They did it, they actually did it: WaPo posts hit-piece on Dave Portnoy, Portnoy responds

The suckers-for-punishment over at The Washington Post have actually gone through with writing their smear piece on Barstool Sports founder and president, Dave Portnoy. You may recall the earlier parts of this saga when Portnoy got wind they were writing this piece and called the lead reporter to demand an explanation … which was NOT forthcoming. You may also remember how that conversation ended with the reporter for the Washington Post assuring Portnoy that they'd set a time for a formal interview with him, which they later tried to reschedule before being told 'no dice' by Portnoy.

Despite repeatedly being made to look the fool by Portnoy, however, WaPo actually posted their hit-job on Portnoy. You've gotta hand it to them for having chutzpah at least.

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. https://t.co/v2XqLxkJwg
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) September 22, 2023

The series of tweets in which WaPo tries to frame their article get more and more absurd, levying one flimsy, poorly thought-out charge after another, before culminating in this absolute dud of a claim:

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. https://t.co/v2XqLxkJwg
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) September 22, 2023

Anyone who's been paying even cursory attention to this whole debacle will know that one-sided is FAR too fair a description of what WaPo is doing here. By a loooong shot. How the authors of the piece can feel they have an ounce of journalistic integrity left is difficult to fathom, but they're finding there isn't much sympathy to be found for their case in the responses to their piece.

“Controversial remarks”

Translation: Portnoy refuses to abide 100% with the worldview of the typical WaPo writer
— Paul M Winters (@RealPaulWinters) September 22, 2023

This will be a wonderful case study for journalism students at actual colleges. You guys have shady tactics for writing stories and have no ethics whatsoever. Your paper would already be in the bin of history if not for Jeff Bezos. It will be there soon enough. Hacks.
— Shoulder to the Stone (@shouldertostone) September 22, 2023

"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 that we at the Washington Post concocted."
— inverse square law of information propagation (@_inverse_square) September 22, 2023

So you still went with it anyway. Again - you're no longer journalists. Shut WaPo down and get real jobs.
— mirrormere cos (@mirrormerecos) September 22, 2023

Perhaps they could learn to code?

Portnoy is already out of the gate with a response, so it's fair to say this war of words is likely far from over.

It's surreal we live in a country where activist reporters can openly get caught lying and admitting they are creating a false narrative to generate engagement and controversy AND still publish the article https://t.co/kUtVMsFI9M pic.twitter.com/R9wk8B9d3V
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) September 22, 2023

Later he also added:

Translation: Dave Portnoy caught us red handed. Our flustered reporter lied again and said she always planned on contacting him to get his side. She then scheduled a meeting. She then cancelled it till 1 minute before article was due so she could claim she tried to talk him https://t.co/hc5NsKs7yn
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) September 22, 2023

Outlets like the Washington Post have spent years or even decades being able to ride rough shod over anyone that used language that annoyed them or even just annoyed them by existing. It's always wonderful to watch when they pick a fight with someone who can fight back, and in Portnoy they've found not only a capable sparring partner but one who seems to revel in taking the fight to them.

This is far from over, so stay tuned.

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