Dave Portnoy expresses his belief that the antisemitic sign spotted at a Philadelphia Barstool venue was intended as a humorous prank.
Unfiltered Take: The Philadelphia Barstool Sports bar incident has caused a whirlwind of outrage after an antisemitic sign was displayed on Saturday night. Dave Portnoy, the bar's founder and a Jewish man himself, has shared his disbelief and anger about the offensive display.
"I wouldn't be as shocked if it wasn't my bar," Portnoy explained to NBC News. With a noticeable increase in antisemitic activities, he's advocating for accountability. Two servergirls who brought the sign to a group of customers and the customers who ordered it have been summarily fired.
The customers, college kids from Temple University just down the road, splashed their cash on bottle service and the custom sign that read "F**k the Jews." Such displays aren't uncommon in bars – personalized signs are often included as a part of the package.
A Temple University student was put on interim suspension for her suspected role in the incident. The college is investigating the matter.
Portnoy questions the motives behind the sign, labeling it as merely "pure idiocy." He's spoken to the two customers involved, scolding them for their actions.
Vladislav Khaykin, an exec at California's Simon Wiesenthal Center, isn't amused. "The sign at Barstool Samson Street wasn't funny; it shows how public spaces are becoming accepting of antisemitism," he said.
Portnoy has been accused of downplaying the issue, but he's gone a step further by offering the two customers a chance to visit Auschwitz in Poland and learn about the Holocaust. However, after one customer tried to shirk responsibility, Portnoy rescinded the offer.
Portnoy has been making headlines for years, but this incident hits close to home. "Something has changed in American culture," he said. "Antisemitic sentiments seem to have become normalized."
Some members of the Jewish community criticized Portnoy's Auschwitz trip offer as a "paid vacation" for poor behavior. Portnoy, however, argued that the heart-wrenching trip would force the customers to confront the atrocities of the past and reevaluate their future actions.
This incident serves as a chilling reminder that antisemitism isn't a thing of the past, lurking in the shadows but still finding ways to intrude on everyday life.
"In light of the antisemitic incident at Barstool Sports bar, the general-news and politics spheres have been actively discussing the growing issue of antisemitism in society. Dave Portnoy, the bar's founder and a Jewish individual, has expressed his concern, stating, 'Something has changed in American culture, antisemitic sentiments seem to have become normalized.'"
"As the investigation continues at Temple University regarding the students involved in the incident, the sports world and crime-and-justice community are also following the developments closely, with Portnoy offering one of the customers a unique opportunity to visit Auschwitz in Poland, hoping it would serve as a learning experience and foster change."
