Dave Portnoy confronted by angry pizza shop owner citing New York Times hit piece as evidence his pizza reviews hurt small businesses

Barstool Sports owner Dave Portnoy was confronted by an angry pizza shop owner in Massachusetts who cited a New York Times article as evidence that Portnoy has hurt small businesses with his pizza reviews.

While Portnoy was doing one of his popular "One Bite Pizza Reviews," the operator of Dragon Pizza in Somerville, Massachusetts, came outside to tell Portnoy that he doesn't appreciate his point of view.

"Enjoy your pizza, as any customer, but I don't appreciate what you do, coming in and judging a business with one bite," the owner said. "I hope you enjoy your pizza, but I don't appreciate what you do to small businesses."

"Well, I help them," Portnoy responded.

"I don't see it that way," the owner replied.

The owner perhaps had a misunderstanding of the pizza reviews or had not watched them, as while they are called "one bite reviews," the name is ironic in that Portnoy never actually takes just one bite before judging the pizza. In fact, it is not uncommon for him to eat an entire slice or slices.

After Portnoy was approached by some fans, the owner then resurfaced to demand that Portnoy leave the area. "Let me be a little clearer: move on. Don't stand in front of my business."

"Let me be clear, f*** you," Portnoy chimed back. More expletives were exchanged before the owner threatened to call the police on the sports pundit standing on the sidewalk in front of the business.

After Portnoy told the Dragon Pizza operator that his shirt was "six sizes too small," the owner accused him of being "all talk ... kind of like that New York Times article."

He was likely referring to a New York Times piece titled "Desperate for Growth, Aging Casino Company Embraced ‘Degenerate Gambler.'" The article suggested that Portnoy isn't fit to run a business and that he "rose to fame by capitalizing on misogyny," among other attacks.

"Everything, since I got in this business, that you represent is an embarrassment," the business owner said.

Portnoy responded by citing the "Barstool Fund," which raised over $40 million for small businesses affected by COVID-19 lockdowns.

Before the pizza review and interaction were posted online, the Dragon Pizza owner posted his own recollection of the confrontation, saying he gave Portnoy "his packing orders." He also posted a drawing and a greatly obscured selfie of himself giving Portnoy the middle finger.

"Left wing lunatics like this guy who have read all the hit pieces written about me by the far left and have decided that it's all true," Portnoy wrote in a blog post. "These people believe that I embody everything they think is wrong with America. They see me as a bizarro world version of Donald Trump."

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