Estée Lauder Exec Ousted After Mistakenly Posting Racial Slur Speaks Out: Report

Former Estée Lauder executive John Demsey, who was forced to step down after sharing an Instagram meme containing the N-word in 2022, feels like he’s “been under house arrest” and like “a victim of identify theft,” he said in an interview this week.

In Demsey's first interview since he left the company a year and a half ago, he told the New York Post that he didn't realize the photo he posted of a parody book cover for the show Sesame Street contained the racial slur.

At the time, Estée Lauder said in a statement to investors that Demsey “caused widespread offense” and his actions were “damaging to our efforts to drive inclusivity both inside and outside our walls." 

Demsey served as executive group president at Estée Lauder, whose brands include Clinique, MAC and La Mer.

Chingy, the rapper who Demsey’s controversial post referenced, defended the ousted exec after he was blasted by his former company and the larger public.

Dempsey told the Post he’s never used the N-word in his life and “made a mistake.” He also formally apologized in 2022.

Demsey joined investment company L Catterton as a senior adviser in May.

Estée Lauder's shares have dropped over 40% since Demsey's departure, from $285.69 per share on Feb. 28, 2022 — the day the company's note was sent to investors — to $161.70 at the close of the market on Friday.