Celebrity cook Paula Deen canceled on NBC’s “Today” show this morning, after she was invited on to respond to allegations of using racial epithets. Instead of being interviewed by Matt Lauer, Deen and her team decided to tape her own apology and post it to YouTube.
WATCH:
Update: They removed the video! BuzzFeed has it here, if you want to watch it.
Update 2: Now Deen has released another video, in which she says directly to Lauer that she was “physically unable” to appear on “Today,” before criticizing the press for its coverage of her comments.
“Matt, I have to say, I was physically not able this morning, the pain has been tremendous that I have caused to myself and others, so I am taking the opportunity now that I have pulled myself together and am able to speak, to offer an apology to those that I have hurt.”
Interestingly, while the video was circulating on social media thanks to some digital sleuthing, it was quickly made private by Team Deen. The first Twitter feed to link to the video after it was made public again (seemingly the very same minute) was NBC’s “Today,” which suggests that her team may have promised the NBC program first dibs on posting the video as a make-good for bailing this morning:
Paula Deen issues statement: http://t.co/MJ3anFNiCS
— TODAY (@todayshow) June 21, 2013