More bad news for Paula Deen
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This has not been a good winter for Paula Deen. First there was the kerfuffle over her diabetes revelation (she had been diagnosed with it but kept quiet while still shoveling out recipes for the likes of deep-fried butter ... until there was a sponsorship deal in place for an anti-diabetes drug). [UPDATED: An earlier version of this story misspelled Deen’s last name on second reference] Now comes the allegation by a former employee that Deen’s brother, Bubba, who runs one of her restaurants, repeatedly engaged in racist and sexist acts, reports The Times’ Richard Fausset.
The civil complaint, which was filed Monday in state court in Savannah, Ga., was brought by Lisa T. Jackson, a former manager at Uncle Bubba’s Oyster House, one of five restaurants in Deen’s group. The Savannah-based oyster house is co-owned by Deen and her brother, Earl W. “Bubba” Hiers.Much of the 33-page complaint details what it says was boorish and racist behavior by Hiers, including accusations that he physically intimidated employees, displayed pornography at work, acted toward Jackson in a sexually degrading manner — including forcibly kissing her cheek and spitting on her — and repeatedly using racial epithets.
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-- Russ Parsons
