UPDATE, 1:40 PM: It doesn’t seem to matter that Paula Deen’s New Testament: 250 Favorite Recipes, All Lightened Up is Amazon’s best-selling book ahead of its scheduled publication in October. Random House’s Ballantine Books says today that it’s cancelling its plans for the cookbook, Publishers Weekly reports. Deen jumped to Ballantine from Simon & Schuster last year. PREVIOUS, 11:40: Now J.C. Penney is leaving the Paula Deen business, the Dallas Morning News reports. The paper says that the chain sells Deen-branded cookware and carries a broader array of her merchandise in hundreds of its smaller stores. PREVIOUS, 8:15 AM: Sears Holdings, which owns Sears and Kmart, says that it will “phase out” all of its Paula Deen merchandise and “will continue to evaluate the situation.” Walgreens also says that it’s phasing out Deen-branded goods which include mixes, seasonings and butter. PREVIOUS, THURSDAY PM: QVC CEO Mike George says in a blog post that “for now” Paula Deen “won’t be appearing on any upcoming broadcasts and we will phase out her product assortment on our online sales channels over the next few months.”
The site offers a Deen-branded line of cookware. The shopping channel chief adds that “People deserve second chances. And we always strive to do the right thing.” Following his note, Deen writes one of her own expressing appreciation for “the caring way that has interacted with me over the past week.” She also says that she has “some important things to work on right now, both personally and professionally” and agreed that “it’s best for me to step back from QVC and focus on setting things right.” Deen says that she is “truly sorry and assure you I will work hard to earn your forgiveness.” PREVIOUS, THURSDAY AM: Target says it will “phase out” the Paula Deen cookware and merchandise in its stores and online. Meanwhile, pharmaceutical manufacturer Novo Nordisk, which had teamed with the celebrity chef to promote Victoza — a drug for diabetics — says that it and Deen “have mutually agreed to suspend our patient education activities for now, while she takes time to focus her attention where it is needed.”
The company had initially said that it would stand by Deen. PREVIOUS, WEDNESDAY PM: now has dropped out, potentially costing Paula Deen revenues from a product line that includes eyeglasses, cookware, and baked goods. The retail giant says that it is “ending our relationship with Paula Deen Enterprises and we will not place new orders beyond those already committed.” Meanwhile the celebrity chef has received statements of support from Epicurean Butter, IQ Craft, Club Marketing Services, Harvest NA, Landies Candies, and Sandridge Food, Bloomberg BusinessWeek reports. The statement from Tasty Blend Foods praised Deen’s “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.” Related: Paula Deen On ‘Today’ Tearfully Begs Sponsors Not To Dump Her PREVIOUS, 12:10 PM: Add Caesars Entertainment to the list of companies that have severed ties to Paula Deen Inc.
The company says today that it “has reached a mutual agreement with Paula Deen Enterprises” not to renew their deal to operate four Paula Deen-themed buffets. Caesars says it will rebrand the existing ones at Louisville’s Horseshoe Southern Indiana, Memphis’ Harrah’s Tunica, Chicago’s Harrah’s Joliet, and North Carolina’s Harrah’s Cherokee. “While we appreciate Paula’s sincere apologies for statements she made in her past that she recently disclosed during a deposition given in response to a lawsuit, after thoughtful consideration of their impact, we have mutually decided that it is in the best interests of both parties to part ways at this time,” says EVP Communications and Government Affairs Jan Jones Blackhurst. Related: ‘Today’ Gives Paula Deen Failing Grades After Interview PREVIOUS, MONDAY PM: QVC now says that it is “reviewing our business relationship” with Paula Deen and has “no immediate plans to have her appear” on the shopping network.
QVC adds that it “does not tolerate discriminatory behavior.” It increasingly looks that, if the celebrity chef wants to save her multimillion-dollar licensing and endorsement empire, she needs to do it on NBC’s Today show this Wednesday. Deen generated about $9.9M in 2010 from speaking engagements, licensing agreements, TV, magazines, books and other deals, according to estimates. But Paula Deen Inc could collapse after the Food Network’s decision last week to not renew her contract when it expires this month. Smithfield Foods, the world’s biggest pork producer, terminated its contrac with Deen today. Meanwhile, Universal Furniture, which offers the Paula Deen Home furniture line, told its dealers today that it will see how things play out before it decides what to do. Deen generated an estimated $3M in 2010 from licensing deals with partners including Kaleen Rugs, Serta mattresses, and Walmart. Her empire has grown since then and now includes branded chicken from Springer Mountain Farms and prescription eyeglasses with Walmart.
License deals typically give companies an out if the celebrity endorser does something that might injure the brand. Meanwhile, speaking engagements accounted for $5.5M in Deen’s 2010 revenues; she reportedly makes as much as $100,000 for an appearance.Deen already has apologized twice publicly in videos for her use of racial slurs including the N-word which came to light in a legal deposition filed last week on federal court. Having the word “racism” as part of the national conversation puts Deen’s case “on a different plane” compared to other celebrity endorsers touched by scandal, according to International Licensing Merchandisers’ Association SVP Martin Brochstein. “There’s a reason why a lot of licensors prefer to deal with animated characters.” Bought a craftmaster couch 3 years ago from Zimmerman furniture in Lindenhurst NY. From the very beginning the material was defective____it was unsitely ---puckered on the seat cushions as well as the cushions on the back.
ZIMMERMANS sent an upholsterer to our home who replaced the filling in the cushions on the premise it was not filled fully. Zimmerman sent a company representative to our home who confirmed the couch material... Purchased a Craftmaster sofa & loveseat from a local business. We chose the specific style of couch because it was the same model that was sitting on the sale floor and was extremely comfortable. It was not cheap, but one wild think that you get what you pay for. The owner was extremely pushy and claimed that Craftmaster is such a wonderful company. However, she just wanted our money. We received the furniture in a timely manner. The seat cores do not hold up and flatten within a year. I have had to replace them each year and after the 5th year, Craftmaster will not honor their 5 year warranty. Even though the seat cores were replaced last year, and have gone flat, the 5 year warranty does not cover it. The skirt on my sofa, loveseat and chair drags the floor, the measurement was incorrect.
The seam came apart on the back of the sofa. The material has pilled and... the very worst love seat as far as quality goes. the price was very high and I thought the quality would be better than average, instead it is way below average. The cushions do not fit properly (stick out one inch) when sat upon the cushions wrinkle and this love seat has only been sat upon 10 to 12 times. I certainly wish I had read these reviews first. I never would have spent the money, I would have been so much better off buying lesser... After a year and a half seam is coming apart and a spring has popped up already. It's location is not anywhere that you sit on and it is not that old. I did not purchase extended warranty so they will not come and fix it without charge. I purchased through WG&R in Sheboygan. I will never purchase this brand again. LazyBoy fixes there furniture without the purchase of extended warranty. I guess they feel there products are worth it. Just bought new sofa .chair and ottoman.2800 dollars from burk furniture in lexington ky.
When delevered sofa damaged legs on chair scratched and holes in wood after 2 weeks got 2nd sofa .cushions fabric coming apart at seems,and arms lose and makes noise when you lay your arm on it ".junk" Ordered in March 2015...delivered Sept.2015...fabric on back order, store said in production. Received crooked frame on cuddler ( 1 leg does not touch floor); crooked seams on cases,arms and back of sofa; springs and arm squeaks...measures 37" in depth not 38" which means seat cushions are short, pillow fill and cushions very soft..Funny how perfect the model in the store is! Service was out to fix..no luck on short... I purchased this beautiful set only 2 years when the color started fading in places where we sat and places where we didn't use at all. Never knew this may happen since we owned a lay-Z-boy that never did this and we owned it 10 years. After contacting the store where we purchased it to see what to do, they contacted the company who refused to do anything since it did't happen within a year from purchase.