Dave Portnoy, the outspoken chief of Barstool Sports, has publicly addressed the online chatter about his apparent weight gain after a photo from a New England Patriots game went viral.
The Viral Moment and Portnoy's Response
The incident unfolded on Sunday when Portnoy, 48, was captured celebrating in a luxury VIP suite alongside Patriots owner Robert Kraft. While the team's win was the main event, a side-on angle of Portnoy quickly drew fan attention, with many brutally mocking his 'belly' and linking it to his famous pizza reviews.
Never one to shy away from the spotlight, Portnoy joined the conversation himself. He shared the screenshot on social media with a characteristic quip: 'Camera really does add 100 pounds.' He later expanded on his thoughts during an appearance on Wake Up Barstool on Monday morning.
'I'm definitely getting fat, there's no doubt about that,' Portnoy admitted candidly to his audience. However, he was quick to clarify that he has no plans to alter his lifestyle for the sake of his appearance.
A Lifestyle Unchanged
Portnoy dismissed any notion of vanity-driven changes, explicitly ruling out popular weight-loss methods. 'I'm not going to go on Ozempic,' he stated, affirming his belief in enjoying food. He detailed his post-game celebration, which involved whipping up a late-night 'emergency Italian' meal of pasta and garlic bread around 11 pm.
Attributing his physique partly to age and genetics, the media mogul explained his philosophy. 'I eat pizza everyday. I don't really work out... I'm not that vain,' he said, concluding with a resigned, 'It is what it is.'
Contrasting Incident: Anti-Semitic Abuse During Pizza Review
The light-hearted discussion about his weight stands in stark contrast to a serious incident that occurred during one of his recent 'one-bite' pizza reviews. While filming in Mississippi, Portnoy, who is Jewish, was subjected to vile anti-Semitic abuse.
A man interrupted the review by shouting, 'Hey, f*** the Jews, f*** you Dave.' The video shows Portnoy looking understandably shocked before he challenged the heckler, saying, 'Why don't you come in the camera, buddy?'
The crowd that had gathered immediately condemned the abuse, with one woman heard saying 'that was awful' and a man telling the perpetrator to 'F*** you, get out of here.' Portnoy's own cameraman appeared to film a subsequent exchange between Portnoy and the individual responsible.
