Dave Portnoy Reflects on Cancellation Culture

Barstool Sports owner Dave Portnoy recently shared his thoughts on the experience of being “cancelled.” It’s been nearly four years since Business Insider attempted to damage Portnoy’s reputation by investigating his past interactions with women, portraying him as “violent” during encounters.

Back then, Portnoy vehemently rejected the outlet’s claims and branded them as his new adversary.

His views on cancellation culture are now particularly relevant in light of Jimmy Kimmel’s recent suspension from ABC, sparked by Kimmel’s unfounded accusations against Charlie Kirk. Taking to social media, Portnoy expressed skepticism about whether Kimmel was truly “cancelled.”

Portnoy stated, “To me, cancelling culture looks like when folks dig into old tweets and videos.” He then remarked on Kimmel, saying, “He was called out for what he said on his own show.” He argued that many individuals make offensive comments in real-time without facing the same repercussions.

In a follow-up video, Portnoy emphasized the importance of being cautious about what you say when sponsors and networks are involved. His own experience since the acquisition of Barstool Sports by Penn Entertainment in 2023 has forced him to tread carefully, especially regarding political content. This was, he explained, part of the agreement that prohibits him from mocking political figures or government officials.

Portnoy highlighted how Kimmel’s situation mirrors a broader issue within broadcasting—specifically, that viewers sometimes don’t want to see certain types of content. He pointed out that in a capitalist market, if Kimmel generates more problems than he creates profit, he could easily be replaced, just like anyone else.

Interestingly, Kimmel’s viewer ratings have dropped significantly over the past few years, now reaching around a quarter of what they were in 2013. Portnoy noted that this decline could ultimately threaten Kimmel’s place on the network.

In Portnoy’s words, “Kimmel hasn’t been able to attract enough success… to keep him on air.”