Paula Deen loses more sponsorship deals

NEW YORK: Paula Deen’s estimated $ 100 million-per-year media and merchandising empire is collapsing.
Sears, J.C. Penney and Walgreen said Friday that they’re cutting ties with Paula Deen, adding to the growing list of companies severing their relationship following revelations that the Southern celebrity chef used racial slurs in the past.
Meanwhile, Paula Deen’s publisher has canceled a deal with her for multiple books, including an upcoming cookbook that was the No. 1 seller on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com.
Ballantine Books announced Friday it would not release “Paula Deen’s New Testament: 250 Favorite Recipes, All Lightened Up,” which was scheduled for October and was the first of a five-book deal announced early last year. Interest in it had surged as Deen, a successful businesswoman from the South who specializes in Southern comfort food, came under increasing attack for acknowledging she had used the N-word.
Ballantine, an imprint of Random House Inc., said it had decided to cancel the book’s publication after “careful consideration.” It had no comment beyond what was in its brief statement, spokesman Stuart Applebaum said.
Sears Holdings Corp. said it will phase out all products tied to the brand after “careful consideration of all available information.”
“We will continue to evaluate the situation,” said the parent company of Sears and Kmart stores.
Both Sears and Kmart sold Paula Deen products.
In an e-mail statement to The Associated Press, J.C. Penney Co. Inc. said it decided to discontinue selling Deen-branded products.
Walgreen Co. said it was phasing out Paula Deen-branded products, which included tortilla chips and a selection of soups.
QVC took a more gentle approach on Friday and said that it has decided to “take a pause” from Deen. The home shopping network said that Deen won’t be appearing on any upcoming broadcasts, and it will phase out her product assortment on its online sales channels over the next few months.
“We all think it’s important, at this moment, for Paula, to concentrate on responding to the allegations against her and on her path forward,” said Mike George, QVC’s president and CEO in a letter posted on the company’s website.
But QVC left the door open for Deen to return. “Some of you wonder whether this is a ‘forever’ decision — whether we are simply ending our association with Paula,” continued George. “We don’t think that’s how relationships work. People deserve second chances.”
Deen issued her own statement that was posted on QVC’s webpage. “As you know, I have some important things to work on right now, both personally and professionally. And so we’ve agreed that it’s best for me to step back from QVC and focus on setting things right
The developments are the latest blows dealt to Deen since comments she made in a court deposition became public.
Earlier this week, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Target Corp. and Home Depot all announced that they plan to stop selling cookware and other items with Deen’s brand.