In C# how can I deserialize this json when one field might be a string or an array of strings?

Question

I have an asp.net-mvc website and i am reading in Json string from a Database. Here is the following json in a DB. It could look like this:

{\"description\"         


        

Answer 1

try

  var contacts = (new JavaScriptSerializer().DeserializeObject(theAboveJsonString) as Dictionary)["contacts"];

  if (contacts is object[])
  {
      jobInfo.contacts = String.Join("; ", contacts as object[]);
  }
  else
  {
      jobInfo.contacts = contacts.ToString(); 
  }

For reference see MSDN and here.