Analysis: Why Paula Deen’s Video Apology Failed

From Brad Phillips @MrMediaTraining 

Paula Deen, the Food Network’s southern-cooking celebrity chef, found herself in hot water (or, more appropriate to her style of cooking, a vat of butter and lard) last week after The National Enquirer released details of racist remarks she’s made in the past.
The Enquirer’s source material—which has since been confirmed by numerous other outlets—is a deposition Deen gave last month in a workplace discrimination suit. In the transcript, Ms. Deen admitted using the N-word in the past and making racist jokes. 

But the most shocking moment may have come when she admitted that she wanted to emulate a wedding she had recently attended in which the wait staff was made up of  “middle-aged black men.” That wedding, she said, evoked fond feelings for her of a Civil War-era “really southern plantation wedding.”

1. The Format  

This apology runs only 44 seconds but is heavily edited. There is no reason she shouldn’t have been able to deliver such a short message in a single, straight-to-camera, monologue. Remember, folks: She’s an experienced television broadcaster. The edits and slapdash quality of this video only served to undercut the sincerity of her message.  

2. The Vagueness 

Although Ms. Deen apologized for her “hurtful language,” she didn’t even begin to address the biggest problem — the thoughts behind that language. She needed to address the substance of the charges and make clear that she truly gets why her words were so hurtful before moving on to the apology. She didn’t. As a result, this video underscored the fact that she still doesn’t get it.  

3. The Lack of Speed 

Ms. Deen waited two days before personally responding to these charges. In a statement yesterday, her representatives didn’t help by seemingly excusing her behavior by mentioning her southern upbringing — and her Today Show cancellation gave the impression of someone in duck-and-cover mode. Given the slowness of her response, she heightened the expectation for a quality video that tackled these issues head on. This did not come even close to that standard. 

4. The Begging 

I am willing to accept at face value that this incident has humbled her. But her begging came across as rather pathetic and reminded me of televangelist Jimmy Swaggart, who tearfully proclaimed “I have sinned!” after getting caught with a prostitute.

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