Dave Portnoy recently accused a local ABC News affiliate of attempting to mislead him during an interview regarding an incident involving an anti-Semitic sign at his Barstool Sansam Street Bar in Philadelphia.
In a video shared on his social media on Monday, the Barstool founder featured a clip from the interview where he engaged with an “unknown female reporter.” He claimed she suggested that he and his company were to blame for the incident.
Portnoy stated that the reporter implied that he, along with “the white man,” bore responsibility for the situation. Notably, the signs were showcased by the club’s Bottle Girls in a recent video shared online.
“So, I was asked to do an interview by ABC News Philadelphia about the incident, and initially, I agreed,” Portnoy expressed in the video. “They told me who the reporter would be, but when I showed up, there was a different person.” He went on to describe how the reporter shifted the focus to blame.
“She started asking about the bar, how the event unfolded, and then she pivoted to questions that were more sensational,” Portnoy elaborated.
He criticized the reporter for making generalized claims, quoting sources that he had never heard of, and asserting that Barstool Sports promotes a culture of harassment. “I’ve never seen any quotes to back that up,” he remarked.
Portnoy expressed skepticism about the purported academic quotes and questioned their validity. “Are you saying a professor from some liberal college made a statement about Barstool? It just doesn’t make sense,” he added. Tensions grew during their interaction, prompting Portnoy to record more of the conversation.
Portnoy reiterated his discomfort with unverifiable sources and rejected the claims made about him. “I’m not adhering to those media standards,” he said, emphasizing that he runs a significant media operation himself.
As he was wrapping up their conversation, the reporter tried to assert her identity as a journalist. “Well, the interview is over,” Portnoy responded decisively, closing his laptop.
A report by 6ABC was later released, detailing Portnoy’s reactions to the incident at his bar, but it did not mention the interview they had conducted with him.
As of now, it seems the interview footage has not been made public.
In another video regarding the incident, Portnoy disclosed that the server involved in displaying the signs has been terminated and that he has reached out to Philadelphia officials to address the matter. He voiced a desire to turn this situation into a learning experience.
Reports indicate that students from Temple University were responsible for the anti-Semitic signs, and the university’s president confirmed that one student had been placed under interim suspension.
Both Philadelphia police and the ADL are conducting investigations into the occurrence.
Portnoy mentioned that he aims to use this incident as a teaching moment. “Instead of ruining the life of a 20-year-old, I’d prefer to guide them about the Holocaust,” he stated on Instagram.
Barstool Sansom Street issued a statement via social media, apologizing for the incident and confirming that several employees were fired following an investigation. The statement emphasized their commitment to addressing all forms of discrimination, particularly towards Jewish individuals.
