This weekend, New York will host Dave Portnoy's One Bite Pizza Festival. Participating pizzerias have had to navigate buzz around the festival and backlash against the Barstool Sports founder's controversial remarks and allegations of sexual misconduct. wapo.st/3LAEP5f
Since Portnoy started his One Bite Pizza Reviews several years ago, the program’s YouTube audience alone has grown to more than 1 million subscribers. But the Barstool site has been no stranger to controversy, nor has Portnoy himself. wapo.st/3LAEP5f
In a brief phone call with The Post, Portnoy said, “I have been hit with the same things over and over, and they are so wildly out of context.” wapo.st/3LAEP5f
The pizzerias that Portnoy celebrates range from local institutions to nationally known destinations. Their owners have seen increased attention and revenue. A negative review from Portnoy, on the flip side, can have an impact, too. wapo.st/3LAEP5f
Since the One Bite Pizza Festival was announced in August, some influencers, writers and activists have been calling out the pizzerias and sponsors participating in the nearly sold-out event, scheduled for Saturday at a minor league ballpark in Brooklyn. wapo.st/3LAEP5f
None of the pizzerias or sponsors contacted by The Post indicated that they were pulling their support. Some said they lent their name to the event in exchange for publicity or access to the young, social media-savvy audience that Portnoy attracts. wapo.st/3LAEP5f
Some see Portnoy as a champion of small business. His pizza reviews, they say, can increase revenue up to 50 percent. Others say his ability to help their bottom line makes it hard to refuse his requests to participate in an event like One Bite. wapo.st/3LAEP5f
Portnoy agreed to a full-fledged interview, but when The Post asked to reschedule, he declined an alternate time and declined the offer to answer questions in writing. wapo.st/3LAEP5f
@washingtonpost We all saw the phone call Portnoy had with your "journalist". You're a joke, have been a long time now. You're activists not journalists. Hope your "news" paper fails.
@washingtonpost This lie would have worked better had the video of the call not gone viral lmao
@washingtonpost Just here to contribute to the ratio and not visit your website. Y'all are hacks.
@washingtonpost "It's his fault we keep fucking this up"
@washingtonpost Lies by the washington post , bad journalism if you want to call it that. This is a paper turned to tabloid
@washingtonpost Y’all bout to get dragged for this