Paula Deen fired from Food Network after admitting to using racial slur

Just after canceling an appearance on 'Today,' the celebrity chef and Food Network star issued a formal video statement to make amends for her use of the N-word. Alas, her home channel still gave her the boot.

Celebrity chef Paula Deen, 66, was canned by the cable channel on Friday after releasing a groveling video apology on YouTube for using the N-word and cracking racist jokes at her Savannah, Ga., restaurant.

Hoping to quell the controversy on Thursday, Deen’s reps said her use of the word was the product of her upbringing in the deep South.

Word that Deen had been canned came on the same day that Deen backed out of a scheduled appearance on the “Today” show about the controversy.”