Not Okay

Paula Deen Tweeted, Then Deleted, This Photo of Her Son Wearing Brownface [Updated]

“Looks fine to me. I say we tweet it.” Photo: Paula Deen / Twitter

Just when we had almost managed to forget about Paula Deen, she’s back to remind you that she still just doesn’t get it. Today, the former Food Network Queen and themed cruise host tweeted the photo you see above, depicting the butter queen making a very shrill face in costume as I Love Lucy’s Lucy Ricardo, television producer Gordon Elliott, and her son, Bobby, dressed up as either Ricky Ricardo or, more likely, Little Ricky. While the identity is not entirely clear, one thing that is certain is that this is not Bobby’s normal skin color and he’s definitely wearing some brownface makeup to appropriate Ricardo’s Cuban heritage.

Of course, Team Deen seems to have quickly realized the error of its ways, pulling the tweet. Unfortunately for them (and us, it seems), the internet never forgets, and in the time that the shot was up, people reacted to the photo in exactly the way you’d expect:

For comparison, here’s how Bobby Deen’s face normally looks. Not so similar.

Stick with this look, Bobby.
Stick with this look, Bobby. Photo: Courtesy of Food Network.

Update: Deen’s camp apologized, saying it has fired the employee who posted the photo. That anonymous social-media manager, who probably knew exactly what they were doing when they dug up this old shot, is likely buying the first round of drinks tonight.

Paula Deen Tweeted, Then Deleted, This Photo of Her Son Wearing Brownface