It's Paula Deen, y'all! Food Network standout and butter-loving chef Paula Deen stopped by the Today show on Friday, Feb. 22, and promptly set tongues wagging with her loopy behavior.
Deen, 66, was welcomed by her hosts with a cold mojito -- a nod to the show's special Miami broadcast -- but she made sure there was no alcohol in it before taking a sip. Twitter fans (and TMZ) speculated, however, that the Southern star was already tipsy, citing her bizarre dance moves and raunchy jokes as evidence.
Indeed, Deen did appear uninhibited as she interacted with Al Roker and the gang. At one point during the morning, she stood up from the couch where she had been sitting to demonstrate a little fancy footwork, coupled with a few provocative hip shakes. She also tried to make Roker smell her hand, musing that she thought she had been sprayed by a skunk.
Paula Deen at the Today Show during the South Beach Wine and Food Festival at Miami Beach, Florida.
Credit: Aaron Davidson/WireImage.com
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Later, while cooking with her son, Deen made a raunchy joke about "chicken balls," her name for the dish they were preparing. She repeated the phrase several times, prompting Roker to joke, "Set your watches. That's where it all went wrong."
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A rep for the chef told TMZ that the idea of her being drunk on the show was ridiculous. And indeed, Deen is known for her outspoken nature and over-the-top personality, so her oddball behavior wasn't completely out of character.
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