Paula Deen Reveals Regret Over Vegan Ellen DeGeneres Gift in Documentary

In her 2025 documentary "Canceled: The Paula Deen Story," Paula Deen recounts an awkward moment on The Ellen DeGeneres Show when she gifted Ellen a large ham, unaware that Ellen is a vegan and does not eat meat. Deen humorously described the gift as "a ham for my favorite ham," but Ellen silently laid the ham down without comment, which Deen later realized was due to Ellen's dietary choices, leaving her feeling embarrassed. Representatives clarified that Ellen is vegan, not vegetarian, as Deen initially thought. The documentary also covers Deen's rise from a $200 catering business to her 11-year Food Network career, which ended after she admitted to using racial slurs in a deposition related to a lawsuit alleging workplace harassment and racism. Deen's film explores her public controversies, including clashes with media and other celebrities, alongside candid reflections on her career and fallout. Meanwhile, Ellen's former talk show ended amid allegations of a toxic work environment, and she has been noted for a mostly plant-based diet since 2008, though she has adjusted it in recent years.