Dave Portnoy, owner of Barstool Sports, has revealed an intense altercation with an irate restaurant owner during a conversation with Tucker Carlson, co-founder of the Daily Caller. Portnoy, known for his pizza shop reviews, played an exclusive video of a confrontation he had with a pizza restaurant proprietor.
In the video, the restaurant owner confronted Portnoy, expressing his displeasure with Portnoy’s practice of evaluating a business’s pizza based on a single bite. Tensions flared as the owner berated Portnoy for his approach, to which Portnoy responded with defiance.
Portnoy retorted, “Well, we do more. Is this your spot?” The owner confirmed that it was his establishment but reiterated his disapproval of Portnoy’s methodology.
The exchange escalated as Portnoy said, “Let me be clear. F*** you,” while raising his middle finger. The restaurant owner fired back, “Let me be clear — get the f*** out in front of my business.”
The heated confrontation continued, with Portnoy critiquing the owner’s appearance and the owner labeling Portnoy a “clown.” Portnoy recounted the incident to Carlson, highlighting that the restaurant owner initiated the confrontation and accused him of being “what’s wrong with this country.”
In the discussion with Carlson, Portnoy expressed his bewilderment at the owner’s hostility, pointing out that the owner knew little about him but had already formed a negative opinion.
Portnoy’s ownership of Barstool Sports recently regained full control of the company after purchasing a 100% stake back from Penn Entertainment Inc. Portnoy had initially sold his stake in February for $388 million, citing difficulties in managing the company and navigating regulatory challenges.
Portnoy explained that PENN regulators restricted their ability to promote products that had previously been successful, straining their relationship with PENN Entertainment. He mentioned that they were singled out and faced obstacles even for activities like college football game day shows.
Barstool Sports made headlines when it laid off nearly 25% of its staff, resulting in the loss of approximately 100 jobs. Portnoy also touched on the media’s portrayal of him as being overly criticized due to his support for former President Donald Trump and his opposition to COVID-19 lockdowns. He cited his appearances on Tucker Carlson’s former show on Fox News, “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” as a source of contention with liberal media.
