Demi Lovato’s "Sorry, Not Sorry" apology to Los Angeles frozen yogurt shop the Big Chill has left a bad taste in the owner's mouth.
Speaking with the LA Times, Cary Russell, co-owner of the hot spot, said she was "hurt" and "shocked" by the pop star’s remarks. Last weekend, the singer lashed out at the establishment because she felt "triggered" by the menu for seemingly positioning their low-sugar/low-fat/fat-free treats close to their checkout counter. "I couldn’t believe that she would attack us like that,” Russell told the outlet. “All she had to do is pick up the phone and call me. I would have had a conversation with her and probably handled it and felt differently about it. But I felt like she just came at us and wanted to fight and accused us of things that weren’t right."
The Bigg Chill initially responded to the star's callout by stating that they "carry items for diabetics, [people with] celiac disease, vegan and of course have many indulgent items as well." Lovato and the shop went back and forth, before the former released a video addressing the criticism she received for slamming the beloved independent business.
"I'm sorry that I got the messaging wrong. I’m sorry that I may have disappointed some people," Lovato explained. "I’m not coming after a small business as someone with a lot of followers. That's not what I’m doing here. ... I walked into a situation that didn’t sit right with me. My intuition said, 'Speak up about this.' So I did, and I feel good about that. What I don’t feel good about is ... how the message has gotten misconstrued."
The Bigg Chill also clarified word that Lovato donated $100,000 and delivered a written apology to the company for her behavior. In an Instagram Story, the business revealed that it has not received a donation from the star nor does it want one. "We have not made any changes to our menu," the company declared. "We have not heard anything from Demi since her 'sorry, not sorry' apology on Monday. We have not heard from her team. These are Photoshopped images. Thanks again for all of your support."
Photo: Getty Images