Paula Deen N-Word: Celebrity Chef Issues Statement On Potentially Racist Behavior, Uses Age As Excuse, Condemns Racial Slur Use

The gossip site TMZ reported Wednesday that celebrity chef Paula Deen said under oath during a deposition that she had used the N-word in the past, and Deen's representatives have since issued a statement on the matter.

Paula Deen Enterprises sent the following statement to TMZ:

"During a deposition where she swore to tell the truth, Ms. Deen recounted having used a racial epithet in the past, speaking largely about a time in American history which was quite different than today.

"[Paula] was born 60 years ago when America's South had schools that were segregated, different bathrooms, different restaurants and Americans rode in different parts of the bus. This is not today.

"To be clear Ms. Deen does not find acceptable the use of this term under any circumstance by anyone nor condone any form of racism or discrimination. " 

Deen was deposed earlier in the week due to a pending sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a former employee of hers. The woman claims she was the victim of racist, sexist and other inappropriate remarks when she had a job at Paula's Oyster Houyse in Georgia.

The chef said during the deposition that she used the N-word in 1986 after she was held up at gunpoint during a robbery at a bank where she worked. Deen said she did not utter the word during the robbery but "probably in telling (her) husband" about the incident.

She also said she's "sure" she's used it since then, "but it's been a very long time."