Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, seems to be flirting with the Dark Side.
After making a name for himself as a free-thinker and rejecter of tedious liberal pieties, Portnoy now claims that he would prefer Joe Biden in a 2024 matchup between him and his predecessor. Actually, he hedged somewhat, saying that former President Donald Trump is too “divisive”—a curious accusation from a man whose schtick is largely built around being as provocative as possible.
Say it ain’t so, Dave.
Portnoy sat down on Wednesday for an interview with the Nelk Boys, a Canadian comedy group, on their “Full Send” podcast. The hosts, Jesse Sebastiani and Bob Menery, asked Portnoy about his preferred choice in the 2024 presidential race: Trump or Biden.
“That’s two bad options to me,” Portnoy responded, evasively. “Trump more so, because I think he would be so divisive. Like, intentionally so—like, they are intentionally divisive and that’s their audience, but, in this country, regardless of what you think of him and his politics, and I think he does get a bad rap for a lot of the stuff, but it doesn’t matter. He’s broken brains.”
On the other hand, it wasn’t exactly a ringing endorsement of Joe Biden. But it’s an odd reversal for someone who’s increased his cachet considerably by criticizing the excesses and absurdities of an increasingly humorless and totalitarian liberal media. Portnoy made waves by signaling his support for Trump, writing a brief piece in 2015 entitled “I’m Officially Voting for Donald Trump.”
It wasn’t the sort of thing likely to endear him to the leftist opinion-makers and gatekeepers who make up the country’s (so far) unofficial Thought Police.
“There I said it,” Portnoy wrote, no doubt relishing the innumerable conniption fits his article would spawn.
“I am voting for Donald Trump. I don’t care if he’s a joke. I don’t care if he’s racist. I don’t care if he’s sexist. I don’t care about any of it. I hope he stays in the race and I hope he wins. Why? Because I love the fact that he is making other politicians squirm. I love the fact he says sh-t nobody else will say regardless of how ridiculous it is.”
Portnoy then went on to echo what many voters felt at the time—and, incidentally, still feel today, and with added fervency, given a little over a year under the sway of a president who virtually epitomizes the DC Swamp.
“Our government is so f—ed up nothing can get done no matter who is President. All we get every 4 years is hypocritical, fake ass politicians pointing their fingers at each other and blaming everything on everybody else. Every 4 years politicians will say ‘Are you sick of business as usual’ and then nothing changes and they do it all over again in the next election. Well at least Trump is entertaining and says funny sh-t. He’s like a 1 man real life political mockumentary and that’s the best you can hope for at this point.”
Amen, brother. In the years since Trump’s election, Portnoy went on to make quite the name for himself as a ferocious critic of Democratic lockdown orders and authoritarian vaccine mandates and has ridiculed the insufferable bullying of the American left. He also put his money where his mouth is, and created the non-profit Barstool Fund to help struggling small businesses survive in the face of restrictive lockdowns in blue states.
Predictably, this drew the ire of leftist activists, with Business Insider duly publishing allegations that Portnoy had committed sexual assault against six women on various occasions. The claims remain unverified, nor have any charges been filed against Portnoy as a result of these allegations. On the contrary, Portnoy has launched legal actions against Business Insider for printing the libelous accusations.
During his appearance on the Nelk Boys’ podcast, one of the hosts asked Portnoy a question that probably more than a few listeners were wondering about themselves.
“What do you get for going on Fox News then?”
“Huge audience,” Portnoy responded, without missing a beat. “Like what do I get for going on Nelk Boys—huge audience.”
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
"Originally from South Florida, Todd Jaquith now lives in sunny Santa Fe, New Mexico. He holds a degree in Anthropology from Florida Atlantic University."
- Senior editor at Vox fantasizes about Justice Alito’s death with creepy ‘obituary’ tweet - August 4, 2022
- John Kelly secretly listened to all of President Trump’s phone calls, Kushner alleges in book - August 4, 2022
- Sources suggest China could invade Taiwan before the 2024 US presidential election - August 4, 2022
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
BPR INSIDER COMMENTS
Scroll down for non-member comments or join our insider conversations by becoming a member. We'd love to have you!
21 thoughts on “Barstool’s Dave Portnoy sours on Trump return, says ‘divisive’ former president worse option than Biden”
Comments are closed.
Portnoy just lost my support … Trump may be “divisive” but it’s his “divisiveness” that get things done …
Who ???
If putting out the truth and taking care of our country is divisive, who actually is the one with the problem here, Portnoy? Is it not true MSM is fake news? I would rather call them lying news, but fake will do. Is it divisive that he calls out the squad or even Demos and Rinos for all the hate they spew in this country? Trump, IMO is not divisive, he is forthright, and people don’t like that. He calls it as he sees it.
Portnoy is a media personality, like all of them he believes any publicity, even bad, is better than none. What he fails to comprehend is the divergence today is toxic, siding with one over the other costs 50% of your audience. He’s now trying to recoup the left, they won’t forgive him for past sins, he’s now alienating the right, they to won’t forgive.
Dave must have gone to Bill Maher school of stupidity. LOL
Surely you jest, Dave!
well if he wants more of biden there must be something seriously gone wrong with him!!!!!
Who is this guy? I don’t think he even knows. He is exactly what is wrong with many Americans, especially American so called men. He’s not very smart, he does not pay attention, he only cares if it affects him directly, and he can’t make a decision and stick to it. FDP.
Yep stupid all right. So stupid that he made us no longer dependent on Russian oil. So stupid he stopped Korean missiles from flying into Japan’s air space. So stupid he stopped wars in the mid east. So stupid he encouraged businesses to come back to the US and create jobs here. So stupid he created the best job participation rate ever, So stupid he stopped millions of illegals from inter the country. Yeah people don’t like his personality. But only an idiot votes for ones personality, the color of ones skin, or a real problem in the US votes for that lawyer type with a silver tongue that is trained to lie to you and make you believe. Congress is full of those.
Vote for truths and accomplishments not personalities. Apparently we didn’t last time and we have a bumbling idiot running the country and things are going to hell in a hand basket.
Anyone who bashes President Trump after seeing the difference between a country run by him versus one run by Leftists like the Delaware Dumba$$ and Piglousy is the moron.
Congratulations! You win Imbecile of the Week!
Are you KIDDING!
Trump exposed the anti-minorities GOP!
As millions of illegals are moving in, millions of minorities (American) are moving out of the Dems into the Trump’s party.
Horse $hit would be a better option than biden.
Divisive only because he exposes the gross hypocrisy rampant within the GOP.
STFU, Portnoy!
Orrrr… we can just listen to you pander to the filthy left a while longer. Jeezus, dude, talk about selling your soul to the Devil.
A professional whiner! Nothing can possibly be right! Then he’d have nothing to profit from!
Hey Dave………Here’s a suggestion for you………..GFY !
I second that.
Trump is inarguably a “divisive” figure. That’s because there are a lot of snowflakes out there that can’t stand the thought of someone that they don’t like can live and breathe. The very notion that he’s more “divisive” than Biden is an operation of this Portnoy’s egocentric personality. Biden is as offensive as they come with all of his lies and condescension and incompetence. But, even if Trump were to tip the “divisive” scale in his favor he’s still like a million-times the American leader than Biden might ever be. Shut up, Portnoy.
Dave Portnoy is the kind of guy that will dislocate his shoulder patting himself on the back. His opinion really doesn’t carry much weight in politics. The Trump-bashing begins as expected, but anyone that says they are better off under Joe the sloths’ regime is either delusional or a liar. The country is in shambles because of the radical left and bumbling Joe and those buffoons that installed ole wooden head just won’t admit it.
I dont think this guy really cares whose in office or whose running for office. Hes totally into self and self alone. Power and recognition and money.
Exactly right, you nailed it. If this guy isn’t smart enough to pivot to one of the other Republican options instead of making the demented one his preferred choice then he should stay in his lane and not say a word about politics.