By Michelle Hollinger
The owner of a popular Ft. Lauderdale eatery said a video posted to Instagram that has racked up over 20,000 views does not tell the whole story regarding his manager’s intention when she cursed at a young patron who was dancing in the restaurant.
In the forty-one minute, undated video, Instagram account holder @iAmMinisterThirsty is seen dancing at Smitty’s Wings while apparently doing a livestream on the social media platform. Hip-hop and rap music blare in the background as the young woman, whose name is Shatarian Thirsty according to her LinkedIn account, dances alone, breaking into popular provocative hip-hop moves.
Thirsty is dressed in form fitting spandex-looking shorts with a yellow T-shirt (video below) tied above her bare midsection. She occasionally stops dancing to address Instagram viewers. At the 2:42 mark, she is approached by what appears to be a Smitty’s waitress, who smiles and faces the video before briefly dancing with the young lady.
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Immediately after the waitress appears, an older woman steps in, her back temporarily blocking the women’s view as she talks to them. The waitress leaves and the woman, identified as restaurant manager Helen Hinton, continues speaking to Thirsty.
The two women engage in what appears to be a civil conversation for nearly nine minutes, with Hinton placing her hands on the young woman’s shoulders frequently throughout their talk. When Hinton prepares to walk away, Thirsty thanks her before addressing the camera.
“So basically, she came up to me and said, “you have to get the f*ck out of here. Those were her words. She said older people complained about my energy,” Thirsty explained in the video. “If y’all want me to come in here and sit the f*ck down, why y’all playing the kind of music you playing? Why y’all selling alcohol.”
Reached by telephone on Aug. 7, Chris Smith, the restaurant’s owner, said he was aware of the video and the exchange between the women. He also acknowledged Hinton’s use of profanity when addressing Thirsty, whom he said visits the restaurant twice each week.
“She was wrong 100 percent the way she stepped to her. I charge it to the head, not the heart and it happened in the heat of the moment,” said Smith, a former Florida State Senator. “Ms. Hinton apologized, several members of the staff apologized, and I sent her over two drinks.”
While he admitted Hinton’s language was inappropriate, Smith explained her intention was to prevent a repeat of raunchy behavior captured on video and posted to one of the three accounts Thirsty operates on Instagram a few days prior.
“An earlier post, there she was grinding on the ground and a young man jumped on top of her and they were basically doing a sex act on the ground. I think that’s a little much,” he explained of the video he shared with this publication, which verified it as belonging to @Thirstyylivee, an Instagram account operated by Thirsty.
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“That’s what got Ms. Hinton upset and quite frankly, got me upset. I was horrified when I saw the video.”
Smith said the establishment plays music and “we love people to dance. I don’t mind any kind of dancing.”
But he said they draw the line at simulated sex acts.
This publication viewed the video sent by Smith and verified the claims he made regarding the actions between Thirsty and an unidentified young man. In it, the young lady, clad in a plaid mini skirt, is seen dancing alone, and with another woman before standing on her head while gyrating. A young man dressed in orange shorts and a white T-shirt joins the ladies and gyrates along with Thirsty. The video ends shortly after a prone Thirsty is mounted by the young man, who proceeds to grind on top of her.
This publication attempted to contact Thirsty for comment but did not receive a response.
Michelle Hollinger is the author of “Sis, You’re Worth It: Seven Ideas for Manifesting Your Best Life.” Visit her at www.theinstituteforworthyliving.com.
The day that Thirsty was approached no such act was done I was the young lady not seen in the video when Thirsty went on her head on a previous day in fact that was the same night Helen made a provocative comment saying “oweee omg only if I went that way my gosh” at that point she should’ve cursed and be belligerent not make advances. The day when she approached Thirsty nothing was happening they are trying to compare the 2 videos on 2 separate days and days apart at that reach out for more of the story
Listen she needs to respect people’s establishment and not do too much . She can dance but doin all that is way to damn much
So nobody went on her Instagram @Iamministerthirsty and saw the owner shaking his ass in some jeans.Listen here after that video I blame the manager.She was just going off of his vibe.
I feel I like this sometimes we do have to reserve how we dance it’s nothing wrong with dancing but to also be a new and upcoming business in the urban area with the music there playing is crazy you can’t expect to set a certain standard when your playing sexually music and then tell someone to not dance sexually that’s just crazy and then for people that work there to be disrespectful is beyond me because it didn’t take all that but I don’t go to this place it’s too crowd for my taste and the wings was not good when I did try and support so ….. they already had strikes against them for me
Stop making excuses for stupid behavior. She was wrong for conducting herself like that. Stop blaming music for someone’s disrespectful behavior. She could two step or even twerk but that flipping upside down and grinding is uncalled for.
In my opinion the young lady needs to respect the rules or regulations of this particular establishment. Also the owners are a little confused, if you don’t want an establishment where people are dancing like this. Change the music. If you’re playing sexually charged music your catering to a particular crowd. Personally I do not understand the purpose of twerking and don’t want to understand. Both parties need to make it make sense.
It needs to be established upon entry what is allowed and not allowed because everyone is not the same. Serving alcohol and playing that type of music will cause people to enjoy themselves which may involve dancing. Yes they took it too far with the twerk and humping on one another, but it should’ve been addressed then. They should’ve been stopped! But I bey the manager didn’t have a problem until the owner saw what went down. It is the owner’s responsibility to make sure the establishment is ran the way they intend it to be. So this is a learning lesson for everyone. All that head stands and humping on people should never be okay at a restaurant, find a club!
She’s always seeking attention, so she got it! She does too much in any matter! She needs to seek some psychological assistance! You can’t blame anyone but her! If she wants to dance like a whore then she needs to go to a strip club or street party!
Child smittys FULL OF SHIT
They play all type music allow people to smoke sell all type of music people get drunk to dance and that girl not the only person who Dave at that hole in the
Wall
what was once common sense is gone! Totally inappropriate behavior. Downtown action would probably have been jail time.
Just bad PR for a striving business … whether planned , planted or POOR judgement HERE was not the place.
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