MasterChef judge Melissa Leong, 39, has reconciled with Georgia Love, 33, following a public fallout over a controversial video posted by the former Bachelorette. The video was criticized for being ‘casually racist’.
The two were seen warmly embracing at Melbourne Fashion Week on Monday night, as they encountered each other before a runway event.
In September, Georgia faced backlash after sharing an Instagram video featuring a cat behind the window of an Asian restaurant, captioned with the offensive comment: “Shop attendant or lunch?!”
No animosity: Melissa Leong (left) has buried the hatchet with Georgia Love (right) as they warmly embraced at Melbourne Fashion Week on Monday. The MasterChef judge, 39, previously slammed the 33-year-old over a ‘casually racist’ video shared to Instagram
Speaking with the Herald Sun about their meeting, Melissa stated, “There’s never been a thing; it’s just an active discussion we all have to have.”
Georgia also conveyed to the publication that there is no ill will between them, and they have been in communication since the incident.
Melissa had previously expressed feeling “hurt” by Georgia’s video, which depicted an animal behind the window of a Melbourne dumpling restaurant, deeming it “offensive”.
The food critic, who is of Chinese-Singaporean descent, reacted to the video in a statement on Instagram Stories at the time about the effects of ‘casual racism’.
No hard feelings: ‘There’s never been a thing, it’s just an active discussion we all have to have,’ Melissa reportedly told the Herald Sun of their exchange on Monday night
In communication: Georgia also reportedly told the publication that there is no animosity between the pair and that they have been in contact following the incident. Pictured with husband Lee Elliott
Melissa acknowledged that she knows Georgia personally – likely because she is a Channel 10 presenter and Georgia used to be a reporter for 10 News First – and said she hopes the journalist’s apology ‘is real’.
”Shop attendant or lunch?” posted on a video of a cat in a Chinese restaurant by someone I know, who also happens to carry a fair amount of influence,’ she wrote.
‘Casual racism from nice people is possibly the most betraying and insidious kind.’
Speaking out: In September, Melissa revealed that she was ‘hurt’ after Seven News reporter Georgia shared an ‘offensive’ video of a cat in an Asian restaurant, captioning the clip: ‘Shop attendant or lunch?!’
Response: Melissa, who is of Chinese-Singaporean descent, reacted to Georgia’s video at the time in a statement on Instagram Stories about the effects of ‘casual racism’ (pictured)
Melissa admitted she felt ‘bummed’ about the situation, especially as Georgia was recently accused of sharing another ‘racist’ Instagram post in 2013.
‘Not angry, just completely bummed that this video exists and that it isn’t the first joke of this kind made by her,’ she wrote.
‘Georgia, I really hope your remorse is real and that you grow in the right direction, because this stuff hurts more people, more than you think,’ Melissa added.
‘Not angry, just bummed’: Melissa acknowledged that she knows Georgia personally – likely because she is a Channel 10 presenter and Georgia used to be a reporter for 10 News First
Unimpressed: ‘Georgia, I really hope your remorse is real and that you grow in the right direction, because this stuff hurts more people, more than you think,’ the food critic said
‘We must be allies for each other for a better world for all.’
Georgia deleted the post and apologised after being called out by ‘influencer watchdog’ Instagram account Aussie Influencer Opinions.
The same account later discovered another of Georgia’s posts from February 2013 in which she made a similar joke about domestic pets and Asian restaurants.
Georgia’s 2013 post showed an ‘animal hospital’ next to a restaurant called ‘China Chef’.
Divisive: The former reality star, who is a Melbourne-based news reporter for Seven, posted the ‘offensive’ video of the cat behind the window of an Asian restaurant (pictured)
Not the first time: ‘Influencer watchdog’ Instagram account Aussie Influencer Opinions later discovered another of Georgia’s posts from February 2013 (pictured) in which she made a similar joke about domestic pets and Asian restaurants
Below the photo of the two storefronts was a cartoon image of a dog, alongside the text: ‘That’s suspicious…’
Georgia captioned the now-deleted meme at the time: ‘Best.’
Georgia has not addressed the 2013 post but did apologise for the ‘Shop attendant or lunch?!’ post when she was called out in September.
‘Earlier I posted a video of a cat in a restaurant window. I meant for this to be a joke about an animal being in a restaurant at lunch service time,’ she said.
Regrets: Georgia has not addressed the 2013 post but did apologise for the ‘Shop attendant or lunch?!’ post when she was called out for it at the time
‘I meant absolutely no insinuation about the type of animal nor the type of restaurant, but I see that my post did not come across like that and was offensive.
‘I sincerely apologise for the oversight and offence I have caused. Thank you to those who called me out. This is what we need to make sure we are all accountable and do better.
‘Again, I apologise from the bottom of my heart for the offence caused.’
Daily Mail Australia contacted Georgia for comment at the time.
Apology: ‘Earlier I posted a video of a cat in a restaurant window. I meant for this to be a joke about an animal being in a restaurant at lunch service time,’ she said. ‘I meant absolutely no insinuation about the type of animal nor the type of restaurant’
