able to speak, to offer an apology to all those that I have hurt.”
Continues the Georgia native: “I want people to understand that my family and i are not the kind of people that the press say that we are. I’ve spent the best of 24 years to help myself and others. Your color of skin, your religion, your sexual preference does not matter to me.”
“I am here to say that i am so sorry. I was wrong, yes. I’ve worked hard and I’ve made some mistakes. But that is no excuse.” Deen offers her “sincere apology” and urges that it “comes from the deepest part of my heart.”
Watch Deen’s (second!) apology now.
