Paula Deen: Then and Now
:upscale()/2014/02/25/919/n/1922195/f8d49c0a0682d882_paula.jpg)
And she's back in the saddle! Paula Deen made a boisterous public reappearance at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival this weekend. We'll have more then-and-now photos to come, but in the meantime, take a look at Paula's most jaw-dropping photo yet (taking a swig of tequila backstage). In addition, please enjoy Paula's horseback rides on chef Robert Irvine, because, yeahhh, that happened (twice). Source: Corbis Images, Getty
:upscale()/2014/02/25/914/n/1922195/30799944016ff132_paula-deen-then-and-now.jpg)
Riding Irvine: Then and Now
Paula riding Robert Irvine in 2011 looks about the same as it does in 2014.
:upscale()/2014/02/23/168/n/1922195/130f4f0ff6b9bae4_109502124.jpg)
Riding Irvine: Then
Deen and Irvine were spotted messing around during a cooking demo at the 2011 SOBEWFF, and the viral sensation went on to inspire the meme Paula Deen riding things.
:upscale()/2014/02/23/164/n/1922195/07445a81c73b1161_474489735_1_.jpg)
Riding Irvine: Now
Paula did cook during her demo at this year's SOBEWFF, but she found a minute to ride Robert for old times' sake. "I truly am ready to get back in the saddle," she explained to the crowd.
:upscale()/2014/02/25/914/n/1922195/55f68f79229833f2_paula.jpg)
Drankin': Then and Now
At the height of Paula's days in 2011, she had plenty of reasons to toast and drink with the crowd. In 2014, it's maybe another story.
:upscale()/2014/02/25/904/n/1922195/b9061804b1fb7780_109495836.jpg)
Drankin': Then
Paula Deen, drink in hand, raised a toast to the 2011 SOBEWFF festivalgoers. Its contents could have just been Coke, but she was in Miami, after all. Chances are there was a lil shot of rum in there to get the Paula party started.
:upscale()/2014/02/25/904/n/1922195/bc7db6e626358c81_paula-deen-tequila.jpg)
Drankin': Now
Backstage, prior to her demo at the 2014 SOBEWFF, Paula took a swig of tequila straight from the bottle. Some claim it was merely for courage while others see it as a deeply troubling sign. As of last year, Paula has claimed she no longer drinks. Perhaps Paula saw it as a glorious opportunity to get people talking about her again. Whatever the case, the photo definitely elicits an "eek" reaction.