Paula Deen scandal

Paula Deen’s two sons, Jamie, left, and Bobby, defended their mother against accusations of racism, saying they were raised in a loving home where bigotry did not exist. (Carlo Allegri / Associated Press)

June 25, 2013 4:39 PM PT

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Paula Deen made it official when she peered into the TV camera and said playfully, “Hi. I’m back.” The woman dubbed the “Queen of Southern Cooking” is taking steps back into the spotlight after a public uproar over her admitted use of the N-word. Here’s a look at how the scandal unfolded last year:

Paula Deen is pictured at a book signing during her more popular days. (Henrietta Wildsmith / Associated Press)

Glenn Beck is among those who came to the defense of embattled celebrity chef Paula Deen, describing her past use of the N-word as a “violation of political correctness, nothing more” and suggesting that she was the victim of “McCarthyism.”

(Evan Agostini / Associated Press)

When Paula Deen admitted she had diabetes last year, many took note because Deen was the queen of high-fat, high-calorie Southern cooking. (Carlo Allegri / Associated Press)

Al Sharpton has offered a defense of Paula Deen, albeit a somewhat qualified one. “A lot of us have in the past said things we have regretted saying years ago,” he told TMZ. Later, his spokesman called the Huffington Post to clarify that Sharpton was not so much defending Deen as withholding judgment. (Jordan Strauss / Invision / AP)