It's been some time now since Paula Deen was called out for
her use of "the N word" and she has put that scandal behind her.
Before she was accused of racism, however, she was also called out for failing
to disclose a relevant medical condition: Type 2 diabetes.
For ordinary, non-celebrity folk, medical conditions are
private, and while I feel that celebrities are entitled to their privacy, the
conflict here was Paula Deen's promotion of dishes high in fat, salt and sugar –
a diet that contributes to the development of Type 2 diabetes.
That revelation put a ding in her empire, but it was the use
of the 'N' word that resulted in her being let go from her show on Food
Network, as well as the loss of several lucrative deals with retailers who sold
her wares. Paula Deen had fallen, and she couldn't get up.
Until now.
Deen is building a new empire and dubbing it Paula Deen Ventures.
One project is an online cooking show. But if you want to watch her unscripted
program, posted daily, it's going to cost you.
This venture is based on paid subscriptions, and Deen is
betting that there are enough people out there willing to shell out their hard-earned
money to watch her cook to make this enterprise profitable.
The Investment
Phoenix-based investment firm Najafi Cos. is putting a sizable
chunk of change into Paula Deen's comeback – somewhere between 75 and 100
million dollars. Of course, the venture isn't just an online show; it includes cookware,
restaurants, foods, and all the accoutrements of a foodie empire.
But more than that, I think, Paula Deen is investing her
persona into this. She's looking for vindication, perhaps, or proof that she is
a true southern belle, a woman of charm and substance, an icon that is worthy
of fame and fortune. If she can't reclaim her status as Paula Deen the Queen of
Southern Cooking, then all the money in the world isn't going to matter.
My father, who was fond of platitudes, used to say,
"Steal my purse, you steal nothing; Steal my reputation, you steal
everything."
This, I think, is what happened to Paula Deen. Her reputation
not as a cook, but as a gracious hostess, as a woman of the world who welcomed
all to her kitchen, is damaged. This is the empire she lost. The name Paula
Deen is now synonymous with racism and disease.
If She Builds It, Will
They Come?
The question now is will her loyal followers pony up the cash
to watch her cook? Will they buy her merchandise and her cookbooks in support
of her comeback? Will the public once again hail the Queen of Southern Cooking
and allow her to re-claim the reputation that was lost?
Can Paula Deen offer the public millions of dollars' worth of
southern charm? Will she persuade retail giants, global networks, and the
Internet people of the world that she is, indeed, worth the investment?
I don't know. But that is one expensive reputation she's looking
to buy.
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