Barstool Sports is not only a company that straight-up promotes online harassment, racism, misogyny, and blatant sexism – they are built upon such a foundation. They use social media platforms to stir up their mouthbreathing cronies against a perceived enemy, and then use that hatred and gross behavior for content. There are myriad examples of their abhorrent history. They turn asinine and inappropriate rants into sociopathic fever dreams, stoking the fire in the name of self-promotion and clicks. This site reported on it in 2018.
Most recently, this week, Barstool decided to attack one of our own – Julie DiCaro. Julie is off this week while promoting her new book, “Sidelined: Sports, Culture, and Being a Woman in America.” As a staff, we’re thrilled for her and rooting for her success. But Barstool, on “The Kirk Minihane Network,” decided to partake in outright copyright infringement and illegally disseminate her work by reading the entire book on their YouTube channel. No, we’re not providing a link. Here’s an image from it:
They openly promoted their actions on Twitter, with “Barstool good guy” Dan Katz getting in on the action, not only condoning the performance, but saying that he was going to tune in. They openly engaged in attacking Julie’s content and what they have called “slanderous claims towards [Barstool founder Dave Portnoy].”
They later said they were considering a farcical lawsuit against her.
None of this is new behavior. As we said, this is exactly what Barstool is built on – misogyny, sexism, racism, xenophobia, and hatred of all kinds. The legal issues stemming from their stunt are not ours to address, but as a work family we feel a responsibility and duty to stand with one of our own when she is being baselessly attacked — and ripped off. That’s who we are.
Barstool should be ashamed of their actions, both in the past and recently in their copyright infringement and attacks on Julie – but they won’t. This is just who they are.
And it’s what they’ll remain so long as assholes with drool on their shirt keep clicking away.
Don’t be that asshole.