Paula Deen Steps Out in First Public Appearance Since Scandal
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Serg Alexander/Getty Images(HOUSTON) — Nearly three months after she begged for America’s forgiveness and watched her empire crumble around her for admitting that she had used a racial slur, Paula Deen made her first public appearance at a Texas cooking show.
Deen got a standing ovation when she ascended the stage to join her sons, Jamie and Bobby, at the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show in Houston on Saturday.
The disgraced celebrity chef welled up when she reflected on what she called “a rough patch” that she had experienced this summer.
“I’ve said all along that the one place that I would want to make my first step back out was Texas,” she told the approximately 1,400 people in the audience. “Y’all’s hearts are as big as your state.”
The two-day event featured cooking demonstrations, tasting workshops, book signings and appearances by Food Network celebrities, according to its website. Deen, 66, held two cooking demonstrations, and tickets cost up to $400 to see her at the show.
The Southern chef has tried to keep a low profile after Lisa Jackson, who worked for Deen at her Savannah, Ga., restaurant, sued her for racial and sexual discrimination.
Last month, a federal judge in Georgia threw out the racial discrimination claims against Deen, who then reached a settlement with Jackson. Still, much of the damage had already been done to Deen’s reputation, as companies like Smithfield, Wal-Mart, Target and Home Depot dropped lucrative endorsement deals with the Southern chef.
But could Deen’s appearance signal that she is gearing up to make a comeback?
The chef took to Twitter to let her million-plus followers know that she’d be appearing on an episode of her son’s Food Network show, Home for Dinner with Jamie Deen, Sunday morning. She also is scheduled appear at The Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show when it stops in Dallas on Saturday, Sept. 21, and Sunday, Sept. 22.
In addition, Deen plans to be at a number of book signings at her various restaurants in Savannah, Ga., for the launch of her son Jamie’s new cookbook through the end of the year, according to her website.
Neither a representative for Deen nor the Food Network immediately responded to ABC News’ request for comment.
A representative for the Metropolitan Cooking & Entertaining Show did not respond to ABC News.
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