Divorce Plans Rumored For Paula Deen

Rumors have been circulating that on top of the Paula Deen racism scandal and the devastation it's wreaked upon her Southern food empire, the butter-loving cooking personality may also be headed towards an ugly divorce from her husband, Michael Groover.

Apparently an unnamed "source" close to the couple told the National Enquirer that they were moving towards a $17 million divorce, which could get complicated as the couple has no prenup. The National Enquirer isn't known for being the most reliable news source, but as Perez Hilton points out, the Enquirer was the first publication to run the news about the deposition where Deen admitted to racist jokes and having used racially offensive language, so it might have an inside scoop on Deen's affairs.

"If they do divorce, Paula could have a real fight on her hands. Now that Paula has soiled his name, too, everyone fears it could be the final breaking point for their marriage," the source said, describing Deen's husband as a quiet Southerner who had trouble being in the limelight, though Deen's millions probably took the edge off that struggle a bit.

During the deposition, Deen specifically mentioned her husband as the source of some of the racist jokes in question, which might not have sat very well with Groover.

"Michael appears to be a laid-back Southern guy," the source said, "but Paula could be faced with a doozy of a divorce battle."