Demi Lovato speaks out on Bigg Chill Yogurt Shop controversy two months after shaming the small business: ‘I let my emotions get the best of me’
- Demi Lovato is walking back on comments where the singer slammed a fro-yo shop for ‘promoting ‘diet culture’ with their sugar-free options
- ‘I feel like sometimes my message gets lost in translation over text,’ Lovato said on Friday, after having criticized the small business to millions of fans
- The singer visited The Bigg Chill Yogurt Shop in LA this April, and had claimed to be ‘triggered’ by the sugar-free options on sale
- Lovato is next scheduled to appear in an NBC comedy called ‘Hungry’ about a group of people with food issues
The fallout from Demi Lovato’s April visit to The Bigg Chill Yogurt Shop continues as the pop star addressed the controversy again on Thursday.
The 28-year-old Camp Rock actress made an appearance on Audacity Check In via Facebook Live in which they reflected on how the experience had impacted them.
‘I’m a very passionate person and I’m very outspoken about a lot of things that I believe in,’ they told host Ryan Mitchell.
The singer visited The Bigg Chill Yogurt Shop in LA this April, and had claimed to be ‘triggered’ by the sugar-free options on sale.
Drama: The fallout from Demi Lovato’s April visit to The Bigg Chill Yogurt Shop continues as the pop star addressed the controversy again on Thursday
Lovato – who is next scheduled to appear in an NBC comedy called ‘Hungry’ about a group of people with food issues – suggested it had all been a mix up.
The singer explained: ‘And I feel like sometimes my message gets lost in translation over text, whether it be on Instagram or Twitter or whatever.’
Lovato went on to specifically reference the notorious froyo shop stop, after which they publicly slammed the Los Angeles-based store for ‘promoting ‘diet culture’ with their sugar-free options.
‘I had an experience in like, May or April,’ they said. ‘It was me talking about something that I was very passionate about pertaining to diet culture.
‘And I realized because I was so passionate…I let my emotions get the best of me.’
Speaking out: Lovato went on to specifically reference the notorious froyo shop stop, after which they publicly slammed the LA-based store for ‘promoting ‘diet culture’ with their sugar-free options
New project: Demi explained that the incident inspired them to launch their own podcast, 4D
Demi explained that the incident inspired them to launch their own podcast, 4D With Demi Lovato.
‘It didn’t allow me to explain where I was coming from as easily as it would have been on a podcast,’ Lovato said.
‘I just thought going forward, I want to have conversations where people can see my face, they can hear my voice, and they can see that I’m still learning as well as the rest of the world,’ the Heart Attack singer said.
‘I’m by no means an expert on many, many things. But, I’m willing to learn about it and I’m willing to continue to have conversations that either educate me or others on how to make the world a better place.’
Reflecting: When discussing the incident, Demi said, ‘And I realized because I was so passionate…I let my emotions get the best of me’
Demi said that their new platform allows them to talk about the things that they are passionate about while conveying it is ‘never coming out of malice, never coming out of hate, it’s just coming out of a place of trying to make the world a better place.’
Recently, the Sonny With A Chance star come under fire after photos of them wielding a Dr. Pepper Zero Sugar-branded microphone at the iHeartRadio Music Awards began making the rounds on social media.
‘Demi was doing a promotional stop for the awards show as a good partner to iHeart,’ a representative for Lovato explained to Page Six of the microphone photos in question.
Backlash: Demi Lovato has come under fire after photos of the star wielding a Dr. Pepper Zero Sugar-branded microphone at the iHeartRadio Music Awards began making the rounds on social media this week; Demi pictured on May 27
‘They’ve apologized for comments made weeks ago and have moved on to focus on their cause work in the area of eating disorder awareness and Pride.’
The photos, taken on the red carpet during last Thursday’s iHeartRadio Music Awards, showed Demi speaking into a microphone with the Dr. Pepper Zero Sugar advert on it.
Despite Lovato’s statement on the matter, keyboard warriors continued to call out the hypocrisy around Demi’s recent red carpet display.
‘Weren’t you there to promote sugar free dr. Pepper after trying to get a place shut down for serving diet Froyo?’ questioned one fan in response to a post Demi made regarding their time at the iHeartRadio Music Awards.
Not aging well: The backlash comes after the singer publicly slammed LA-based frozen yogurt shop The Bigg Chill for ‘promoting ‘diet culture’ with their sugar-free options
Another Twitter user, who opted to use the incorrect pronouns when referring to Lovato, wrote that the actor ‘sure is ok with attacking diet culture unless the diet culture lines her pockets.’
They also encouraged the Disney Channel alum’s massive fanbase, who have often come to their defense in the past, to ‘stop trying to defend an unhinged adult woman.’
In another direct reply to fans of Lovato, a Twitter user wondered how the star could still have legions of supporters when they are ‘ok with a DP 0 sugar mic’ and not a frozen yogurt shop ‘having sugar free cookies.’
They continued: ‘[Demi] seems like a hypocrite who is only ok with sugar free if that sugar free is giving [them] money.’
Calling out: Despite Lovato’s statement on the matter, keyboard warriors continued to call out the hypocrisy around Demi’s recent actions, whether they were accidental or not
Yikes: The photos, taken on the red carpet during last Thursday’s iHeartRadio Music Awards, showed Demi speaking into a microphone with the Dr. Pepper Zero Sugar advert on it
Motivation? Another Twitter user, who opted to use the incorrect pronouns when referring to Lovato, wrote that the actor ‘sure is ok with attacking diet culture unless the diet culture lines her pockets’
The yogurt shop saga began in mid-April, with the singer using their massive Instagram platform to blast The Bigg Chill after they became ‘triggered’ by the shop’s array of sugar-free options.
‘Finding it extremely hard to order froyo from [The Bigg Chill] when you have to walk past tons of sugar-free cookies/other diet foods before you get to the counter’, wrote Lovato in their original post – published on April 16 – before adding the hashtag ‘Do Better’.
After making their post, Demi was subject to mass scrutiny on Twitter for the ‘stupid’ attack and for slamming sugar-free options, which are, in fact, essential to diabetic customers.
The store, situated on Olympic Blvd, is owned by Diane Dinow and her daughter Cary Russell, who revealed in 2011 that they average 1,000 customers a day in the week and up to 1,300 at the weekends.
Demi accused the the shop of ‘harmful messaging from brands or companies that perpetuate a society that not only enables but praises disordered eating.
The establishment responded to the Sorry Not Sorry singer in a direct message, which they subsequently posted online.
‘We are not diet vultures. We cater to all of our customers needs for the past 36 years. We are sorry you found this offensive,’ they wrote.
Infamous: Lovato’s now infamous yogurt shop debacle occurred in mid-April, with the singer using their massive Instagram platform to blast The Bigg Chill after they became ‘triggered’ by the shop’s array of sugar-free options
‘Finding it extremely hard to order froyo from [The Bigg Chill] when you have to walk past tons of sugar-free cookies/other diet foods before you get to the counter’, wrote Lovato in their original post – published on April 16 – before adding the hashtag ‘Do Better’
Lovato responded: ‘Not just that. Your service was terrible. So rude. The whole experience was triggering and awful.’
Demi advised the business: ‘You can carry things for other people while also carrying for another percentage of your customers who struggle DAILY just to even step foot in your store…
‘You can find a way to provide an environment for all people with different needs. Including eating disorders – one of the deadliest mental illness only second to [opioid] overdoses. Don’t make excuses, just do better.’
The What Other People Say artist then advised the business on different ways it could improve on the issue.
They penned: ‘I was thinking, maybe it would help if you made it more clear that the sugar free options and vegan options are for that. Labeling the snacks for celiac or diabetes or vegans.
Under fire: After making their post, Demi was subject to mass scrutiny on Twitter for the ‘stupid’ attack and for slamming sugar-free options, which are, in fact, essential to diabetic customers
‘When it’s not super clear, the messaging gets confusing and being in LA it’s really hard to distinguish diet culture vs health needs. I think clear messaging would be more beneficial for everyone. You aren’t wrong for catering to many different needs but it’s not about excluding one demographic to cater to others.’
Days later, Demi posted a response to the controversy in an eight-and-half minute video, where they explained why they were ‘triggered’ by sugar-free items sold at the small business, and claimed they would ‘work with them’ on ‘doing better.’
However, leaked direct messages allegedly written by the singer, published by TMZ, paint a different story, as Demi warned The Bigg Chill, ‘you don’t want to mess with me’ and advised them to stop trying to fight back against their arguments.
Lovato allegedly wrote in the messages: ‘Don’t keep going with this. You don’t want to mess with me. You’re in the wrong and the customer is always right. You already know this, listen to your customer and do better’.
Demi accused the the shop of ‘harmful messaging from brands or companies that perpetuate a society that not only enables but praises disordered eating
Female owned: The store, situated on Olympic Blvd, is owned by Diane Dinow and her daughter Cary Russell, who revealed in 2011 that they average 1,000 customers a day in the week and up to 1,300 at the weekends
Proof is in the pudding? Demi posted this picture as ‘evidence’ of their argument regarding the store’s supply of ‘diet culture’ enforcing products
The messages were in response to the singer posting pictures of a gluten-free product from The Bigg Chill’s page as a way to prove that they promote diet culture.
Following Demi’s outburst, the company replied saying the picture Demi had used was from 2016 and was no longer stocked.
But Demi hit back in their DM messages by ranting: ‘If it’s still in your site GUESS WHAT – YOU’RE STILL SUPPORTING IT.’
The direct messages are in stark contrast to the half-apology video issued on April 19, in which Lovato rambled for nearly 10 minutes at the camera.
They said: ‘I will do whatever I can to work with this fro-yo shop, if they want to, to help align the messaging so I can feel safe in there and I can eat the fro-yo that I went in there for.’
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