Paula Deen Discusses Her Racist Scandal a Year Later: 'I'm So Sorry'

Paula Deen flashes a smile while returning to the Today show a bit over a year after her big racist scandal on Tuesday morning (September 23) in New York City.

“I had to remove myself and sit quietly so that I could think and see things from all angles,” the 67-year-old celebrity chef said of her scandal last year where it was revealed she used a racial slur. “I’ve learned so much over the year. I really feel like it’s gonna require another book. We are working on a documentary, because I feel like everybody needs to know the whole entire story.”

“I’ve always been very, very naive. Unless you do something that I can see that you’re trying to hurt me, in my heart, you’re good. That’s childlike, and it’s naive. I’m trying to be more guarded. I don’t ever want to get to the point where I’m cynical because I believe that there are more good people than bad,” Paula added.

“Words are so powerful. They can hurt. They can make people happy. Well, my words hurt people,” Paula added. “They disappointed people and frankly, I disappointed myself. And for that, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry for the hurt that I caused people because it went deep.”