Paula Deen, who recently hired crisis manager Judy Smith, appeared on TODAY this morning where she admitted to using the "N" word once decades ago and maintained that she’s not a racist. Watch the clip inside and see why pop singer Ciara says "N" word usage is about context and you can have "fun" with it…..

Though she bailed on last week’s interview, following her firing from the FOOD Network and several embarrassing online videos, Paula Deen sat down for a somewhat tearful (no tears fell but she played the part well) interview on TODAY where she admitted to using the "N" word once, "a world ago" and added,

"If there’s anyone out there that has never said something that they wish they could take back, then please pick up that stone and throw it at my head…and hit me as hard as you can."

She also discussed her childhood, saying,   

"I believe that every one of God’s creatures was created equal, no matter what church you go to pray. I believe that everyone should be treated equal, and that’s the way I was raised.

I am here today because I want people to know who I am, and people that have worked beside me, have walked beside, know what kind of person I am."

And when asked specifically about the "plantation" wedding and other stories, Paula insinuated that there are many lies being told about her and who she really is.  Well, the plantation dinner party you said would be "cute" because of the black men & women who would play slaves….was indeed in the deposition.  So it wasn’t a lie.

Here are the rest of the highlights: 

On being fired and dropped by several partners:

"Would I have fired me? Knowing me? No," she said. "I am so very thankful for the partners I have who believe in me."

On if she knew that the "N" word was offensive to Black people:

"I don’t know, I have asked myself that so many times," Deen said. "I go into my kitchens and hear what these young people are calling each other…it’s very distressing for me. I think for this problem to be worked on these young people are gonna have to take control and start showing respect for each other."

It seems Paula…and many others..don’t realize that the issue most people have isn’t necessarily the "N-word" usage from 20+ years ago.  It’s everything she’s said since 2011 that’s been caught on video and in writing.  Saying that a plantation party with slaves would be cute and talking about your "dear black friend" by calling him on stage during an interview to make fun of how black his color is….do make you a racist in most people’s eyes.  You don’t have to rock a white hood or burn crosses in people’s lawns to be a "racist."  Insensitivity is just as insulting. 

Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem Paula understands this.  But she’s clearly being "talked" to as the NY Post reports that she’s hired Judy Smith, the crisis expert who inspired "Scandal", to guide her through through this debacle.  And Judy’s help will be needed as many companies are continuously cutting their ties to Paula.  Most recently, Ceasars Entertainment (who operated four Paula Deen Buffet properties in their casinos) released a statement saying the company "reached an agreement with Paula Deen Enterprises not to renew the business relationship."  We’ll stayed tuned to see how this works out…

Watch the interview here:

And singer Ciara also weighed in on the "N" word….

Singer Ciara dropped by "Access Hollywood Live" yesterday to discuss her upcoming "I’m Out" video with Nicki Minaj, and also to weigh in on one of the most talked about topics in the country, Paula Deen’s sh*tstorm.  Host Billy Bush asked Cici how she felt about the word and she said, 

"As an entertainer you have fun and it’s all about the context it’s used in. I am an African-American woman, so I can identify with that word in different ways,

It’s all about the context and in my case I know I can have fun because I know where I’m coming from with it. You have to be light-hearted and it has to be in a certain way. I cannot hear another person of another race saying, ‘you this’ like ‘you that.’ Again, it’s all about how you say it and what context it’s used in.

That word has as much power as you give it.

“That word is so old that it references the context of where it comes from. I want to make sure I’m clear about that, it doesn’t mean that same thing that it could have meant years ago, especially when we can have fun about it.”

Hmmm…..We understand where Ciara is coming from (based on her age and whimsical way of speaking about things) but we’re sure there are still thousands of older Blacks in America who would take issue with her saying you can "have fun about it."  She should ask someone who marched for equal rights and to be treated as an equal human being about "having fun" with it….

SPEAK ON IT….where do you stand on using the "N" word?  And also Paula’s actions SINCE the fallout?

Photos via NBC News/Access Hollywood/Splash News