Dave Portnoy in Conversation with Erika Ayers Badan: Cancel Me If You Can

Name: Dave Portnoy in Conversation with Erika Ayers Badan: Cancel Me If You Can
Uploaded: 2026-07-11T05:55:37-07:00
Duration: 56 min 47 s
Channel: The 92nd Street Y, New York
Description: Dave Portnoy discusses the 25-year history of Bar Stool Sports, revealing the internal conflicts with co-founder Dan Crenshaw and PMT, the strategic…

The 92nd Street Y, New York

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About this episode Dave Portnoy discusses the 25-year history of Bar Stool Sports, revealing the internal conflicts with co-found… AI summary

Dave Portnoy discusses the 25-year history of Bar Stool Sports, revealing the internal conflicts with co-founder Dan Crenshaw and PMT, the strategic maneuvering that led to the acquisition of 'Call Her Daddy,' and the failed ESPN partnership that resulted in his temporary ousting. He emphasizes that Bar Stool's success stems from hiring talented individuals and allowing them creative freedom without legacy media constraints, while also reflecting on the evolution of cancel culture and his personal legacy as a creator and employer.

Key takeaways 5

Bar Stool's longevity is attributed to a 'band label' model where they hire talented people and let them create content without interference, contrasting with legacy media's rigid structures.
The 'Call Her Daddy' crisis was resolved by leaking the internal conflict to the New York Post, preventing the hosts from reconciling and protecting Bar Stool's financial interests.
Portnoy was effectively fired from his own company during the ESPN deal negotiations; he refused to step aside alone and instead bought back the company for $1, securing his return.
Cancel culture often involves digging up old content to target individuals who are already disliked, rather than holding people accountable for specific, recent actions.
Portnoy believes Bar Stool could not be successfully started today due to media fragmentation and the fact that top talent no longer needs traditional media platforms to succeed.

Notable quotes 5 AI-generated: wording and quote attribution may be wrong. Use the play link to verify.

“I leaked the story to the New York Post that they hated each other... I'm not going to let them get back together and screw us over. So, bam.”

▶ 15:08 Portnoy explains the strategic move to leak the 'Call Her Daddy' split to ensure the hosts remained divided and did not take their audience with them.
“There's no freedom of accountability. Like, you can't just say whatever you want and then be like, 'Hey, I can say it. Freedom of speech.' Yeah, I'm not saying you can't say it. I'm not saying you should go to jail, but you can be held responsible.”

▶ 41:26 Portnoy distinguishes between freedom of speech and the consequences of one's words, arguing that accountability is necessary.
“We find talented people. We've always attracted weird brains... And then you just follow the audience. It's like it's working or it's not. And we let people do whatever the hell they want.”

▶ 24:01 Describing Bar Stool's hiring philosophy and content strategy, emphasizing autonomy over micromanagement.
“Sell me back the company for a buck. We'll take on all the expenses, everything. Wipe our hands of it.”

▶ 37:50 Portnoy's counter-offer when PEN Entertainment tried to exclude him from the ESPN deal, which ultimately allowed him to retain control of Bar Stool.
“If you don't do your public service, if you don't do your job as public service, you're doomed to be ruled by people dumber than you.”

▶ 53:36 Portnoy referencing a Plato quote to explain his growing interest in political engagement and local governance.