Josie from Top Chef Season 2 is Attacked
I’ve always thought that Josie Smith-Malave, a Top Chef contestant from Season One, was eliminated too soon. She was a breath of fresh air on that show, and seemed to be very talented. Unfortunately, since leaving the show, she hasn’t really been in the news much.
Until today.
Lawyer Yetta Kurland is reporting that Josie, along with a group of friends, was attacked over the Labor Day weekend. The party was asked to leave the bar in Sea Cliff and once outside, about 10 other “young people” began yelling anti-gay slurs. What started as verbal harassment, which is already pretty ugly, not even uglier when the group began spitting on the girls and, eventually, beating them.
This story makes my heart sad. You don’t have to agree with another person’s lifestyle, but if that’s the case, then simply stay away. It is never…NEVER…acceptable to attack someone for their beliefs.
Josie is originally from Miami, but currently works from Marlow and Sons in Brooklyn as a sous chef. She’s openly gay, and didn’t hide this part of her lifestyle on Top Chef.
There’s no word if Josie and the other ladies with her are OK or if they will be pressing charges (I hope they do). Nassau Couty police are investigating, and I’ll give you more information as I hear it.
UPDATE: The ladies are bruised and one (not Josie) received head injuries. They also had some items stolen during the attack.
For some recent posts by our resident gay bloggers, check out Lez Keep it Real and Darkside Rainbow.
Top Chef, Josie Smith-Malave, homosexuality, gay, lesbian
September 12th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
This is awful. I’m glad that they’re not heavily/seriously (physically) injured, but still, the emotional trauma of the idea is awful.
September 13th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
I’m shocked that this happened in a city like NYC. I still don’t know exactly what happened, but that kind of violence is unacceptable. I wish Josie and her friends the best.