Racism is bad. It’s a solid no to racism from Contact Music. But coming in a close second is people making excuses for racism and racist remarks. That’s what Paula Deen’s been doing as she tries to dig herself out of the fallout from her foul choice of words.

Last month, the famous chef jeopardized her cookbook by admitting to using the N-word in a videoed court deposition. “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," a statement said. "She 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." See what they did there? “where she swore to tell the truth” – like she was doing the right thing by telling the truth. She’s a great person! She used the N-word when she worked at a bank that was robbed by a black assailant. This was in the 1980s, long after attitudes to race had changed, which isn’t to say racism was ever okay – obviously.

Who thinks that? Deen might. She might. "She is going to have to do some damage control," said Brad Adgate, an analyst for ad firm Horizon Media. "She is going to have to explain herself on camera to viewers and let them decide whether they want to continue to buy her products." Although her franchise shouldn’t be her foremost concern.