Former TV personality Jude Bacalso has publicly apologized after a controversial incident involving alleged mistreatment of restaurant staff and accusations of misgendering.
The controversy began when a photo circulated on social media, showing Bacalso reportedly having a waiter stand for two hours and addressing him after being called “sir.”
In a public apology posted on Facebook, Bacalso expressed regret to the restaurant staff and customers who witnessed the incident. “My apologies also to the rest of the staff who are disheartened by the way things have escalated, as well as to the customers present at that time. This is a huge chunk of humble pie that I must ingest because I have erred,” Bacalso wrote.
Bacalso detailed that he met with the restaurant management, a crew member, and the store supervisor to resolve the issue. The waiter involved was not present at the meeting. “Earlier today, I sat down to quietly settle the matter with the restaurant management, one crew and the store supervisor who were present last night. The waiter I had a disagreement with was not present. After each one of us aired our sides, I am happy to share that we have agreed to pursue together more inclusive practices in the restaurant,” Bacalso explained.
He also acknowledged that his handling of the situation lacked the necessary kindness. “I also realized that in the impassioned pursuit of my advocacy, I could have done with a little measure of kindness, sadly quite absent in the ruckus this has all unnecessarily created when it was made public without our knowledge,” Bacalso added.
The incident gained widespread attention after a social media user shared a photo showing Bacalso speaking to a waiter who had been standing for an extended period. The post, which has received approximately 70,000 reactions and 22,000 comments, led to significant online backlash. Critics argued that while addressing misgendering is crucial, it should be done respectfully.
