It’s a bad case of the Mondays for a D.C. restaurant called Diet Starts Monday. The establishment became the brunt of widespread backlash today after it added a new cocktail to its menu, the “Pill Cosby.” The drink is named in (dis)honor of Bill Cosby, whose rape trial jury selection also began today.
What was supposed to be a sweet and refreshing hibiscus-flavored cocktail was ruined by a stir on Monday surrounding its namesake on Monday — and its empty pill capsule garnish. The Pill Cosby was intended to raise awareness for sexual assault but instead caused a backlash on Twitter.
Seriously.. Someone thought this was a great idea.. A drink called Pill Cosby.. With pills floating in it pic.twitter.com/S2beA8xdCk
— Zoe Rogan 🇭🇹 (@Coach_JoX) May 22, 2017
may shock you to learn the three geniuses behind the Pill Cosby, an actual drink being actually served, are all men https://t.co/eNXfiGvuNE pic.twitter.com/lPVTfm8VsK
— Caty Green (@catygreen) May 22, 2017
Many people found the drink’s date rape-inspired moniker to be distasteful and offensive to victims of sexual assault.
The restaurant’s co-founder, Davin Gentry, said the cocktail was meant to “push boundaries” and “[let] people be a little more aware.” Clearly, it did its job, but not in the way Gentry intended.
In response to backlash, Diet Starts Monday pulled the drink from its menu and issued an apology on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/dietstartsmon__/status/866741772428464128