Barstool’s Dave Portnoy will get in feud with Dragon Pizza proprietor Charlie Redd

Meals

The media mogul and the restaurant’s proprietor traded insults.

A fierce change between a media mogul and a well-liked Somerville pizza store lately went viral.

Dave Portnoy, who is thought for score pizzerias throughout the nation on his YouTube channel, “One Chunk Pizza Critiques,” broke out right into a struggle with Dragon Pizza proprietor Charlie Redd. Whereas Portnoy was recording a evaluation of the spot’s pizza, giving it a damaging evaluation, Redd confronted him, telling him he didn’t “admire what [he does] to small companies.” The 2 have been quickly exchanging expletives, and the scene was caught on digital camera. Portnoy posted the video on his channel Thursday, calling Dragon Pizza “the worst pizza place in America.” The video had over 300,000 views as of Friday afternoon.

Redd spoke with Boston.com saying that he has by no means been in the midst of a feud like this earlier than — and has acquired threats to his life.

“It’s sort of new terrain for me. It’s psychological,” Redd mentioned. “However I don’t need to give him credit score for complicating my life. We’re working our pizza store, and everyone seems to be pleased. I’m receiving dying threats. I’ve acquired threats at my dwelling. I’m receiving tons of all types of various assaults in many alternative methods.” As of Friday afternoon, Dragon Pizza had blocked commenting to their newest Instagram publish, and Redd mentioned they have been presently solely responding to media inquiries.

Many have taken to social media to weigh in on the controversy. Somervillians like Metropolis Councilor Jake Wilson have come out to indicate their appreciation for Dragon Pizza on Twitter. In the meantime, Yelp has quickly blocked evaluations from being written concerning the pizzeria on account of elevated public consideration.

Dragon Pizza appreciation publish. Not solely is their pizza prime notch, however they provide horrible human beings their simply due. https://t.co/1XflEUODHr

— Jake Wilson (@jake4somerville) August 25, 2023

Throughout his evaluation, Portnoy, who additionally lately reacquired Barstool Sports activities, asserted that he didn’t just like the style and construction of the pizza. “This factor’s tremendous floppy,” he mentioned, whereas taking a chunk of a slice. He added, “It’s a floppy mess. Robust parmesan. Just like the parmesan is coming proper by means of. … That is an acquired style. For those who get this, know you’re going to get hit with a left, proper within the face with parmesan.” He gave the pizza a score of 6.4 out of 10.

Portnoy’s evaluation was launched the day after the New York Put up reported that Barstool Sports activities would minimize its employees by almost 25%, resulting in the lack of round 100 jobs. The corporate was based in Milton, Massachusetts, in 2003.

Redd mentioned that Dragon Pizza will proceed to serve its clients. “We’re on this it doesn’t matter what,” he mentioned. “… We’re going to return to creating pizza and making folks pleased.”