Disgraced celebrity TV Chef Paula Deen responded to renewed charges of racism by firing her social media manager, whom she claims posted a 4-year-old picture of her son in brown face makeup on social media.
The firestorm erupted after Deen, 68, seemingly posted the image of herself dressed as Lucille Ball and her 45-year-old son, Bobby, wearing brown face as latin band director Ricky Ricardo.
The photo was accompanied by the caption: “Lucyyyyyyy! You got a lot of esplainin’ to do!” with the hashtag “#TransformationTuesday.”
Ball’s real-life husband, actor Desi Arnaz, Sr., who played Ricardo, was a white Cuban. The image was therefore more controversial because white Cubans look down on dark skinned Cubans in the same way some white Americans are racist towards dark skinned Americans.
After the image appeared on her Twitter.com page on Tuesday, Deen’s publicist released a statement clearing Deen of any responsibility.
“This photograph is from a Halloween episode of Paula’s Best Dishes that aired in 2011. Paula immediately had this picture taken down as soon as she saw the post and apologizes to all who were offended. As such, Paula Deen Ventures has terminated their relationship with this Social Media Manager.”
Deen and her brother were sued in 2013 by Lisa T. Jackson, the former manager of her Savannah, GA restaurants, who accused them of sexual and racial harassment.
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