Last month, liberal outlets like The Huffington Post and Raw Story eagerly pounced on the story, holding up Virginia waitress Kelly Carter as the perfect example of Racist White America. Carter, a black woman, claimed she received no tip and a racist note on a receipt from a customer she waited on, which read, “Great service, don’t tip black people.” The waitress received attention from national publications, the NAACP and the VA attorney general and raked in thousands of dollars in donations.
Turns out, the whole thing could be yet another “hate” hoax. The lawyer of the “racist” customer is accusing Carter of fabricating the note, and closer examination of the receipt seems to back up his claim.
According to the customer’s lawyer, Daniel Hebda, the customer actually tipped the waitress one penny for her poor service, not her race, leaving a note on the receipt that simply read, “terrible service.” Hebda says someone forged his client’s name and wrote the racist message on a new copy of the receipt.
“Our client did not nor would he ever write anything about refusing to tip African Americans because of their race,” stated Hebda.
“Our client has no ill feelings towards African Americans. Our client did not leave a $0.00 tip. Our client tipped $0.01 out of his own conviction against tipping well for poor service,” he added.
But there’s more that just doesn’t add up when it comes to Carter’s account. As noted by The Daily Caller, “the receipt she posted online was printed several hours after Anita’s New Mexico Cafe closed. The receipt also bore markings showing that it was a reprint of an original receipt.”
Hebda is now demanding the restaurant “set the story straight and find out who is responsible.”
Although Carter’s story looks and sounds like a total hoax, Carter raked in over $3,600 in donations after Virginia resident Brandon Ellis opened up an online fundraiser for the woman. Additionally, Tommy Tellez, Carter’s boss, said costumers began pouring into the restaurant and “dropping off cash” after the report of the alleged racist incident.
All of this an illustration of how “racist” America is, of course.
“I was appalled, though it’s kind of in line with the political landscape,” said Tellez, last month.
Carter even became a local celebrity, receiving national attention online and a visit by NAACP officials and Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring.
WTOP reports that the NAACP is “standing behind Carter.”
“It’s sad any way it goes,” said Philip Thompson, president of the NAACP Loudon chapter.
Fair question.