After standing up Matt Lauer, embattled Food Network chef Paula Deen says she will address her N-word controversy in a video statement.
Deen blew off her planned interview with Lauer, a no-nonsense and deceptively tough interviewer, that was to air exclusively on Friday's edition of the Today show. But just before the 7 a.m. air time, her PR team reached out to the NBC morning program, explaining that Deen was "exhausted" and she would not be showing up.
VIDEO: Paula Deen Cancels 'Today' Interview
The celebrity chef, who had flown into New York Thursday night for the occasion, was apparently holed up in her hotel, opting to bypass a grilling from Lauer and address the controversy of her use of racial slurs in a controlled setting.
By afternoon, Deen broke her silence on Twitter, announcing that a video statement was about to be released and posting a photo of herself taping the missive.
In a deposition for her current discrimination lawsuit, in which the 66-year-old and her brother Bubba Heirs are being sued by a former employee, Deen admitted to using the racial slur in the past, but said she wouldn't use it today.
Representatives for Deen and The Food Network did not respond to The Hollywood Reporter's request for comment on her decision to pull out of the Lauer interview.
Twitter: @ErinLCarlson
Email: erin.carlson@thr.com
