3 More Big Blows for Paula Deen

As Paula Deen was dropped by seemingly every company she's ever been associated with, Novo Nordisk continued to say it would stand by her—but even that relationship appears to have frayed. The diabetes drug maker that partnered with Deen as she announced she had the disease today announced it is suspending the relationship "for now." A rep tells Eater there is the "option" to resume the partnership in the future, "but it's too early to say" whether that would happen. As if that wasn't bad enough, Target and Home Depot are also severing their relationships with Deen. Target will "phase out" her cooking merchandise and won't be ordering more, a rep tells TMZ. Home Depot also apparently sold her cookware, but will no longer, a rep confirms to NBC News. Still hanging on: Sears, which has said it is evaluating its Deen partnership.

Here's the statement from Novo Nordisk:

• "Novo Nordisk and Paula Deen have mutually agreed to suspend our patient education activities for now, while she takes time to focus her attention where it is needed. Novo Nordisk would like to acknowledge Paula's involvement in our Diabetes in a New Light campaign, where she has helped make many people aware of type 2 diabetes and the lifestyle changes needed to control this serious disease."

Her adoring public certainly doesn't seem to care: There's huge demand for her cruise vacations, and her books are selling like butter-slathered hotcakes. (Meanwhile, a former waitress at Deen's restaurant says the celebrity chef used the n-word "all the time." Click for more on that.)