Paula Deen Does Damage Control
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: Well, it was a tearful apology over using racial slurs, celebrity chef Paula Deen speaking out today about her troubles. Now we know that Caesar's Entertainment has dropped her. The company says it's going to rebrand the four themed restaurants.</s>MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Yeah, also, QVC, the shopping network, says it's weighing its options after that deposition revealed that Deen has used racial slurs. As her business empire crumbles, Dean took on damage control. Have a listen.</s>PAULA DEEN, CELEBRITY CHEF: If there's anyone out there that has never said something that they wished they could take back, if you're out there, please pick up that stone and throw it so hard at my head that it kills me. Please, I want to meet you.</s>MALVEAUX: So, Deen insists that she says she only used the "N"-word once, decades ago. I want to bring in our Alina Machado, who's been following this story. We were all watching that interview this morning. And what struck me is she contradicted she said in that interviewing, saying that she used the word once, but in her deposition she left it a lot more open- ended that that was possible that she had used it more than once.</s>ALINA MACHADO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, Suzanne, she did that in the interview today. And that was a distinction, an important distinction to make, and when you compare what she said today versus what was in that deposition. Now you mentioned that Caesar's Entertainment has dropped her. We already know that the Food Network and Smithfield's Foods decision to end their business relationship was made public as well. And today's interview is the first time that the celebrity has answered questions about last month's deposition in which she admitted having used the "N"-word. Now in that same deposition, she was asked if using the racial slur in a joke was hurtful. She replied she could not herself determine what offends another person. Here is what she said today about that.</s>MATT LAUER, NBC NEWS: Did you have any doubt in your mind that African-Americans are offended by the "N"-word?</s>DEEN: I don't know, Matt. I have asked myself that so many times because it's very distressing for me to go into my kitchens and I hear what these young people are calling each other. It's very, very distressing.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You never joined in on that language?</s>DEEN: No, absolutely not.</s>MACHADO: Now Deen also became very emotional. She seemed to break down. She said she was heartbroken for what has happened. Listen to what she said next.</s>DEEN: I is what I is and I'm not changing. And I -- there's someone evil out there that saw what I had worked for and they wanted it.</s>MACHADO: Now in the interviews, Deen mentioned that she had wonderful support from Reverend Jesse Jackson. I spoke with the reverend this morning. He says Deen called him a few days back and apologized, and even though he does not think anyone is beyond redemption, Reverend Jackson believes Deen's apology should be followed with actions. Suzanne, Michael?</s>MALVEAUX: Does she -- I mean, she said somebody was evil out there. Who is she referring to? Do we know? Is that the person filing the lawsuit against her?</s>MACHADO: It wasn't clear in terms of who she was referring to, but one can assume that she's referring to the woman, the former employee who filed this civil lawsuit.</s>MALVEAUX: OK. All right. It will be interesting to see if she can rebrand or regroup and redeem herself.</s>HOLMES: Yeah, indeed. Everybody is sort of dropping off here, aren't they, all the business links anyway? All right, coming up, we're going to get reaction to today's Supreme Court decisions from a group that opposes same-sex marriage. Do stay with us.