Monday, July 21, 2014

Paula Deen Announces Prices And Start Date Of Her Network

Photo - PaulaDeen.com
Tonight on ET, Paula Deen announced that the start date of the Paula Deen Network would be September 24th.  Also, people wanting to pay for the network now have the opportunity to do that, and the information is now on the Paula Deen Network site.

A 1-month membership costs $9.99, a 6-month membership costs $53.94 ($8.99 per month), and a 1 year membership costs $95.88 ($7.99 per month).

It is noted that the 6-month and 1 year memberships have recurring fees.  Sounds like a way to take advantage of an older target demographic who will forget to cancel or not even know how to cancel a membership.

Will the Paula Deen 'fanatics' cough up the money for an online network?  Only time will tell, but I know many readers here will not be signing up for the network based on previous comments.

46 comments:

  1. That's pretty steep. I have a hard time believing enough people will pay to make it profitable.

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  2. Princess StarlightJuly 22, 2014 at 5:51 AM

    Yeesh! I see this failing, mainly due to pricing.

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  3. The old gal doesn't know the party is over.

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  4. Even looking at her makes my skin crawl, and my ears can't take ever hearing that sickening over-the-top fake accent one more time. Just "ick" all the way around.

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  5. I'm sure her apologists will find the funds to subscribe. For them, she can do no wrong, and they believe she was railroaded.

    On the other hand, there may not be a big enough fan base to sustain the site. At least I hope so.

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  6. That's correct Mo. They are all owned by Scripps Interactive. I know that Discovery Communications was looking into buying Scripps Interactive, but they "weren't ready to sell." Maybe Discovery needs to engineer a hostile takeover and reform FN.

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  7. Quite frankly, I don't think Discovery would do much better.

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  8. Ouch. That's really pricey (HBO is $15 and at least you get a ton of variety in programming!), $4.99 might have been more manageable for people

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  9. Maybe not, but they can't do much worse.

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  10. I too think it's too expensive, but I have no doubt Paula's still-rabid fans will find the money. I absolutely dislike the recurring fees feature. As mentioned in the post above, many older people do forget to cancel such memberships, at least until they've been charged again and usually, trying to get your money back once the charge has gone through is difficult. It seems like preying on elderly people IMO.

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  11. What ever happened to McCargo and his show "Big Daddy"???? He seems to have disappeared off the FN radar.

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  12. Thanks MoHub. None of that shows up--think it must be because I am not on Facebook or Twitter and don't have a Google or Disqus account. That's why I can't Login but can post as "Guest" (and still use my name), and it's also why when I give a thumbs-up to a comment, it shows up as "Guest."

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  13. Sorry, not having a good day. All of that shows up, EXCEPT Edit.

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  14. I would hope that there would not be a big enough fan base to sustain the site, but I fear that may not be so, because I have followed this situation from the beginning and was (and still am) constantly amazed at the people who think it was about nothing more than using the "N" word one time...so not the case...so much more involved. The ignorance of the general public in this regard is beyond comparison. So few people read the pleadings or depositions or were able to equate her diabetes diagnosis with her pharmaceutical-related schilling.
    It's also ironic that the name of her restaurant is "The Lady and Sons," because a "lady she ain't." She's bawdy, vulgar, and inappropriate.

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  15. Yep. lack of a Disqus account would explain it. I have my Disqus account tied to my Google account.

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  16. You are spot on. There are layers and layers to the Paula Deen issue, and the single use of the N-word was but the tiniest part of it.


    And her ratings were failing, so Food Network was going to dump her anyway, scandal notwithstanding.

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  17. I think her biggest, most diehard fans, just read a headline or two and then excused her behavior because it was just one time using the "N" word or it was 'a long time ago in the South when everyone did it'. I've heard those two arguments from family or friends more than I can tell you. When I've tried to set them straight, I've been told I'm wrong.

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  18. Nice that he answered! Most stars that are forced to live tweet by their network while their shows are on never answer anyone. They do it because they have to usually.

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  19. I agreed until you got to Jeff Mauro. Can't handle him at all, but Giada and Alton absolutely need to be replaced. Giada picks her favorites and as far as she's concerned, they're all that is important. Alton, as most have mentioned, has just gotten cynical and downright mean. I'm wondering if he's dealing with a major depression. That's what it seems like.

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  20. He's on site opening his new restaurant. I would imagine he'd have to be there for a couple of weeks to make sure it starts out on the right foot. That said, surely he knew in advance of filming that his restaurant was opening and FN should have either found someone else to take his spot or had guest judges while he's gone.

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  21. Disqus account isn't a problem at all - just sign up.

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  22. YES!! I love your idea for next season!!

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  23. My husband is from Alabama, and at age 7, in 1946, used the N word and was severely admonished by his parents to never to use the word again. So saying "everyone" used it is pure BS.

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  24. I agree with you Lou. Sorry if the way I put it wasn't clear or if it sounded like those were things I thought.

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  25. dwight mannsburdenJuly 23, 2014 at 8:39 AM

    The beard makes him Evil Alton.

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  26. dwight mannsburdenJuly 23, 2014 at 8:40 AM

    Other than Guy and Sandwich Boy, all the FN "stars" that came from this show are in the dustbin of early morning reruns or gone completely.

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  27. HBO...a ton of variety in programming? Bwahahaha...that's hilarious!

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  28. You whiners are just mad it's not the Guy Fieri Network!

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  29. That would be worse IMO!

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  30. No apology needed - I was agreeing with you and not your family. Not everyone in the South back in the day used that kind of language. My husband was told that people who had manners did not use such terms. Sad to say that didn't mean they weren't prejudiced.

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  31. Have we never watched Chopped? Alex is a BAD choice! You think Alton has a snarly attitude then you need to see Alex. Her nose is so far up in the air it's not even funny. She's not exactly Miss Nice and Friendly! Her monotone voice would get old fast. Even when she was on NFNS she wasn't exactly overflowing with any type of happiness. There is rarely a time she smiles.

    And HELL NO to Geoffrey. I've hated him since they let him win Next Iron Chef. Since Jeff was a former contestant he might not be a bad choice. He could understand and relate to the contestants far more than the judges can. It makes you wonder if the current stars could pass all these stupid test they make these contestants do.

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  32. Thanks Lou. I agree about not everyone in the South not using that language and honestly, people not from the South did too.

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  33. I disagree with you friend. Yes, I have watched Chopped and I believe that Alex connects better with the audience than Giada does. Giada is so full of herself and should step aside and make way for Alex.


    As for Geoffrey, I can see him connecting better with the audience and is not snarly like Alton. Alton is better suited for Cutthroat Kitchen and I think that's where his focus should be. He should either do CK or NFNS, not both.


    Would you feel better if they brought in Anne Burrell and Robert Irvine as Judges?

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  34. I sure as heck hope not!

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  35. Agreed. I don't want to see the same judges cycled from program to program. I'd prefer someone like Lee Anne Wong, Elizabeth Falkner, Eric Greenspan, or Jonathan Waxman. All of them have judging experience and express themselves well.

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  36. Burrell, yes; Irvine, no.

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  37. Yep. My grandmother was a certified bigot, but if I had ever used the N word, she'd have washed my mouth out with soap.

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  38. FN already is the Guy Fieri Network.

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  39. Or how she tries to put "Y'ALL!" several times in one sentence.

    "Today, Y'ALL, we're going to show Y'ALL how to put a Y'ALL in your Y'ALL so you can Y'ALL while Y'ALL, Y'ALL!"

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  40. It was obvious from the food assignments that this was engineered to favor the girl the producers favor. Emma was a train wreck in this ep but it seems like it was planned that way. Every year this show becomes more and more fake. My wife still likes it but I'm getting fed up with it.

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  41. Alton Brown has no business ever offering a critique about any television personality. His clothing is shameful. He is boring and arrogant; only a "personality" that has no concerns for his audience would continue. Throw that idiot off the air

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  42. Preying on the elderly = playing to her strengths. Especially the diabetic elderly.

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  43. from the earlier press release: "The Paula Deen Network will be the only place to experience ... Paula Deen, the Queen of Southern Cuisine."


    Thank all the gods. Maybe she'll finally finish going away.

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  44. Pay to watch her make things out of canned soup? No thanks, she is terrible.

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  45. Maybe Guy Ferry can show up to stick his fingers in some food, lick them and then stick them in again...

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