Paula Deen's Under Fire, but Harrah's Mum on Restaurant

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In the wake of controversy over her admitted use of the n-word and tolerance of racial comments and jokes, Deen has lost the Food Network shows that put her on the map 11 years ago. QVC is "reviewing" her contract to sell her products on their channel and Smithfield Ham dropped her as a spokeswoman Monday.

So, where does that leave Paula Deen's Kitchen, which opened to great fanfare at Harrah's Joliet Casino in April 2012?

Harrah's officials aren't saying. A call to the restaurant's supervisor Monday about whether business was down or the restaurant in jeopardy because of Deen's sudden notoriety was answered with a terse, "I'll transfer you to the department that can answer that for you."

A few minutes later the supervisor was back with this message: "We're not going to comment on that."

Deen is embroiled in a lawsuit, filed by a former manager of Deen's Uncle Bubba's Seafood and Oyster House restaurant in Savannah, Ga., which alleges Deen and her brother/restaurant operator Bubba Hiers fostered a workplace in which sexual harassment and racial slurs were rampant.

In a deposition, Deen acknowledged she has used racial epithets, including the n-word, and but said it was "a long time ago." She also said she never told racial jokes, but didn't judge those who did or found them funny.

The situation became exacerbated when Deen, after the deposition went public, cancelled an interview to discuss it on NBC's "The Today Show" last week and instead issued two video apologies that were criticized for being heavily edited.

Deen has rescheduled with "The Today Show" and is now set to be interviewed by Matt Lauer on Wednesday.

Deen has three other casino-affiliated restaurants: Paula Deen Buffet at Harrah's Tunica, Paula Deen Buffet at Horseshoe Southern Indiana and Paula Deen's Kitchen at Harrah's Cherokee. Her flagship restaurant is The Lady & Sons in Savannah, Ga.