Dave Portnoy Faces Antisemitic Slur in Toronto During Pizza Review

In a disheartening incident in Toronto, Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy faced an antisemitic slur while filming one of his popular One Bite Pizza Reviews outside an Italian restaurant, Terrazza. As Portnoy prepared to take his signature bite, an unseen individual shouted a vile remark, targeting his Jewish heritage. The moment, captured on video, showed Portnoy’s immediate reaction, as he confronted a group of young men nearby who snickered at the insult. 'What are you guys laughing about?' he challenged, quickly silencing their amusement.

Despite the hostility, Portnoy refused to let the incident overshadow his work. With a mix of sarcasm and resolve, he quipped about 'Toronto hospitality' while continuing his review, ultimately giving the pizza a respectable 7.4 score. His friend, Bill the Greek, echoed the sentiment, calling the slur 'terrible' and a sign of 'no school'—a lack of basic decency. Portnoy’s composure in the face of hate is a stark reminder of the casual bigotry that still lingers in public spaces.

This isn’t the first time Portnoy has encountered such prejudice. Just last month, a hateful sign with the same antisemitic message appeared at a Barstool Sports bar in Philadelphia. Initially furious, Portnoy sought to transform the incident into a learning opportunity, offering to send the culprits to Auschwitz to understand the Holocaust’s horrors. However, he later withdrew the offer when one of the accused denied responsibility. Reflecting on the surge of hate he’s faced recently, Portnoy noted a troubling rise in antisemitism over the past year, a sobering observation from someone who’s been in the public eye for two decades.

These incidents underscore a broader societal challenge—how do we address ignorance and hatred without destroying lives, especially when the perpetrators are young and reckless? Portnoy’s approach, blending confrontation with a push for education, offers a nuanced perspective in an era quick to cancel. Yet, the question remains: how many more slurs must be endured before real change takes root?