The Rise & Fall Of Paula Deen

H A HUFFINGTON POST GRAPHIC The Rise & Fall Of Paula Deen With details still emerging, Paula Deen's fall from grace continues to enthrall the nation. Will the current racism scandal finally extinguish her star? The Southern-fried food personality has long been celebrated and reviled in equal measure - and nearly always come out on top. But the scandal has struck a nerve – with Food Network, her sponsors and fans leaving us wondering if this is Paula Deen's final chapter. 1960s In her early twenties, Deen suffers debilitating panic attacks and bouts of agoraphobia. Because she's afraid to leave the house, Deen begins taking solace in cooking. 1989 Paula Deen divorces her husband and is left with only $200 in her bank account. 1996 Deen opens her Savannah eatery, The Lady & Sons. 2002 "Paula's Home Cooking" debuts on the Food Network. "Paula's Party" debuts in 2006, followed by "Paula's Best Dishes" in 2008. PAULA DEEN 2007 The book, "Extraordinary POW! Comebacks: 201 Inspiring Stories of Courage, Triumph, and Success," features Paula Deen's life story. She also releases a memoir, "Paula Deen: It Ain't All 2009 About the Cookin'." Paula Deen is accidentally hit in the face by a flying ham at a food bank donation event. 3/2011 Speaking to TV Guide magazine, Anthony Bourdain calls Deen "the worst, most dangerous person to America. MORE BUTTAH! 1/17/2012 Deen reveals that she was diagnosed with Type II diabetes three years prior. At the same time, she announces a sponsorship deal with Novo Nordisk, the company that makes the diabetes drug Victoza 3/6/2012 Former The Lady & Sons employee Lisa Jackson files a lawsuit against Deen and her brother, Earl "Bubba" Hiers, alleging sexual and racial harassment in the workplace. JALAPEÑO TOLA CAs 6/5/2013 Deen announces the release of her line of "finishing butters" to be sold at Walmart, as well as "vegetable chips" to be sold by Walgreens. 6/2013 The National Enquirer publicizes a previously reported but largely unnoticed deposition from the trial, in which Deen admits to using racial slurs. 6/21/2013 In the aftermath, Deen is a no-show for a morning taping of the "Today" show. Instead, she apologizes in three separate videos posted online. Shortly after the first goes live, it's taken down; critics lambast it as insincere. food network 6/21/2013 Food Network announces it will not renew Deen's contract the following month. Smithfield Foods Inc. and Caesars Entertainment soon drop Deen. 6/26/2013 Deen finally appears on the "Today" show for an emotional interview with Matt Lauer in which she defends herself saying "I believe that every creature on this earth – every one of God's creatures – was created equal." Sources: PaulaDeen.com, TheLadyAndSons.com, Google Books Photos: The Associated Press, Getty, Shutterstock, Paula Deen Foods THE HUFFINGTON POST