Paula Deen dropped as Smithfield spokeswoman

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NEW YORK (AP) — Smithfield Foods is dropping former-cooking show hostess Paula Deen as a spokeswoman.

The announcement Monday came days after the Food Network said it would not renew Deen’s contract. Deen admitted using racial slurs in the past in a deposition that came to light last week in a discrimination lawsuit.

In a statement, Smithfield said it “condemns the use of offensive and discriminatory language and behavior of any kind.”

While questioned last month in a discrimination lawsuit, the 66-year-old Food Network star admitted to using the N-word in the past, but she insisted she and her family do not tolerate prejudice.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.