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Paula Deen continues to make headlines extremely dynamic this week. Her latest? She’s hired crisis firm Smith & Co. to rebound her flailing career. The celebrity chef has lost her job on the Food Network and her sponsorships from Smithfield Foods and Caesar’s Entertainment (which carries four of Paula’s branded restaurants) however, she has gained a new person on her team and that’s Smith & Co.’s Judy Smith–who happens to be who Kerry Washington’s character in ABC’s “Scandal,” Olivia Pope, is based on.

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According to Ad Age, “Deen’s management team reached out to the firm a few days ago, an executive familiar with the matter said, after she had already canceled her planned Friday appearance on ‘The Today Show’ and issued a pair of poorly-received YouTube videos instead.” Smith & Co.’s first order of business was to get Deen back on “The Today Show” after she’d initially stood up Matt Lauer.

First she showed up on the “Today Show,” telling Matt Lauer, “If there’s anyone out there that has never said something that they wish they could take back … please pick up that stone and throw it so hard at my head that it kills me.” Aww, poor racist! We feel soooooo sorry for you.

Smith & Co. has their work cut out for them, but luckily not all of Paula’s sponsors have pulled out. It’s being reported that Smith & Co. will likely try to focus attention on these business partners, including Novo Nordisk, maker of the diabetes treatment Victoza; Springer Mountain Chicken; Landies Candies; and Tasty Blend Foods.

Some of the sponsors have released the following statements:

“Tasty Blend Foods was very pleased with the Paula Deen interview given this morning on the Today Show. We appreciate her commitment and how she stepped up and apologized to her viewers, fans and the nation. We personally endorse Paula Deen and what she stands for. We are very saddened that she is being judged by her past, everyone has made a mistake sometime in their lives. We look forward to our continued partnership with her.”

“Your interview this morning reaffirms who you really are and what you believe,” he wrote. “We count it a privilege to be your friend and business partner and look forward to sweet success in the future.” Landies Candies President Larry Szrama

“Paula Deen’s New Testament: 250 Favorite Recipes, All Lightened Up” is to be released this fall. A Random House spokesman

It looks like the real-life Olivia Pope is doing what she does best…fixing it. But what about the flack that she’ll receive for representing a racist. Oh Paula Deen, what will you do next?

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Making Fun Of A Racist: The Greedy Paula Deen Edition [GIFS]
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