Paula Deen parts with agent after racial slur fallout

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Savannah, Ga. • Paula Deen is ending her business relationship with a longtime agent after her admission that she used racial slurs in the past resulted in the loss of major pieces of her media and merchandising empire.

The celebrity chef's spokeswoman, Elana Weiss, said in a statement Thursday that Deen "has separated from" New York agent Barry Weiner. Weiss said Deen and her family in Savannah "thank him for the tireless effort and dedication over the many years."

The decision follows a turbulent two weeks for Deen, whose business deals began unraveling after a legal deposition in which she admitted to using the N-word in the past became public.

The Food Network dropped Deen first, followed by pork producer Smithfield Foods, retail giants including Wal-Mart and Target, and Deen's book publisher.