PAULA Deen rose to fame as a chef, cookbook author, and beloved television personality.
In recent years, she has shied away from the spotlight, and now fans want to know what happened.
What happened to Paula Deen?
In the early 2010s, Paula Deen was on top of the world between hosting various shows and running The Lady & Sons restaurant and Paula Deen's Creek House in Savannah, Georgia.
She became popular due to her cookbooks and quickly became a household name. However, her fame changed after making a series of racist remarks.
The scandal began in June 2013 while she was being deposed for a lawsuit filed by Lisa Jackson, the former general manager of Deen's restaurant Uncle Bubba's Seafood and Oyster House.
During the deposition, Deen admitted to using the n-word in the past.
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"Yes, of course," she said when asked if she has ever used the word, via Delish.
She added, "that's just not a word that we use as time has gone on. Things have changed since the '60s in the south. And my children and my brother object to that word being used in any cruel or mean behavior. As well as I do."
Deen's rep later issued a statement to TMZ, saying, "Ms Deen does not condone or find the use of racial epithets acceptable. She is looking forward to her day in court." However, by that time, the damage had already been done.
Shortly after the deposition, Food Network announced that they would not be renewing her contract, ending her 14-year tenure with the network.
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"I have had the pleasure of being allowed into so many homes across the country and meeting people who have shared with me the most touching and personal stories," Deen said in a statement at the time via Delish.
"This would not have been possible without the Food Network. Thank you again. Love and best dishes to all of ya'll."
Deen later went on a publicity tour to try and fix her image. Among her stop was the TODAY Show, where she told then-host Matt Lauer "I am not a racist."
Despite trying to save her image, the backlash forced her to abruptly close down her Uncle Bubba's restaurant in April 2014.
The lawsuit that started it all was eventually dismissed by a federal judge in September 2014 and she then returned to TODAY and told Lauer what she had learned.
“I don’t know that woman, and when I see things like that, I’ll run from the room,” she said of her previous TODAY appearance, via Delish.
“I have to say it took me a while because I was confused as to the length of time since that kind of … those words had been part of a language."
Deen later returned to television on RFD-TV with a new show called Positively Paula but it only lasted two seasons.
Where is Paula Deen now?
While Deen's television fame might have come to an end, she continues to build her brand on social media.
Now, she mostly spends her time operating her Savannah restaurants and posting recipes on Instagram to over 482,000 followers.
She was also seen on Season 21 of Dancing with the Stars.
When Deen, who is now 75 years old, is not in the kitchen she can often be found spending her days with her family.
Since 2004, she has been married to her former neighbor Michael Groover.
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Prior to her marriage to Groover, she was married to Jimmy Deen for 24 years, during which time she welcomed her two sons, Bobby and Jamie.
Deen's sons are also known for their work in the culinary world and often help their mother operate The Lady & Sons.
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