Dave Portnoy, known for his candid sports takes and especially his brutally honest pizza reviews, recently found himself the target of a shocking and hateful outburst. While filming a review outside a pizza shop in Starkville, Mississippi, during a college football weekend, he was confronted by a venomous attack.
The incident, captured on video, involved a 20-year-old Mississippi State University student, Patrick McClintock, directing deeply offensive and antisemitic slurs at Portnoy. Witnesses reported McClintock screamed obscenities laced with hatred, singling out Portnoy’s Jewish faith.
Adding to the aggression, McClintock physically threw coins at Portnoy during the tirade. Portnoy, visibly shaken but resolute, challenged the student to step forward and confront him directly on camera.
The camera then focused on McClintock, who continued his hateful rant, demanding Portnoy leave Starkville. However, the surrounding crowd immediately condemned the student’s behavior, vocally rebuking him for his appalling actions.
Despite the shocking display, Portnoy attempted to downplay the incident, acknowledging that “aholes” exist everywhere. He also emphasized the supportive response from the crowd, noting that those present overwhelmingly rejected the student’s bigotry.
The Starkville Police Department quickly responded after the video circulated online, issuing a warrant for McClintock’s arrest. Their statement affirmed the community’s commitment to safety and respect for all individuals.
Police also highlighted that Mississippi law allows for enhanced penalties in cases motivated by bias or discrimination. The investigation is ongoing, and McClintock was subsequently arrested on a misdemeanor charge of disturbing the peace.
Following the arrest, McClintock voluntarily withdrew from Mississippi State University. He had been a junior majoring in mechanical engineering.
This incident isn’t isolated. Earlier this year, Portnoy addressed another antisemitic act at a Barstool Sports bar in Philadelphia. A student displayed a sign with a hateful message carried by a waitress.
Portnoy’s response was swift and forceful. He immediately fired all staff involved in allowing the sign to be displayed and proposed a stark learning experience for those responsible – a visit to Auschwitz, the infamous Nazi concentration camp.
He expressed a desire to transform the horrific incident into an opportunity for education and understanding, demonstrating a firm stance against antisemitism and hate speech. These events underscore a disturbing trend and Portnoy’s consistent condemnation of bigotry.
