TV host-comedienne Alex Gonzaga on Wednesday issued an apology following the backlash she received over her viral cake-smearing video during her recent birthday party celebration.
"On my birthday, God taught me a hard and important lesson. Humility, kindness and better judgment. I am truly sorry, Kuya Allan," Gonzaga, who just celebrated her 35th birthday, wrote via Instagram story.
The 12-second video, originally uploaded by Dani Barretto on her Instagram story, showed the waiter holding a chocolate in front of Alex and her husband, Lipa City councilor Mikee Morada.
After blowing out the candles on her birthday cake, the vlogger and comedian proceeded to dip one hand into the chocolate frosting before smearing it on the server’s face.
This did not sit well with netizens, who called Gonzaga's behavior rude and disrespectful.
The actress also apologized to her family for causing them “pain and embarrassment.”
“I will rise from this a wiser and better person," she said.
Prior to this, Allan Crisostomo, the waiter, wrote a statement to ABS-CBN News to announce that the actress visited him at work to personally apologize.
"Last January 17, 2023 around 6:30 PM nasa work po ako. Pumunta po si Ma’am Alex kung saan po ako nagwowork," he wrote.
"Then nag apologize and nagsorry siya saken tapos konting kwentuhan at sinabi ko po sa kanya na ok na po yung nangyari. Ok na po kami," Crisostomo added.
The written statement was released by the waiter's employer in response to several interview requests from the media.
Hours before the statement, Gonzaga’s camp cleared Alex's name saying that Alan is a friend of Mommy Pinty Gonzaga and the Soriano family.
“This Allan, one of the waiters of Florabel Resto and Catering Service in Valle Verde Pasig, is a friend of Mommy Pinty Gonzaga and Soriano family. Kaya majority of the event of Gonzaga and Soriano family ay sila ang kinukuha ni Mommy Pinty na mag-cater ng food and beverages,” Gonzaga's publicist Peter Ledesma said.
