Paula Deen might be on track to issue another apology . After her career in food imploded last year when she admitted to previously using a racial slur , the 67-year-old celebrity chef is trying to slowly rebuild what she 's lost . However , her recent cover story with People magazine is having the opposite effect . In the article , Deen says she is finding inspiration in what might seem an unusual place given her past troubles . `` I feel like 'embattled ' or 'disgraced ' will always follow my name , '' she tells People . `` It 's like that black football player who recently came out , '' referring to NFL prospect and former University of Missouri football standout , Michael Sam . `` He ( Sam ) said , ' I just want to be known as a football player . I do n't want to be known as a gay football player . ' I know exactly what he 's saying . '' Given that the former doyenne of Southern cuisine has acknowledged in a deposition that she 'd used the `` N '' word in the past , several observers were thrown by her choice of words . `` Seriously Paula ? '' Twitter user @ HarryItie responded to CNN 's story on Deen 's People interview , summing up in two words the reaction of the Internet . `` Paula Deen crashing and burning before she rises from the ashes like a Phoenix , '' commented @ JayBaklava . The Stir 's Food & Party channel , meanwhile , tried for some humor : `` Paula Deen Comes Back From Her Racist Past as a Black Gay Football Player . '' `` I honestly do n't have a problem with Paula Deen I just need her to stop speaking about anything other than cooking , '' said @ mktggirl . Her comment is a noticeable misstep in what 's been pegged as her `` comeback '' plan : Within the past month , Deen has made a warmly welcomed appearance at the recent South Beach Wine and Food festival , has announced a new company , Paula Deen Ventures , and confirmed she 's planning to open a new restaurant in Pigeon Forge , Tennessee . It 's the support from her fans , Deen tells People , that 's enabled her to get back up after last summer 's controversy stripped her of sponsors and her gig as a Food Network personality . `` If it was n't for my fans ' love , I 'd be home breathing into a paper bag , '' Deen says . `` When I woke up each morning , it was like my world was crashing down again . ... I 'm fighting to get my name back . '' It looks like that fight continues .
Paula Deen is on the cover of the new issue of People magazine . She talks about the problems she faced over using the ` ` ' '' word in the past . She describes how she 's now trying to get her career and her life back . Deen : I feel like ` ` embattled '' or ` ` disgraced '' people always follow my lead .