'Permit Patty' loses job after Internet backlash, and audio of her 911 call leaks

vt-author-image

By VT

Article saved!Article saved!

Okay, I know all these white women calling the cops on black people for no good reason are getting confusing. First there was 'BBQ Becky,' a woman in Oakland who called the cops on a black family BBQ-ing in the wrong designated grilling zone. Then there was 'Permit Patty,' a woman in San Francisco who called the cops on an 8-year-old black girl selling bottled water on the sidewalk without a permit. And yesterday, news broke about 'Pool Patrol Paula,' a woman in South Carolina who assaulted a black teenager, while kicking him out of a community swimming pool.

All three women had a racist outburst in public, and were caught on camera looking foolish. Their photos and videos quickly spread on social media. They were given famous nicknames, and turned into hilarious memes. Also, the exposure led to some real-world consequences. Pool Patrol Paula was fired from her job, as an independent consultant for the skin care company Rodan + Fields.

[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BkXWMlWguex/]]

Well, now Alison Ettel, aka Permit Patty, has suffered a similar fate. After skyrocketing to Internet fame, people discovered that she was the CEO of TreatWell Health, a company that sells cannabis-infused medical products. (You'd think she would take her own product, to avoid having public meltdowns about kids selling bottled water on the sidewalk.)

"Alison Ettel, CEO of TreatWell Health, has resigned, effective immediately," said a spokesperson for TreatWell Health in a statement. "This decision, while not an easy one, is in the best interest of their patients. It is Ms. Ettel's belief that TreatWell, its employees, and patients should not have to suffer because of a situation that occurred in an escalated moment. And she regrets her part and is remorseful."

Also, you might recall there was some confusion about whether or not Permit Patty actually called 911. It looked like she called 911 in the viral video of her outburst. Then, in interviews with HuffPost and the San Francisco Chronicle, she claimed she only pretended to call 911. Well, it turns out she was lying. KTVU obtained the 911 call and posted it on the Internet. You can hear it below. So, yes, Ettel called an emergency number because an eight-year-old girl was selling bottled water without a permit. And the young entrepreneur was doing it to raise money for a trip to Disney World.

[[youtubewidget||https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W4Ll3Y2DS0]]

In her media interviews, Ettel said this outburst "has no racial component." She claimed she was just tired of all the "screaming" the mother was doing while her daughter sold water. "I had been putting up with this for hours, and I just snapped," she told HuffPost. "I have no problem with enterprising young women. I want to support that little girl. It was all the mother and just about being quiet."

If those statements are true, that's still not a great excuse for her behavior. Anyway, Permit Patty realizes this now. She said that after the incident she felt "horrible and heart-wrenched."

[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/_ethiopiangold/status/1010703696840286209]]
[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/_ethiopiangold/status/1010711768816119808]]

But the good news is, this story ends on a happy note. The musician Jonathan Brannon heard about the story and bought the family four tickets to Disney World. In a video shared on Twitter, the girl screams and jumps with joy.

'Permit Patty' loses job after Internet backlash, and audio of her 911 call leaks

vt-author-image

By VT

Article saved!Article saved!

Okay, I know all these white women calling the cops on black people for no good reason are getting confusing. First there was 'BBQ Becky,' a woman in Oakland who called the cops on a black family BBQ-ing in the wrong designated grilling zone. Then there was 'Permit Patty,' a woman in San Francisco who called the cops on an 8-year-old black girl selling bottled water on the sidewalk without a permit. And yesterday, news broke about 'Pool Patrol Paula,' a woman in South Carolina who assaulted a black teenager, while kicking him out of a community swimming pool.

All three women had a racist outburst in public, and were caught on camera looking foolish. Their photos and videos quickly spread on social media. They were given famous nicknames, and turned into hilarious memes. Also, the exposure led to some real-world consequences. Pool Patrol Paula was fired from her job, as an independent consultant for the skin care company Rodan + Fields.

[[instagramwidget||https://www.instagram.com/p/BkXWMlWguex/]]

Well, now Alison Ettel, aka Permit Patty, has suffered a similar fate. After skyrocketing to Internet fame, people discovered that she was the CEO of TreatWell Health, a company that sells cannabis-infused medical products. (You'd think she would take her own product, to avoid having public meltdowns about kids selling bottled water on the sidewalk.)

"Alison Ettel, CEO of TreatWell Health, has resigned, effective immediately," said a spokesperson for TreatWell Health in a statement. "This decision, while not an easy one, is in the best interest of their patients. It is Ms. Ettel's belief that TreatWell, its employees, and patients should not have to suffer because of a situation that occurred in an escalated moment. And she regrets her part and is remorseful."

Also, you might recall there was some confusion about whether or not Permit Patty actually called 911. It looked like she called 911 in the viral video of her outburst. Then, in interviews with HuffPost and the San Francisco Chronicle, she claimed she only pretended to call 911. Well, it turns out she was lying. KTVU obtained the 911 call and posted it on the Internet. You can hear it below. So, yes, Ettel called an emergency number because an eight-year-old girl was selling bottled water without a permit. And the young entrepreneur was doing it to raise money for a trip to Disney World.

[[youtubewidget||https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W4Ll3Y2DS0]]

In her media interviews, Ettel said this outburst "has no racial component." She claimed she was just tired of all the "screaming" the mother was doing while her daughter sold water. "I had been putting up with this for hours, and I just snapped," she told HuffPost. "I have no problem with enterprising young women. I want to support that little girl. It was all the mother and just about being quiet."

If those statements are true, that's still not a great excuse for her behavior. Anyway, Permit Patty realizes this now. She said that after the incident she felt "horrible and heart-wrenched."

[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/_ethiopiangold/status/1010703696840286209]]
[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/_ethiopiangold/status/1010711768816119808]]

But the good news is, this story ends on a happy note. The musician Jonathan Brannon heard about the story and bought the family four tickets to Disney World. In a video shared on Twitter, the girl screams and jumps with joy.