We were looking forward to seeing Slutty Vegan founder Pinky Cole on the Today show, but it looks like things are a no go.
According to The Root Slutty Vegan founder Pinky Cole took to Instagram Wednesday night to clear the air after the Today show canceled her scheduled appearance.
The reason for the sudden decision is due to a lawsuit in which plaintiff Morgan Georgia claims that Bar Vegan (one of Cole’s Atlanta restaurants) paid employees $2.13 an hour while forcing them to give up 25% of their tips.
Travis Foust, the lawyer representing Georgia and other former workers, said: “The allegations are and what our clients say is that Bar Vegan was keeping a large percentage of tips to cover operational costs in the restaurants.”
On Instagram, Pinky posted:
In her caption she wrote:
Since I was a kid, I have only operated with integrity. I don’t lie, I don’t steal and more importantly, I DON’T PLAY WITH PEOPLE’S MONEY.
Maybe it’s the Caribbean in me, but God won’t bless you when you operate in a fraudulent spirit.
This week, I was named in a lawsuit for one of my companies, Bar Vegan, alongside my partners, over alleged unpaid wages from one employee. Again, ALLEGED.
Up until this point, I was not familiar with this ordeal or the employee, because I don’t run day to day operations at Bar Vegan.
But because it’s a SEXY STORY to make a community leader look like a bad guy, this has become headline news.
What do I gain withholding someone’s hard earned money when my blessings overflow EVERYDAY? When I’m helping people EVERYDAY! When I’m using my resources to put people on EVERYDAY.. employees included! My life’s work is in service, and this negativity don’t match my name.
The people who know me, know I ONLY operate in integrity, so this is a wicked narrative especially when this is nothing more than an allegation.
My lawyers have advised me not to comment on this, but now my reputation is being compromised and I’m being removed from an opportunity that I worked my entire life for.
At the end of the day, my name means more to me than any money that could EVER go in my bank account- and I will NEVER let anybody destroy that.
To get a call that I was removed from tomorrows show because they don’t want to be involved in the storylines, is bizarre to me, but all good.
That’s the price you pay when you decide to be a boss. Double edged sword.
This was a big moment for my career, but God has other plans.
So news reporters, you happy now?y’all can stop calling me, here is your answer. BUT make sure you highlight all the good I’m doing while you’re fishing for clicks.
The #pinkycole #barvegan situation just goes to show how delicate our reputations can be and that bad press ain’t good press. News organizations are more quick to dissociate themselves from any bad press. And they’re definitely not going to check the facts before doing so.
— Angel Mills (Brand Coach Angel) (@brandcoachangel) January 12, 2023
