Hmmm… I Didn’t Know That Giuliana Rancic Worked Part-Time As A Checkout Clerk At Vons (UPDATE)
Zendaya, seen above wearing the shirt from Merry-Go-Round that you worked the shit out of in the early-90s, accused a checkout chick at Vons of being rude and racially profiling her ass. Yesterday, Zendaya told the saga of the alleged racist checkout lady in a series of Snapchats. Zendaya says that when she tried to buy a few gift cards from the grocery store Vons in L.A., the checkout lady refused and tossed her wallet back at her. Dlisted’s highly-skilled research assistant (my dog) is currently on his 12th nap of the day, but before he starts his 13th, I’ll get him to check to see if the name tag on that Vons’ employee had the name “GIULIANA” on it.
Because of all the Joanna the Scammers out there, many stores have strict policies about buying gift cards. They don’t want a scammer using stolen credit cards to buy a ton of gift cards, so some stores require the customer to pay with cash only. Zendaya starts by saying that she’s now educated in the gift card policies of stores, but that doesn’t excuse the way she and her friend were treated. Zendaya says that she and a friend went into Vons to buy $400 worth of gift cards and she was hit with her own “Oprah shopping in Zurich” situation. She says that the employee brought the rudeness at the very beginning and she thinks it was because of their “skin tone.”
Zendaya thinks that the clerk didn’t believe that they could afford $400 worth of gift cards, and lightly threw her wallet, which caused her credit cards to fall out. Zendaya says in the video that “this is what we deal with” and there’s “so much progress to be done in the world.”
https://youtu.be/HLaRp7qiuEE
A manager eventually stepped in and she was able to get those gift cards. People asked Vons for a statement and so far they haven’t said shit.
Okay, I would not have bought the gift cards at that Vons no matter how nice the manager was. I would’ve driven over to a Ralphs or a Target, bought twice as many gift cards and gone back to that Vons. I would’ve brought out all those gift cards and flashed them at Snobby Checkout Girl #2 while saying, “Big mistake. BIG. HUGE.”
And this is my second time referencing Snobby Saleswoman #2 today. I guess it’s going to be a rude bitch kind of day.
UPDATE: A rep from Vons got back to TMZ and said the situation wasn’t about race, it was about the store’s policy.
A rep from Vons tells TMZ the interaction between Zendaya and the checkout clerk did not involve race. The store has a policy limiting the amount that can be charged on a customer’s credit card for gift cards. We’re told the limit is $200, and that was the basis of Zendaya’s discussion. The store adds the manager made an accommodation and allowed the singer to get $400 worth of gift cards.
Here’s Zendaya at Fred Segal in West Hollywood last Friday.
Pics: Wenn.com