Paula Deen Hires Real-Life Inspiration for Scandal's Olivia Pope

Paula Deen has hired the D.C. crisis firm led by CEO Judy Smith, the inspiration for Kerry Washington's character Olivia Pope on ABC's Scandal, AdAge reports.

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After a deposition leaked in which Deen admitted to using a racial slur, the celebrity chef has faced significant backlash, resulting in the loss of multiple business deals and sponsorships, According to a source, Deen reached out to the firm a few days ago after she released two bizarre YouTube videos in lieu of her scheduled Todayshow appearance.

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AdAge speculates that Deen's rescheduled Today show appearance on Wednesday was likely the first major move by Smith's firm. Unfortunately, that appearance, in which Deen said that she wasn't sure if the N-word was offensive, didn't do much to repair her tarnished image either.

Smith's other notable clients have included Michael Vick and Monica Lewinsky.